Although most of us will never examine a computer chip under a microscope, computer engineers are showing their creative side by hiding silicon artwork in a chip's layout. The Silicon Zoo has a collection of highly-magnified images that showcase the designer's talent, and each image is accompanied by an interesting, and often humorous, explanation. The silicon doodles have many different themes, ranging from cartoon characters to King Arthur's sword. Two Java tutorials are also on the Web site: the first describes how engineers create their "creatures," while the second explains how computer chips are searched to find them. There are many interesting sections of The Silicon Zoo, so be sure to explore! This site is also reviewed in the
March 15, 2002 NSDL Math, Engineering, and Technology Report.
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