An Integrated Circuit (IC), often referred to as a microchip or chip, is a miniaturized electronic circuit consisting of semiconductor devices (such as transistors, diodes, resistors, and capacitors) fabricated onto a single small chip of semiconductor material, typically silicon. The components are interconnected to perform various functions like amplification, switching, filtering, or processing of electrical signals.
ICs revolutionized the field of electronics by enabling the integration of thousands to billions of electronic components onto a single chip, drastically reducing the size, cost, and power consumption of electronic devices. They come in various types, including analog ICs (for tasks like amplification or signal conditioning), digital ICs (for tasks like computation or logical operations), and mixed-signal ICs (combining both analog and digital functions).
Integrated circuits are the fundamental building blocks of modern electronic devices, from smartphones and computers to complex industrial machinery, providing the necessary functionality in a compact and efficient form.
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