[1] : WordNet (r) 2.0

integrated circuit
     n : a microelectronic computer circuit incorporated into a chip
         or semiconductor; a whole system rather than a single
         component syn: microcircuit
see also:
microcircuit 

[2] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

integrated circuit
     
         ic, or "chip" a microelectronic
        semiconductor device consisting of many interconnected
        transistors and other components.  ics are constructed
        "fabricated" on a small rectangle a "die" cut from a
        silicon or for special applications, sapphire wafer.  this
        is known as the "substrate".  different areas of the substrate
        are "doped" with other elements to make them either "p-type"
        or "n-type" and polysilicon or aluminium tracks are etched in
        one to three layers deposited over the surface.  the die is
        then connected into a package using gold wires which are
        welded to "pads", usually found around the edge of the die.
     
        integrated circuits can be classified into analogue, digital
        and hybrid both analogue and digital on the same chip.
        digital integrated circuits can contain anything from one to
        millions of logic gates - inverters, and, or, nand
        and nor gates, flip-flops, multiplexors etc. on a few
        square millimeters.  the small size of these circuits allows
        high speed, low power dissipation, and reduced manufacturing
        cost compared with board-level integration.
     
        the first integrated circuits contained only a few
        transistors.  small scale integration ssi brought
        circuits containing transistors numbered in the tens.  later,
        medium scale integration msi contained hundreds of
        transistors.  further development lead to large scale
        integration lsi thousands, and vlsi hundreds of
        thousands and beyond.  in 1986 the first one megabyte ram
        was introduced which contained more than one million
        transistors.
     
        lsi circuits began to be produced in large quantities around
        1970 for computer main memories and pocket calculators.  for
        the first time it became possible to fabricate a cpu or even
        an entire microprocesor on a single integrated circuit.  the
        most extreme technique is wafer-scale integration which uses
        whole uncut wafers as components.
     
        where and when was the term "chip" introduced?
     
        1997-07-03
     
     
see also:
semiconductor logic gates inverters and or nand 
nor flip-flops multiplexors transistors ssi 
msi lsi megabyte ram cpu 
microprocesor wafer-scale integration 

Circuit >> C Words
Circuit, definition of term: Circuit
circuit_pag1.html

Integrated >> I Words
Integrated, definition of term: Integrated
integrated_pag1.html

Circuit Breaker >> C Words
Circuit Breaker, definition of term: Circuit Breaker
circuit+breaker_pag1.html

Integrated Serv >> I Words
Integrated Serv, definition of term: Integrated Serv
integrated+serv_pag1.html

Circuit Board >> C Words
Circuit Board, definition of term: Circuit Board
circuit+board_pag1.html

Integrated Circ >> I Words
Integrated Circ, definition of term: Integrated Circ
integrated+circ_pag1.html

Circuit Court >> C Words
Circuit Court, definition of term: Circuit Court
circuit+court_pag1.html

Virtual Circuit >> V Words
Virtual Circuit, definition of term: Virtual Circuit
virtual+circuit_pag1.html

Short Circuit >> S Words
Short Circuit, definition of term: Short Circuit
short+circuit_pag1.html

Open Circuit >> O Words
Open Circuit, definition of term: Open Circuit
open+circuit_pag1.html

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