The full form of IC is "Integrated Circuit". It is a small electronic device made of semiconductor material that contains many microscopic elements such as diodes, transistors. Resistors and capacitors. All these elements are interconnected on a thin semiconductor wafer and assembled as a single unit, usually silicon.
IC are used in a wide variety of devices, such as televisions, microprocessors, automobiles, audio and video equipment, and mobile devices, and are often recognized as microchips or chips. It was designed mainly to fit as many transistors as possible on a semiconductor chip.
Types of integrated circuits
Jack Kilby built the very first IC, or microchip, in 1958. Over the centuries, there have been many innovations and ICs have gone through a series of evolutions that have seen them include more transistors and other electronic components. Based on the level of integration of electronic components, integrated circuits can be classified as –
- SSI (Small Scale Integration) - 1 to 100 transistors for each individual IC or die.
- MSI (Medium Scale Integration) – 1000 to several hundred thousand transistors for each individual integrated circuit or die.
- VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) - 100 thousand to 1 million transistors for each individual IC or die.
- ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration) - ICs, including millions or billions of transistors per chip. E.g. processor for computers.
- Integrated circuits are also classified as analog integrated circuits, digital integrated circuits, or a combination of both.
Advantages of IC
- The size of an IC is quite small compared to a discrete circuit.
- The weight of an integrated circuit is exceptionally low compared to full discrete circuits.
- It is highly reliable.
- Despite its smaller dimensions, it has lower energy consumption.
- It can be easily replaced if there is a problem.
- Temperature changes between circuit elements are small.
- It is suitable for operation with minimal signal.
Limitations of IC
- It can only process a limited amount of electricity.
- P-N-P High quality chamber not possible.
- It is laborious to obtain the low temperature coefficient effectively.
- Power loss is limited to 10 watts.
- Low noise and high voltage operation is not easy to achieve.
- It is difficult to repair, in case of damage.