Russian electronics. We don't need microelectronic technology, we were doing pico- for decades already.
October 26th, 2008
This suspicious device was found recently at MEPhI microelectronics departent catacombs. After breaking the deivice's case to our great disappointment we weren't able to discover any signs of microelectronic footprint inside. The pins weren't even connected (at least it seems so). It looks like the soviet microelectonics went beyond the current nano-sized structures several decades ago. Picoelectronic device, indeed. :-)
PS: I would really like to know which microprocessor architecture this device implements. Getting FreeBSD runned there will be really great!
June 29th, 2009 at 04:52 AM
Did you notice that there is a white layer under the top metal layer in that picture? looks like ceremic from here, unless its a reflection in the photo. It could possibly contain the circuit in there, the top either looks like shielding or even some sort of thermal enclosure... more likely shielding though. If I was you I would try to carefully crack that layer off to see whats in there.
It might have even contained an inert gas that was released when it was opened and was some kind of arc hv device, who knows.. Was there any markings on the top?
Or, even a can for a prototype chip of some kind that was never used.
August 16th, 2009 at 08:18 PM
Hi, Geoff!
In fact I should say sorry for an ambiguous image: in fact this while layer you're referring to is just a light reflection on the photo. I think that this device I found is just a blank box for some electronic circuit that was never produced, or a demonstration model.