Introduction to ICs

C. Vinoth Kumar
SSN College of Engineering
 Integrated Circuit
• Integrated Circuit (IC) is the outcome of continued improvements in
the characteristics and miniaturisation of solid-state devices and
components.
• Transistors and diodes replaced vacuum tubes; and ICs replaces
the discrete components like resistors, capacitors, diodes,
transistors, FETs, etc.
• In discrete circuit, the components are separable, whereas the
components of IC are inseparable.
• Most of the ICs are silicon chips with devices such as transistors,
resistors and capacitors fabricated in them.
• A single silicon chip can contain a few devices or many thousands
of devices.
• Large and complex circuits can be reduced to a small size by IC
technology
 Integrated Circuit
Advantages of ICs over discrete components:
• Small size (around 20,000 components / square inch)
• Improved performance (more complex circuits may be used)
• Low cost
• High reliability and ruggedness
• Low power consumption
• Less vulnerability to parameter variations
• Easy troubleshooting (for replacement)
• Simpler design of systems
• Standard packaging
• Increased operating speed (due to the absence of parasitic capacitance
effect)
• Less weight and portable
• Battery operated systems due to low power supply requirement
 Integrated Circuit
Limitations of ICs:
• As IC is small in size, it is unable to dissipate large amount of power.
Increase in current may produce enough heat which may destroy the
device.

• At present coils, inductors and transformers cannot be produced in IC form.

 Classification of ICs

Type of IC No. of Gates No. of Transistors

Small Scale Integration (SSI) 3 – 30 per chip approx. 100

Medium Scale Integration (MSI) 30 – 300 per chip approx. 100 – 1,000

Large Scale Integration (LSI) 300 – 3,000 per chip approx. 1,000 – 20,000

Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) More than 3,000 per chip 20,000 – 10,00, 000

Ultra Large Scale Integration (ULSI) - 106-107

Giant-Scale Integration (GSI) - More than 107

Classification of ICs

Integrated
Circuits

Linear or Mixed Signal

Digital ICs
Analog ICs ICs
Manufacturing Processes Of Monolithic ICs
• Integrated
• Silicon wafer preparation
• Epitaxial growth
• Oxidation
• Photolithography
• Diffusion
• Metallization
• Circuit probing
• Scribing and separating into chips
• Mounting and packaging
• Encapsulation
Czochralski Silicon Crystal growing apparatus
Silicon Wafer Preparation

200 um
Epitaxy apparatus
Oxidation Apparatus
Photolithographic process
Diffusion apparatus
Ion Implantation System
Vacuum Deposition
 Packages of ICs

(a)Top-hat (TO) package, (b) Flat package and (c) Dual-in-line plastic package
 Summary

In this lecture you have learnt the following

 The Advantage and Disadvantages of ICs
 Classification of ICs
 Manufacturing processes of monolithic ICs