Another post regarding time travel got me wondering how far back in time can I hypothetically leave a modern computer where they, the most capable engineers of their time, can then somewhat reverse engineer it or even partially?
The biggest issue would be microchips which require some really precise machinery to manufacture.
1930s - complete reverse engineering
By then they had both an understanding of semiconductors and computational theory. Using semi-conductive materials to compute wasn’t yet a thing, but there wouldn’t be much surprise at the concept. Some kind of reproduction is likely, probably not a 5nm manufacturing process like modern chip factories, but they could make it.1890s - eventual understanding, but not able to manufacture
Measuring devices were sensitive enough by then to measure tiny electrical fluctuations. They would be able to tell the device functions due to processing of electrical signals, even capture those signals. Biggest missing piece is mathematical theory - they wouldn’t immediately understand how those electrical signals produce images and results. Reproduction - no. Maybe the would get an idea what’s needed - refining silicon and introducing other stuff into it, but no way they could do it with equipment of the day.1830s - electricity goes into a tiny box and does calculations, wow!
This is the age of the first great electrical discoveries. They would be in awe what is possible, and understand on a high level how it’s supposed to work. Absolutely no way to make it themselves.1730s - magic, burn the witch!
Probably not very far, all things considered, because go too far back, and modern semiconductors might as well just be a magic rock as far as the technology of the time is concerned. You can’t just crack open that flashy new ryzen to see what makes it tick.
Not very far tbh. The basic concepts of how to arrange transistors to do useful work are well understood and have been since before the transistor was invented. The biggest problem that major cpu manufacturers face is how to physically create those cpus. The industrial process that brings us those techniques are technological marvels, but the engineer absolutely know what they want to do, just not how to do it. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/intels-long-awaited-fab-42-is-fully-operational
