Integrated Circuits (ICs)

  • An integrated circuit (IC) is a small semiconductor chip on which millions of electronic components such as resistors, capacitors and transistors are fabricated.
  • The integrated circuit function is mainly to offer high-level functions and tasks like amplification, complex digital calculations i.e. microprocessors, and signal processing.
  • The sole purpose of ICs is to increase the efficiency of the electronic devices, while reducing their size and manufacturing cost.

Classification of ICs (Integrated Circuits)

Below is the classification of different types of ICs basis on their chip size.

  • SSI: Small scale integration. 3 – 30 gates per chip.
  • MSI: Medium scale integration. 30 – 300 gates per chip.
  • LSI: Large scale integration. 300 – 3,000 gates per chip.
  • VLSI: Very large scale integration. More than 3,000 gates per chip.

Types of ICs (Integrated Circuits)

Based on the method or techniques used in manufacturing them, types of ICs can be divided into three classes:

  1. Thin and thick film ICs
  2. Monolithic ICs
  3. Hybrid or multichip ICs