Hi, this chip is taken from a keyboard. The microcontoller is under this black dot. What is the black dot and how do I get rid of it? Can I put the chip in the oven to melt it and all the solder off? I don't care if it damages the chip, I mainly want to see the size of the microcontoller.

This is my picture of it:

Thanks so much for your help.

 

The covering blob will be some form of epoxy resin.

It will probably soften or dissolve in Acetone (nail varnish remover).

If it works, it may take several days...
The stuff may wash away, or it could just soften like putty so you can scrape it off.

The only thing to do is try it!

Acetone dissolves or damages many plastics, polished surfaces and some clothing, so be careful and put it in a very small glass or metal container with a lid.

 

Or sandpaper and a dust mask
It is probably between 1 and 3 mm square.

 

Methylene chloride would probably do the trick given a couple of days...

 

One thing you will have to remember is that the "black blob" IS the die casing for the microcontroller, by removing this you will not "see" the microcontroller, the IC die is attached direct to a PCB, and bond out wires from the IC connect directly to PCB lands. The chip is then covered with a black blob of epoxy. A technique used mostly with very high volume, cost sensitive applications, e.g. musical greeting cards.

B. Morse