wafer.space GF180MCU Run 3
Fabricate 1,000 chips of your own design
Back this project to help bring it into existence.
Funding ends on Dec 19, 2026 at 03:59 PM PST.
Back this project to help bring it into existence.
Funding ends on Dec 19, 2026 at 03:59 PM PST.
Get 1,000 custom silicon dies from as low as $2 per die with early bird pricing. wafer.space‘s third production run on GlobalFoundries’ GF180MCU 180 nm mixed-signal process is open for purchase. You design your chip, we handle fabrication, dicing, and delivery. No gatekeeping, no opaque quotes, no five-figure NRE.
Run 3 builds off of the successes we had in both Run 1 and Run 2. Many designs were submitted by universities, companies, hobbyists and community groups from around the world. Now we are doing it again, with another new slot size, better tooling, and lessons learned from our previous runs.
Orders were painful: opaque quotes, setup fees, big MOQs, long waits, and DIY panelization. Then pooling services like OSH Park fixed it with predictable pricing, frequent runs, and no-nonsense logistics. wafer.space brings that shift to silicon.
Run 3 introduces several improvements based on what we learned from shipping Run 1 & 2.
Quarter-sized slot: We’re adding another size option for Run 3. This tiny slot packs a punch with 4.9 mm² of silicon starting from just $2,000! Tapeout test structures, analog circuits, or compact digital designs without paying for silicon you do not need.
Further improvements to the toolchain: The submission platform has once again been updated to catch more issues, earlier, and faster. Bugfixes and stricter DRC mean you can be confident in your tapeout.
More examples: Run 1 contains 29 public designs, and Run 2 adds many more. These are real tapeouts which you can use to study and build upon. Projects vary from simple test structures to Linux-capable SoCs, covering digital, analog, and mixed-signal approaches.
Run 3 offers four slot sizes. All sizes use the same GF180MCU process, the same padframe infrastructure, and the same submission platform. Every slot includes 1,000 dies.
| 1x1 (Full) | 0.5x1 (Half Width) | 1x0.5 (Half Height) | 0.5x0.5 (Quarter) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Die Size | 3.93 mm x 5.12 mm | 1.94 mm x 5.12 mm | 3.93 mm x 2.53 mm | 1.94 mm x 2.53 mm |
| Die Area | 20.14 mm² | 9.92 mm² | 9.95 mm² | 4.90 mm² |
| Usable Silicon | 19.67 mm² | 9.55 mm² | 9.62 mm² | 4.67 mm² |
| Core Area | 12.92 mm² | 4.46 mm² | 5.02 mm² | 1.73 mm² |
| Default I/O Count | 56 | 56 | 56 | 48 |
| Default Total Pads | 74 | 72 | 72 | 56 |
| Early Bird Price | $7,000 ($7/die) | $4,000 ($4/die) | $4,000 ($4/die) | $2,000 ($2/die) |
| Standard Price | $8,000 ($8/die) | $5,000 ($5/die) | $5,000 ($5/die) | $3,000 ($3/die) |
Usable silicon is the die area minus the seal ring (~26 um each side). This is the area available when using a custom pad ring or no pad ring. Core area is the area inside the default pad ring.
For detailed slot specifications including padframe layouts and design constraints, see the slot size documentation.
Choosing a slot size: The 0.5x1 (half width) gives a tall, narrow die, ideal for I/O-heavy designs where signals concentrate along the long edges. The 1x0.5 (half height) gives a wide, short die, ideal for designs that benefit from a wider core. The 1x1 (full) provides maximum area for complex SoCs and mixed-signal designs. These three sizes share the same 56 I/O pad configuration, but the half-sized ones miss out on two extra power pads. New for this run, 0.5x0.5 (quarter) provides a smaller die at a much lower price point. Ideal for prototyping designs which don’t need the area offered by the other slots, but still just as capable as they all target GF180MCU. The quarter slot provides 48 I/O pads and 8 power pads.
Receive your dies wire-bonded onto small PCBs, ready for testing and integration. Learn more about the process in our progress update.
Add-on to any slot purchase. Costs $1,500 ($1.50/die).
