PragmatIC, Imec Partner on Bendy High-Performance 6502 Chip Targeting the Internet of Things

PragmatIC has partnered with Imec on the production of a fully-flexible high-performance eight-bit microprocessor — based on the venerable MOS 6502, but implemented on a 0.8µm flexible process, and targeting the Internet of Things (IoT).

"Until recently, there was no mature and robust technology available for integrating such a large number of thin-film transistors with sufficient yield," claims PragmatIC's Brian Cobb. "Our pioneering FlexLogIC fab now enables the rapid turnaround of such complex new designs at an ultra-low cost, delivering ICs on thin and flexible wafers."

It's far from PragmatIC's first bendy processor: The company made headlines last year with its first flexible version of the MOS Technology 6502, launched as the cheapest microprocessor available in 1975 and found at the heart of devices ranging from Apple's first systems to the Nintendo Entertainment System and Commodore 64 — but not, unlike PragmatIC's version, known for its ability to bend.

The new chip designed by Imec and built on PragmatIC's FlexLogIC node also takes the 6502 as its base, but aims at performance rather than proof-of-concept: "Our flexible microprocessor shows excellent characteristics for IoT applications," Imec's Kris Myny claims, "including high speed (71.4kHz max operating speed), low power consumption (11.6mW when running at 10kHz, 134.9mW at max operating speed), and high transistor integration density (~16,000 transistors with 0.8µm gate length in a 24.9mm² chip.)

"We created our own design flow starting from the open-source file of the MOS6502 microprocessor – one of the most influential microprocessors ever designed. We engineered the number of cells and logic gates to obtain the most optimal design for our flexible6502 microprocessor in terms of area, power, and speed – using pseudo-CMOS as our logic family. This unique design flow allowed us to create a new standard cell library for metal-oxide thin-film technology that can be used to innovate applications based on metal-oxide thin-film technology."

The research project, which was funded as part of the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, will be presented at the International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC '22), with a demonstration of the chip running a version of the Snake game written in 6502 assembly.

Neither PragmatIC nor Imec have confirmed plans to turn the design into a commercial product.