Reverse-Engineering a Pentium's Clever BiCMOS Circuits
2025-01-21
This post details the reverse engineering of interesting BiCMOS circuits within Intel's Pentium processor, focusing on the output circuitry of the constant ROM in the floating-point unit. The author meticulously explains the layered structure, the use of MOS transistors, and the unique aspects of the BiCMOS driver. A deep dive into the multiplexers, latches, and driver design reveals the intricate design of the Pentium and highlights the role of BiCMOS technology in enhancing performance. The article ultimately illustrates the remarkable growth in processor complexity as described by Moore's Law.
Hardware
BiCMOS circuits