There are various methods to decapsulate ICs. Those method which preserves ICs functionality require chemicals that hard to get and headache to store. Is it possible to perform the same thing with easily obtainable chemicals and process that will not put me in danger? Let’s find out…

Decaping using hardware store available materials and relatively safe procedure

https://hackaday.io/project/196727-hardly-dangerous-ic-decaping

There are various methods to decapsulate ICs. Those method which preserves ICs functionality require chemicals that hard to get and headache to store. Is it possible to perform the same thing with easily obtainable chemicals and process that will not put me in danger? Let’s find out…

As we approach the moment in the year at which websites enter a festive silly season of scrambling to find any story with a festive angle, we’re pleased to see the ever-reliable [Ken Shirriff] has brought his own take on Christmas tech to the table with a decapping of the UM66T melody chip that has graced so many musical greeting cards.

https://twitter.com/kenshirriff/status/1472297415201869831

Chip decapping videos are a staple of the hacking world, and few things compare to the beauty of a silicon die stripped of its protective epoxy and photographed through a good microscope. But the process of actually opening that black resin treasure chest seems elusive, requiring as it does a witch’s brew of solvents and acids.

Or does it? As [Curious Marc] documents in the video below, a little heat and some finesse are all it takes, at least for some chips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQeHHYJYWXo

It all started off innocently enough. [mretro] was curious about what was inside a sealed metal box, took a hacksaw to it and posted photographs up on the Interwebs. Over one hundred forum pages and several years later, the thread called (at least in Google Translate) “dissecting room” continues to amaze.