Integrated Circuit Components – Explore the Various Types and Construction

An integrated circuit, generally referred to as an IC, is a microscopic collection of electronic circuits and components that has been diffused or implanted onto the surface of a single chip or crystal, of semiconducting material such as silicon. It is called an integrated circuit because the circuits, components, and base material are all made together, or integrated, out of a single element of silicon, as opposed to a discrete circuit in which the components are made individually from different materials and assembled later. ICs range in complexity from simple logic amplifiers and modules to complete microcomputers containing millions of pieces.

The impact of integrated circuits on our lives has been tremendous. ICs have become the main components of almost all electronic devices. These small circuits have indicated high reliability, low cost, low power requirements, and high processing speeds compared to the vacuum tubes and transistors which preceded them. IC microcomputers are now used as controllers in equipment such as vehicle operating systems, machine tools, and other applications where pneumatic, hydraulic, or mechanical controls were previously used. 

How Integrated Circuit Components Are Formed

In an integrated circuit, electronic components like resistors, capacitors, diodes, and transistors are created directly onto the surface of a silicon crystal. The manufacturing of an integrated circuit will make better sense if one first understands how IC components SN74V3650-7PEU are formed.

Even before the first IC was developed, it was known that common electronic components could be produced from silicon. The question was how to build them and the connecting circuits from the same amount of silicon? The solution was to change, or dope, the chemical composition of tiny areas on the silicon crystal surface by including other chemicals called dopants. Some dopants bond with the silicon to make regions where the dopant particles have one electron they can give up. These are called N regions. Other dopants bond with the silicon to create regions where the dopant particles have room to take one electron. These are called P regions. When a P region connects an N region, the boundary between them is referred to as a PN junction. 

Within a PN junction, the atoms of the two parts bond in such a manner as to make the third region, called a depletion region, in which the P dopant particles capture all the N dopant extra electrons, thus weakening them. One of the phenomena that result is that a positive voltage used to the P region can cause an electrical current to flow via the junction into the N region, but a similar positive voltage used to the N region will result in little or no current flowing via the junction back into the P region. This ability of a PN junction to either conduct or insulate depending on which side the voltage is applied can be used to create IC components that direct and control current flows in the same way as diodes and transistors. 

Design

Once created, there is no additional design work needed. Some integrated circuits SN74ABTH32501PZ can be considered standard, off-the-shelf items. Examples of standard ICs would include voltage regulators, analog switches, amplifiers, and analog-to-digital or digital-to-analog converters. These ICs are usually sold to other companies who add them into printed circuit boards for various electronic products.

Other integrated circuits SN74VMEH22501ADGVR are unique and need extensive design work. An example would be a new microprocessor for computers. This design work may need research and development of new materials and new manufacturing techniques to reach the final design.

Raw Materials

Pure silicon is the foundation for most integrated circuits. It provides the base or substrate for the whole chip and is chemically doped to provide the N and P regions that make up the IC components CD74HCT10E. The silicon must be so pure that only one out of every ten billion particles can be impure. 

The thin wire leading from the IC chip to its mounting package may be aluminum or gold. Aluminum is generally used as a connector between the various IC components. The mounting package itself may be made from plastic or ceramic materials.