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Integrated Circuit

This essay is a comprehensive explanation of the Integrated Circuit that was invented in

1958 and 1959 by Robert Noyce and Jack Kilby. In this informative essay, I will give a

definition of the Integrated Circuit, give a brief history of the technology, describe what is meant

by an integrated circuit, look at some wiring problems that the technology solved and finally

explain the state of micro-circuitry, currently.

Let me explain the history of the Integrated Circuits (IC). Prior to the invention of the

integrated circuit, a computer made use of single transistors and prior to transistors, the use of

vacuum tubes was very common. Nevertheless, these vacuum tubes were inefficient and

unproductive since they used enormous amounts of energy and produced so much heat which is

the reason behind the invention of transistors that made use of semiconductors. This was a

breakthrough in technology, for the reason that, transistors are used on ICs (integrated circuits),

and electronic engineers and scientists have made huge strides in increasing the amount of

transistors that can fit on a circuit board, in record figures.

The co-founder of Intel, Gordon Moore, noticed a trend of the capability of each new-

fangled chip that was produced compared to its predecessor and he found out that the volume

nearly doubled for every two years and this still holds true for even today bearing in mind that
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the size of the computer has significantly reduced to a miniature device. This is in actual fact

amazing since, not only is the numbers of transistors increasing but the chips themselves are

decreasing in size, with time. This is as a result of new materials being used to make the

components of the IC such as graphene and silicon. The quantity of transistors that may fit on a

single chip may be estimated to be billions. In addition, stipulated that Moore’s law persists to

hold and is true and as times gone by have shown that it has, this figure is anticipated to increase

in decades to come (Moore).

The IC may be defined as the application of semiconductor materials as a platform to

coalesce a variety of electronic components in an attempt to reduce cost and size, as well as, to

advance effectiveness of the numerous electronic circuits. The progression of technology due to

the Integrated Circuit is incredible as computers have moved from the dimension of a huge room

to the dimension of a pocket notebook. Moreover, as long as scientists and electronic engineers

continue to endeavor for newer technology then the potential may be endless. My father who is

an electronic engineer once said that, “without the IC (Integrated Circuit), the world of

electronics would still be in the primitive age.”

Let me turn to the explanation of the Integrated circuit (IC), in other words known as, the

chip. The chip is a network of circuits that are formed through engraving electronic components

or parts. These parts include diodes, resistors, capacitors and other components that make up the

circuit on a semiconductor wafer. The IC is typically enclosed in a “plastic holder” that contains

pins that act as connectors linking the PCB (printed circuit board) and the IC (Hewes). Electronic

chips may be categorized as digital or linear. Typically, as explained by one of my friends who is

a student an electronic engineer, a linear chip produces continually varying output signal that

may be characteristic of the input signal; hence, is used extensively on amplifiers. On the other
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hand, the digital or logic chip gives out only two states of output (0 or 1) and is used mostly in

counters and computer systems. He proceeded to explain that since it is possible to merge

various electronics parts into one compact element using the IC, the requirement for wiring such

parts that were earlier used was phased out.

To explain further about the Integrated Circuits, I investigated some of the wiring

problems that the phased out and solved by the technology. ICs solved numerous wiring

problems such as heat build-up within circuits, circuit breaks, signal’s value drop and other

problems associated with wiring. Prior to the invention of IC, engineers and electricians used to

connect a variety of components required in a circuit using wires. Numerous circuits’ breaks

hindered the flow of signals within the circuits that were inevitable due to the errors and

ineffective soldering in wiring the parts (NobelPrize.org). The ICs got rid of these setbacks and

provided means by which circuits could be designed with or without, few or short wires. Besides,

ICs were able to solve the hitch of signal’s value drop experienced because of using long wires.

According to the electrical-resistance relationship, the resistance of a conductor rise as the length

of the conductor increases, hence limiting the quantity and quality of a signal expected at the

output. The long wires posed another setback of heat build-up due to the increased resistance.

This problem of heat build-up necessitated the use of huge air fans to dispel away excess heat,

from the circuit. Nevertheless, the IC got rid of the long wires, and it was made possible to make

use of heat sinks for dissipating heat produced by the parts.

Having explained about the IC, I will finally explain the state of micro-circuitry.

Currently, micro-circuitry has led to the integration of numerous ICs comprising hundreds of

components into one single nano-chip (Nzonzin). This technology has facilitated the invention of

smaller electronic components that integrate each single function through the use of
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microcircuits. For instance, it is possible these days for a mobile phone to integrate numerous

functions of the phone, computer, radio and television. This technology is more sophisticated

compared to the technology and equipment that aided the development of Apollo Computers that

were used in guiding the first spacecraft to the moon. Although the ICs were used in these

computers, single ICs were fixed together that gave rise to huge computers.

In conclusion, I have defined the IC as a network of circuits formed through printing

electronic parts on a semiconductor wafer. I have also stated the wiring problems that it solved

such as heat build-up within the circuit, circuit breaks and signal’s value drop. Moreover, I have

explained that the state of micro-circuitry currently incorporates numerous ICs comprising

hundreds of parts into a single nano-chip. I hope that this information provides a good picture on

the Integrated Circuit (IC).

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Works Cited

Hewes, John “Integrated circuits (Chips),” The Electronics Club, 2014. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.

<http://electronicsclub.info/ics.htm>

Moore, Gordon. The future of integrated electronics is the future of electronics, Electronics,

Volume 38, Number 8, 1965. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.

<http://web.eng.fiu.edu/npala/eee6397ex/gordon_moore_1965_article.pdf>

Nobelprize.org. “The history of the integrated circuit. The Integrated Circuit,”2003.

Web. 27 Oct. 2014.

<http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/physics/integrated_circuit/history/index.html>

Nzonzin, Stephen. “Integrated circuit,”n.d. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.

<http://steven-nzonzi-wb-11376.stti.ac.id/_lain.php?_lain=2450>