Ready for tape-out: The next phase of the LAYR Open Chip Challenge

The participating teams handed in their designs! After intense weeks of conceptionalising, developing and validating the next phase of the LAYR Open Chip Challenge begins: the production.

For the students, this step marks the transition from concept to physical implementation. The tape-out marks the exact moment when designs are handed over to production and form the basis for the manufacture of the chips. This is a central part of the chip design process. For the participants, this means that over the past few months their designs have gone through the entire tool flow to reach a producible chip design. The designs developed in the competition are created within the context of a practical task. Specifically, the focus is on chip solutions for a digital door lock, with clear requirements regarding security and integration. 

The next steps involve the production of the chips by the Leibniz Institute for High Performance Microelectronics (IHP) and preparations for commissioning. For the competition participants, this now means finalising the documentation of their design process and planning the presentations for the closing event.

Meet the Team & Next Steps: LAYR Session on 21 April 2026

To address the students’ questions, an accompanying information session with the participating teams on the upcoming phase of the competition will take place on 21 April. There, the next steps will be discussed in depth, and technical and organisational aspects for the rest of the process will be addressed.

With the jury’s upcoming evaluation in mind, we look forward to continuing to support the teams on their journey and, layer by layer, soon seeing the results take shape as real chips!