How is an integrated circuit manufactured?

Answer

In an integrated circuit, electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, and transistors are formed directly onto the surface of a silicon crystal. The process of manufacturing an integrated circuit will make more sense if one first understands some of the basics of how these components are formed.

Even before the first IC was developed, it was known that common electronic components could be made from silicon. The question was how to make them, and the connecting circuits, from the same piece of silicon? The solution was to alter, the chemical composition of tiny areas on the silicon crystal surface by adding other chemicals, called dopants. Some dopants bond with the silicon to produce regions where the dopant atoms have one electron they can give up. These are called N regions. Other dopants bond with the silicon to produce regions where the dopant atoms have room to take one electron. These are called P regions. When a P region touches an N region, the boundary between them is referred to . This boundary is only 0.000004 inches (0.0001 cm) wide, but is crucial to the operation of integrated circuit components.

First answer by Forks72. Last edit by Wisdomchina. Contributor trust: 2 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 128 [recommend question]

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