TABLE OF CONTENTS An integrated circuit ("IC") consists of many "components" (such as resistors, capacitors, transistors, etc.), where many of the parts of these components have been made simultaneously, in a single operation. In other words, if a micro-processor IC for a small computer contains 2 million transistors, all 2 million of the emitters are made at the same time, in a single step, and then all 2 million bases are made in one step, and so on. Once they are made (by diffusion, etc.), they become part of a single ("integrated") piece of material they are not separate things soldered together.
ICs have three important advantages over "discrete component" assemblies. They are very much
more reliable, and
cheaper, and
smaller.
The first advantage is the most important, because computers with 2 million transistors would be very unlikely to work at all unless each device had a very low probability of failure. However, the other two advantage are obviously important also, when millions of components are involved. This technology has a great effect on our daily lives, along with some other topics discussed in this book.
A large group of transistors can be combined in a single circuit, to provide a huge amplification factor. Also, this can be adjusted over a wide range. That makes it easy to apply either positive or negative feedback, by having a wire go from the output back to the adjusting input. Such an amplifier circuit...
