What is the full form of IC?

Introduction

bIntegrated Circuit (IC) is also known as a chip, IC or microchip. It is made up of a semiconductor chip and has numerous transistors, capacitors, and diodes in it.

A semiconductor is typically made up of silicon. IC is the building base for electronics and can function as an amplifier, microprocessor and logic gate. ICs are capable of doing many simple functions to complex ones.

Types of ICs

Broadly, there are three types of ICs i.e. analogue, integrated and mixed ICs. But there are others also such as radiofrequency and sensor ICs.

Analog vs digital integrated circuits

Analog IC	Digital IC
It is also known as a linear circuit and it is the simplest type of circuit. It has variable outputs.	It is designed to accept voltages of specific values.
It sends continuous signals such as sound, temperature and voltage	It sends discrete signals such as binary data
It uses components like transistors, resistors and capacitors	It uses components like logic gates and registers
These are more accurate due to the signal’s continuous nature.	These are less accurate as it loses signals due to the discrete nature of signals
These are susceptible to the noise	These are less susceptible to noise

Mixed vs power integrated circuits

Mixed IC	Power
It combines the processing capabilities of both analogue and digital IC	It controls power in electronic systems.
t requires a low noise supply of power	It requires a high current and low voltage supply of power
It is used in communication electronics and systems	It can be used in battery charging

Radiofrequency vs sensor IC

Radiofrequency IC	Sensor IC
It operates at a very high frequency	It can detect physical quantities such as magnetic fields, temperature and acceleration
It is used in wireless communications such as Bluetooth	It is operated in industrial and medical environments

The fabrication process of ICs

The fabrication process of IC is very complex and has many steps

• Preparation of wafer − Wafer is made up of silicon and the wafer is also cleaned to remove the impurities from it. It is done so to avoid problems during the manufacturing process.

• Photolithography − The surface of the wafer is covered with a layer of photoresist to ultraviolet light. It creates a pattern to define the location of different components on the chip

• Etching − The wafer is etched using a chemical solution after the photoresist is developed. The etching is done with a chemical solution. The etching process makes a pattern of raised features after removing unprotected areas of the wafer. The raised features will become components of the integrated circuit.

• Doping − To create specific electrical properties, the silicon wafer is introduced with impurities. It will alter the conductivity of silicon

• Oxidation − A thin layer of oxide is grown on the surface of the water so that it can act as an insulating layer between different components of integrated circuits.

• Deposition of metal − On top of the oxide layer, a layer of metal is deposited to interconnect various components of the integrated circuit.

• Chemical mechanical polishing − Excess metal and oxides from the surface of the wafer are removed by the process of CMP, leaving a smooth surface.

• Electrical testing − Lastly, the integrated circuit is tested to ensure it is functioning properly.

Advantages of ICs

• ICs can be used in many electronics. For example, it can be used in a calculator and a supercomputer also.

• ICs can be produced in bulk and therefore are cheap.

• ICs consume less power as they use small transistors.

• ICs can perform complex functions accurately and quickly.

• ICs are not hampered by environmental factors such as temperature. Thus, it is considered to be reliable.

• It is very tiny in size which makes it ideal for portable products like phones and laptops.

Conclusion

Integrated circuits have revolutionised electronics. The development of ICs has led to the miniaturisation of electronics. It has helped to make the devices lighter, smaller and more compact. The development of ICs has improved the technology of computers. The future of ICs looks more revolutionary if more research and development are done on it.

FAQs

Q1. What is an integrated circuit? What are its advantages?

Ans: IC is a mini circuit made up of many resistors, transistors and capacitors on a semiconductor. Its advantages are high reliability, small size and less power consumption.

Q2. How many types of integrated circuits are there?

Ans: There are three main types of ICs. These are analogue integrated circuits, digital integrated circuits and mixed integrated circuits.

Q3. What are some processes involved in making integrated circuits?

Ans: Some of the processes involved are photolithography and etching, and then multiple layers are added to it. Lastly, it is tested to check its functionality.