The gf180mcu-project-template provides a ready-to-use starting point with LibreLane configuration, a Nix-based development environment, cocotb testbenches, and example designs. Clone it, drop in your Verilog, and run make librelane to go from RTL to GDS.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1 August 2026 | Campaign opens on Crowd Supply. |
| 30 September 2026 | Last day for early bird pricing. |
| 9 December 2026 | Slot purchase deadline. |
| 16 December 2026 | Deadline to submit GDS files. |
| Q2 2027 | Bare dies and packaged parts shipped to customers. |
If you need professional design help, several companies offer paid engineering services for GF180MCU designs. Options include full custom design, verification help, or guidance on a first tapeout. See the design help page for details.
Payment via wire or ACH is available for wafer.space slot orders. To do so, or if your organization requires a formal quote, please submit a request to Crowd Supply via the contact form. Be sure to include your name, organization, address, phone number, email address, and a list of the slot sizes and packaging you would like. Payment instructions will be included along with the invoice for a submitted order. Your order must be paid in full before the slot purchase deadline. To receive early bird pricing, your order must be paid in full prior to the end of the early bird discount period.
No. The PDK is open; your design can be open or closed.
The main changes are: a new smaller slot, stricter and more comprehensive DRC checking, an improved submission platform, and overall improvements to the toolchain. The process, foundry, and overall approach are the same.
It depends entirely on your design. For maximum core area, consider the 1x1 slot with its 12.92 mm² of core area. If your design is smaller, or is I/O heavy, then the half slots may offer a better shape for your design. If your design is even smaller, then the quarter slot offers
the lowest cost of entry. Check the slot size documentation for detailed comparisons.
No, but the community has created example pad rings and reviews of common pitfalls. The gf180mcu-project-template includes a default padframe configuration, and there are previous public designs you can use as references.
The full slot supports 56 I/O with 74 pads total. The half-sized slots also support 56 I/O, but total pad count is reduced to 72. The quarter-sized slot has 48 I/O with 56 pads total. The actual number you use depends on your pad pitch and die edge budget.
Yes. You own the full die area of your slot.
Absolutely. 29 public repositories from Run 1 are listed at github.com/wafer-space/ws-run1. Several of these include detailed documentation of their design process and decisions. Note that slot dimensions have changed slightly, so you will need to adjust padframe configurations. The project template is the best starting point for new designs.
Fabricated on GF180MCU at GlobalFoundries in Singapore. Dicing and logistics via qualified partners. Final shipping from Singapore or our fulfillment partner.
You are responsible for your own design, but you are not alone. The wafer.space community is active and helpful.
Ready to get started? Purchase your slot now, then clone the project template and start designing. Join the Discord to connect with the community.
Produced by wafer.space in Singapore.
Sold and shipped by Crowd Supply.
One full-size design slot on the wafer.space GF180MCU 1P5M26ML shuttle run, up to a 3.93mm × 5.07mm die size. Includes 1,000 dies delivered either bare packaged in a Gel-Pak, or mounted to PCBs and wire-bonded. Free worldwide shipping is included, but buyers are responsible for insurance and tariffs. Full size slots are now sold out: please subscribe above to be notified if any additional slots become available.
One half-width (0.5x1) design slot on the wafer.space GF180MCU 1P5M26ML shuttle run, up to a 1.94 × 5.12 mm die size. Includes 1,000 dies delivered either bare packaged in a Gel-Pak, or mounted to PCBs and wire-bonded. Free worldwide shipping is included, but buyers are responsible for insurance and tariffs.
One half-height (1x0.5) design slot on the wafer.space GF180MCU 1P5M26ML shuttle run, up to a 3.93 × 2.53 mm die size. Includes 1,000 dies delivered either bare packaged in a Gel-Pak, or mounted to PCBs and wire-bonded. Free worldwide shipping is included, but buyers are responsible for insurance and tariffs.
One quarter-size (0.5x0.5) design slot on the wafer.space GF180MCU 1P5M26ML shuttle run, up to a 1.94 × 2.53 mm die size. Includes 1,000 dies delivered either bare packaged in a Gel-Pak, or mounted to PCBs and wire-bonded. Free worldwide shipping is included, but buyers are responsible for insurance and tariffs.
A full GF180MCU wafer, undiced. Can only be ordered with a design slot purchase. The wafer will include your design, as well as other designs.
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wafer.space provides budget silicon manufacturing.
