Microchip (Integrated Circuit)

IC is contrasted with Discrete Circuit (such as a PCB)

  • an IC is a set of electronic circuits on one small flat piece (or "chip") of semiconductor material (normally silicon)
  • The integration of large numbers of tiny MOS transistors into a small chip results in circuits that are orders of magnitude smaller, faster, and less expensive than those constructed of discrete electronic components.
  • ICs can be seen as a building block approach to integrated circuit design
    • This has resulted in discrete transistors being far more rare on the PCB itself
  • a modern chip (year 2020) may have many billions of MOS transistors in an area the size of a human fingernail