MIPS Technologies developed the MIPS (Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages) architecture for RISC microprocessors. In 1991, MIPS released the first 64-bit microprocessor, the R4000. The design was so important to Silicon Graphics that SGI bought the company outright so that the design would not be lost in the financial difficulties of bringing it to market. MIPS designs have found broad application in embedded systems, Windows CE (handheld) devices, and Cisco routers. The Nintendo 64 console, Sony PlayStation console, Sony PlayStation 2 console, and Sony PSP handheld system use MIPS processors. By the late 1990s, it was estimated that one in three of all RISC chips produced were MIPS-based designs. In 2000, Silicon Graphics spun off MIPS Technologies as an independent vendor of embedded microprocessors.

R2000 (70K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R2000 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip with bonding wires and bus connections using oblique illumination with red and yellow gels.

R3000 (58K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R3000 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and bonding wires using oblique illumination with red and blue gels.

R4200 (55K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4200 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip, bonding wires, and the chip identifier using oblique illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels.

R4200 (69K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4200 microprocessor showing the chip identifier and bonding wires using oblique illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels.

R4200 (71K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4200 microprocessor showing the chip corner and bus connections using oblique illumination with blue, red, and yellow gels.

R4200 (78K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4200 microprocessor showing the bus connections in the center of the chip using oblique illumination with blue, red, and yellow gels.

R4400 (69K) - Partial die shot of the center of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the bus connection using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels.

R4400 (71K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip with bonding wires and bus connections using dark field illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels.

R4400 (67K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the center of the chip and the bus connections using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels.

R4400 (70K) - Partial die shot of the corner of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the bus connections running from the bonding wires to the main body of the chip using dark field illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels.

R4400 (68K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip using dark field illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels.

R4400 (57K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the bonding wires and bus connections using dark field illumination with red and blue gels.

R4400 (74K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip with bus connections and bonding wires using oblique illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels.

R4400 (74K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and the bus connections using oblique illumination with blue, red, and yellow gels.

R4400 (63K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing bus connections running from the bonding points using oblique illumination with blue and green gels.

R4400 (64K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and the bonding wires using oblique illumination with red and blue gels.

R4400 (67K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the bus connections in the center of the chip using oblique illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels.

R4400 (32K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor giving a very close shot of the bonding wires connecting to the chip using oblique illumination with red and blue gels.

R4400 (59K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4400 microprocessor showing the body of the chip and bus connections using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels.

R4600 (78K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4600 microprocessor showing bus connections using oblique illumination with red, yellow, and blue gels.

R4600 (74K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4600 wafer showing an intersection between scribe lines using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels.

R4600 (79K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R4600 microprocessor showing the body of the chip using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels.

R5000 (55K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R5000 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and bonding wires using oblique illumination with red, blue, and yellow gels.

R8000 (81K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8000 microprocessor showing the center of the chip using oblique illumination with red and blue gels.

R8000 (65K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8000 microprocessor showing the bus connections in the center of the chip using oblique illumination with red and green gels.

R8000 (85K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8000 microprocessor showing the bus connection in the center of the chip using oblique illumination with blue and yellow gels.

R8000 (75K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8000 microprocessor showing the edge of the chip and bus connections using oblique illumination with red and blue gels.

R8000 (48K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8000 microprocessor showing the chip identifier and surrounding bus connections using dark field illumination with red gels.

R8010 (51K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R8010 microprocessor showing the Silicon Graphics logo and a list of names using dark field illumination with red and blue gels.

R10000 (64K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R10000 microprocessor giving a neon look at the corner of the chip and the bonding wires using dark field illumination with blue and red gels.

R10000 (68K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R10000 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and the bonding wires using dark field illumination with red and blue gels.

R10000 (61K) - Partial die shot of the MIPS R10000 microprocessor showing the corner of the chip and the bus connections using oblique illumination with blue and red gels.

R10000 Microprocessor (100K) - Illustrated in this section is a high magnification digital image recorded in differential interference contrast (DIC) reflected light microscopy of surface features on a MIPS R10000 microprocessor integrated circuit. The features present on busses, registers and memory caches were enhanced through utilization of oblique illumination with blue and red gels.

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