CPU cores.. a question.

[Teasy]

I was just wondering how can a CPU core get chipped, or worse even (sometimes an entire slice comes off the side of the core), and yet still work fine?? I've always wondered how this is possible but have never bothered to ask. Could someone please enlighten me?

 

[arjan de lumens]

There is about a millimeter or so of bulk silicon between the surface of the chip and the active circuitry. So if the crack doesn't go deep enough, you won't damage the active circuitry and the chip will continue to function. Also, some processors (like the 0.18u AthlonXP) tend to not have active circuitry at corners/edges of the chip, so if you chip just the right corner, you might still be fine.