[sdiy] Can google's free* 180nm OSHW foundry be used for synth parts?

[Mike Bryant]

Just asked someone who does know because they fab these chips.

Mask costs for a custom 180nm production chip (i.e. not MPW)   $150k +$4k/8" wafer.  Test and packaging extra.
Typical design costs $2million, less whatever discount you can get from the EDA companies because you're a startup.
Surprisingly a GaN power device actually costs less because the models are better and simpler circuits.

Whilst it's ok to do an MPW for a prototype, if you did want to go to production you'd have to use proper tools to set all the process corners.  From what I've heard about the Google chips, most chips fail on all sorts of details and none would ever be production ready without a lot more simulation work.

Somehow I don't think the modular synth business is big enough for a speculative chip.  I suspect the existing players such as SSI and so on are on wafer thin margins as it is.