184K views · May 13, 2010 · 8:05 · 3 HN recommenders · 8 mentions · discussed 2010–2023
Jeri Ellsworth shows step by step how to make an NMOS transistor at home using a kiln, rust remover, spin-on dopant, eBay wafers and vinyl stickers.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN points to it as the classic example of home-made semiconductors and a fun way to go down to the transistor level.
“If you want to go further down, check out Jeri Ellsworth's old videos where she built a transistor at home”HN comment, 2020
“Check out Jeri Ellsworth's homebrow NMOS transistor for some real fun.”
Fun homebrew transistor project from a bare wafer
Check out Jeri Ellsworth's homebrow NMOS transistor for some real fun. Just get your bare silicon wafer from E-bay and have at it. this video
“Jeri Ellsworth, for people who don't know, does really interesting hardware stuff.”
One of Jeri Ellsworth's interesting hardware projects
Jeri Ellsworth, for people who don't know, does really interesting hardware stuff. "TSA body imaging at home" ( link ) "Home made EL wire" ( link ) "Recording Audio onto floppy discs" ( link ) "Home made transistor" ( link ) "Homebrew NMOS transistor" ( this video )
“If you want to go further down, check out Jeri Ellsworth's old videos where she built a transistor at home”
Going down to building a transistor at home
Another book recommendation: "Elements of Computing Systems" by Noam Nisan and Shimon Schocken. It doesn't go all the way down to the physics of semiconductors, but it goes down to logic gates and all the way up to tetris (there's a related course/website called nand to tetris: link ) If you want to go further down, check out Jeri Ellsworth's old videos where she built a transistor at home: this video
Found via Google as the relevant homebrew fab example
Google to the rescue![1] this video [1] Though when I googled "Jeri Ellsworth", Google suggestions helpfully suggested I would be interested in her cleavage. Shame on you, internet! [2] I wonder what happened to the fatmanandcircuitgirl site. I was watching them build a pinball machine and then it just stopped updating.
“Jeri Ellsworth makes NMOS transistors on silicon wafer chips at home, with an oven, rust remover and some other home chemicals”
Making NMOS transistors at home with simple chemicals
Jeri Ellsworth makes NMOS transistors on silicon wafer chips at home, with an oven, rust remover and some other home chemicals: this video
Homebrew transistors, though commenter says it feels like cheating
( this video ) for transistors, but it feels like cheating. Relays are doable from scratch (mining and refining copper; winding coils, etc etc) but it's going to be pretty hard work and you're going to have a very slow computer at the end of it.
“Jeri Ellsworth has gone "deeper" into the process and made a few transistors, although at a much larger scale”
Deeper process view with larger-scale homemade transistors
Jeri Ellsworth has gone "deeper" into the process and made a few transistors, although at a much larger scale: this video link
“I've been following home-made semiconductors since Jeri Ellsworth made her own NMOS FETs in 2010.”
Early example of home-made semiconductors
I've been following home-made semiconductors since Jeri Ellsworth made her own NMOS FETs in 2010.[1] When Sam managed to make his own ICs, I was happy for him, and for the hobby. Now he seems to be on the verge of democratizing access to semiconductor production in very low volumes. I've got my own project to try out once I can get my hands on it.[2] Who knows, petaflop chips made in the garage could be right around the corner, in less than 2 decades! [1] this video [2] link
