An integrated circuit (IC), sometimes called a chip or microchip, is a semiconductor wafer on which thousands of tiny resistors, capacitors, and transistors are made. An integrated circuit can function as an amplifier, oscillator, timer, counter, computer memory, or microprocessor.
Specific ics are classified as linear (analog) or digital based on their intended application.
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A linear IC has a continuously variable output (theoretically capable of obtaining an unlimited number of states), depending on the level of the input signal. As the name suggests, the output signal level is a linear function of the input signal level. Ideally, when graphing the instantaneous output relative to the instantaneous input, the curve will appear as a straight line. Linear ics are used as audio (AF) and radio frequency (RF) amplifiers. Operational amplifiers (OPAMPs) are common devices in these applications.
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Digital ics operate only at a few defined levels or states, rather than in a continuous range of signal amplitudes. These devices are used in computers, computer networks, modems and frequency counters. The basic building block of a digital IC is a logic gate, which handles binary data, i.e. signals that have only two different states, called low (logic 0) and high (logic 1).
IC is an abbreviation of Integrated Circuit, which is a circuit component that is integrated by multiple electronic devices. It can perform certain circuit functions and take up very little space. In general, ics can perform a large number of functions, such as amplifying, filtering, detecting and adjusting signal electrical equality, and can adjust its parameters as needed. Therefore, IC has been widely used in electronic products.
IC can greatly simplify the circuit design, reduce the volume of the circuit board, reduce the system cost, shorten the manufacturing cycle, improve the system performance, and make the product more compact and more reliable. Therefore, IC has become the basic component of electronic product design, but also an indispensable part of modern electronic technology.