If I say, Integrated Circuit (IC) is the most important technological development of the 21st century it wouldn’t be wrong. It has changed the world of electronics forever. This has reduced the size of electronics from the size of a refrigerator to the size of palm-sized electronics or even more. Generally, in circuit board manufacturing, bipolar junction transistors, diodes, and field-effect transistors are commonly used electronics components in electronic circuits. These components are combined with the necessary resistors and capacitors to form different integrated circuit types with various usage. This type of circuit is known as a discrete circuit because each component can be isolated from the circuit when required. Nowadays there is a new trend in making electronic circuits where the number of diodes, transistors, and capacitors are permanently fabricated on the semiconductor. Since this type of electronic circuit does not have separable components that are integrated onto a semiconductor wafer, this circuit is commonly referred to as an integrated circuit.
Types of Integrated Circuits
There are two main types of integrated circuits: digital IC and analog IC. Integrated circuit types are discussed in detail below.
Analog IC
In this type of IC, both the input and output signals are continuous. The output signal level is dependent on the input signal level, and it is a linear function of the input signal level. Linear integrated circuits (ICs) or analog integrated circuits (ICs) are commonly manufactured by electronic companies as audio frequency amplifiers and radio frequency amplifiers. Op-amps, voltage regulators, comparators, and timers are other well-known examples of linear or analog integrated circuits.
Digital IC
Logic gates, such as AND gate, OR gate, NAND gate, XOR gate, flip flop, and counter are part of the digital IC. Microprocessors are some well-known examples of digital ICs. These ICs work with binary data such as 0 or 1. Typically in digital circuits, a 0 indicates 0 V and a indicates +5 V. Digital ICs are commonly used in many electronics projects and are often available as additional components in the top Arduino starter kit.
Some other types or combination types of integrated circuits include the following:
Mixed Analog-Digital Integrated Circuit
This includes both types of integrated circuits. Thus, systems that convert analog data to digital data or vice versa, will now find these composite ICs. The concept of composite IC is to integrate digital and analog components on a single chip, which is a new technology compared to IC technologies. Examples of composite integrated circuits are clocks and other timing devices. Additionally, ICs are often placed in categories other than the digital-versus-analog distinction.
Logic Gate Integrated Circuit
Logic gates are integrated circuit combination circuits that give logical outputs based on various input signals. Common examples of these are transistor-transistor logic (TTL) 7400 series integrated circuits and 4000 series CMOS integrated circuits. The ICS7408, a Quad 2 input, AND gate, available in a plastic dual in-line package, is a TTL integrated circuit.
Timer Integrated Circuit
A timer integrated circuit is a monolithic IC with a 100 or 50 percent duty cycle to generate precise timing cycles that keep track of elapsed time. The primary timer IC was developed by Signetic Corporation in the year 1970. The now widely used timer IC is the 555 timer IC, which can be used in either an 8-pin or 14-pin configuration. It can also be used as a pulse generator and oscillator. A common example of this is the digital stopwatch.
Hybrid Integrated Circuit
A hybrid integrated circuit consists of separate individual components connected to a ceramic substrate. These components are interconnected using either metallization patterns or bonding wires. Since passive components can be precisely trimmed at high values, hybrid ICs improve circuit performance. This technique is mostly used for small volume optimized circuits.
Monolith Integrated Circuits
This type of integrated circuit can form interconnections between active, passive, and discrete components on a silicon chip. As the name implies, it is derived from the Greek word mono, which means “single,” and lithos, which means “stone.” These circuit board designs are currently the most widely used due to their low cost and reliability. Commercially available integrated circuits (ICs) are used in applications such as voltage regulators, amplifiers, computer circuits, and AM receivers. However, the insulation between monolithic IC components is poor, and the power rating is low.
Amplifier Integrated Circuit
There are two kinds of amplifier integrated circuits: audio and operational. An operational amplifier is a high voltage amplifier that has a differential of various inputs but a single terminated output. The amplifier has one inverting and one non-inverting input. Audio amplifier ICs are those that make music louder or softer on the market sound systems or you can increase or decrease the volume in devices that incorporate any type of sound, such as television sets, smartphones, or PCs.
Switching Integrated Circuit
We can infer their function as their name suggests – as parts of a switch, or in the language of circuits, in “switching operations”. In an electric switch, the interruption of current or the introduction of current that was not previously present can trigger a switch, which is not a substantial change in each state and can take two or more forms. For example, some electric fans or other appliances have low, medium, and high settings. So switches can participate in one or more circuits.
Thick and Thin Integrated Circuit
In these types of integrated circuits, passive components such as capacitors and resistors are used, although transistors and diodes are connected as separate components to design a circuit. These ICs are just a combination of integrated as well as separate components and these ICs have related features and appearance apart from film deposition. From ICs, thin IC film deposition can be fixed.
Uses of Integrated Circuit
Integrated circuits are used in different forms with different shapes and sizes. Uses of integrated circuits include:
- Radar
- Wristwatch
- Computer
- Video processor
- Television
- Logic device
- Juice makers
- Memory device
- Audio amplifier
- Timer
