Modern materials

The uses of silicon chips

Silicon chips are a small rectangles of silicon, typically up to about 4 or 5 square

cm in area at the moment. A silicon chip or called as integrated circuit contains
large amount of electronic components such as transistors, resistors,
capacitors and memory chips built in layers on silicon wafers. Each of electronic
component has specific function and when they are combined, they can
perform in multiple tasks. Silicon chips has led to the invention of electronic
devices such as: electronic calculators, computers, digital watches. An
integrated circuit is categorizes as analog or digital depending on its application.

Digital Integrated Circuit

In digital integrated circuit, it is designed to accept voltages of specific given

values. The circuit that uses only two states is known as binary circuit. There
are two defined level: 1’s and 0’s, this implies that the circuit work on binary
mathematics. 1’s stands for on and 0’s stands for off. Example of digital
integrated circuits include microcontrollers and microprocessors, logic ICs,
memory chips. These elements combined in the design of ICs for digital
computers and associated devices to perform the desired functions.

Diagram 1: Digital Integrated Circuit

Source: Tarun Agarwal. 2015
Analog Integrated Circuit
The analog integrated circuits function by tackling continuous signals and is
capable of performing variety tasks such as filtering, amplification,
demodulation and modulation. Analog circuits are connected to devices to
collect signals from environment or deliver signals back to environment. The
common used of analog circuit is to control the device in response to continual
changes in environment. For instance, a temperature sensor sends signal to a
thermostat, which can be programmed to turn on either air conditioner or heater,
or even on the oven or off when the signal has reached a certain value. Analog
integrated circuit is used for active filtering. Active filter utilizes active electronics
components such as amplifiers. This is used to improve performance.

Diagram 2: Analog Integrated Circuit

Source: Tarun Agarwal. 2015a
References
Integrated circuit. (2017). Retrieved from http://www.madehow.com/Volume-
2/Integrated-Circuit.html
Saint, J. L. & Saint. C. (2017). Integrated circuit (IC). Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/technology/integrated-circuit#toc236554
Safian Ahmad. Tan. Y. T. (1997). Kimia tak organic STPM. Shah Alam,
Selangor: Penerbit Fajar Sdn. Bhd.
Tarn Agarwul. (2015a). Analog integrated circuit design and applications.
Retrieved from https://www.elprocus.com/analog-integrated-circuit-design-
with-applications/
Tarn Agarwul. (2015b). How integrated circuit work, physically?. Retrieved
from https://www.elprocus.com/how-integrated-circuits-work-physically/
Umair Mirza. (2011, July 20). Operation and uses of integrated circuits.
Retrieved from http://www.brighthubengineering.com/diy-electronics-
devices/62529-operation-and-uses-of-integrated-circuits/