Classification of PCB Integrated Circuit

Classification of PCB Integrated Circuit

Suppose you want to design a chip for your electronic use. It always helps to understand the different classifications and types of ICs. We can classify integrated Circuit into different size classes. It includes SSI (2 to 30 gates for every electronic chip), MSI (containing 30 to 300 gates for each chip), and LSI (containing 300 to 3000 gates for every chip). Another class is the VLSI, with over 3000 gates for every chip.

Integrated Circuit Types

The type of IC depends on the technique or method used to fabricate them. Because of this, the different types include the following.

Thick and thin-film integrated Circuit

Monolithic integrated circuit

Multichip or hybrid integrated Circuit     

Thick and Thin ICs

It is a distinctive type of integrated circuit that passive components like capacitors and resistors get integrated. However, active components like transistors and diodes get connected as distinct components to establish a complete and singular circuit. It always implies a mere combination of discrete and integrated components for thick and thin integrated Circuit fabricated commercially.

Thin and thick ICs possess similar attributes and appearances, though they differ in the film deposition method. It is from this basis that you can distinguish a thin integrated circuit from a thick integrated circuit. Thin-film integrated Circuit get produced by the deposition of conductive material on a ceramic or glass surface base. The thickness gets varied (of the deposited film) on the ceramic or glass materials having diverse resistivity. In doing so, it becomes possible to manufacture the passive components.

A thick film integrated circuit, on the other hand, uses the silk printing approach to develop the anticipated circuitry pattern on the ceramic material or substrate. It is from this printing technique that it at times gets inferred to as printed thin-film. Screens often get developed of a fine wire mesh (of stainless steel) with connections containing pastes of dielectric, resistive, and conductive properties. It then gets passed through a high-temperature furnace to ensure the fusion of the films to the material or substrate post-printing gets completed.

Monolithic Integrated Circuit

Monolithic ICs have passive and active components, discrete parts, and interconnections on a single silicon chip. It all means that a monolithic integrated circuit is one (a circuit) built on a singular crystal.

Monolithic integrated Circuit are standard in today’s electronic environment. Some of the aspects influencing their popularity is their reliability and the cheap cost of producing these ICs.  It is an IC type that finds application as voltage regulators, amplifiers, computer Circuit, and AM receivers. But despite such comprehensive benefits besides the wide-ranging application areas, the monolithic IC has some drawbacks. It primarily comes from its low or poor power rating, besides the impossibility of fabricating insulators, etc.

Multichip or Hybrid Integrated Circuit

It is a type of integrated circuit containing more than one chip, and these are often interconnected. Active components contained in a hybrid integrated circuit are the diffused diodes or transistors. On the other hand, the passive parts or components are the diffused capacitors or resistors on a singular chip.

The components in a multi or hybrid IC gets connected through metallized patterns. Such IC types find application in high power amplifiers of 5W to an excess of 50W.

Additionally, it is prudent to note that the three classifications are not exhaustive as other categorizations of integrated Circuit exist. It includes digital integrated Circuit, analogue integrated Circuit, and mixed-signal integrated Circuit.

Digital Integrated Circuit

A digital integrated circuit is a special type of IC that functions based on the basic digital system. The two levels of 1’s and 0’s define the circuit, which infers to the “off” and “on” or the “high” and “low” respectively. An excellent example of a digital IC includes a microcontroller and a microprocessor that possess millions of logic gates and flip flops.

Digital integrated Circuit handle discrete signals like binary values where the “true/false” logical functions get utilized. Additionally, logic functions like “OR,” “NOT,” and “AND” are critical in developing the functionality used in modern digital systems. The logic functions (basic Boolean functions) get implemented by transistors. We can also utilize transistors in building electronic components. Currently, integrated Circuit combine plenty of small-sized transistors (up to billions in number) and other components on a tiny chip in realizing a specific functionality. Such functionality can prove simple (like a “NOT” basic logic function) or a complicated one (microprocessor)

Digital integrated Circuit get distinguished by a mixture of numbers and/or characters. For instance, microprocessors from Intel have diverse names based on different schemes. Pentium represents one of these critical processors. It is a designation of the plastic casing containing the semiconductor LC, which has the processor. Before, numbers named the respective processors and, in some instances, a combination of letters and digits.  

Some examples of digital ICs include CMOS, MOS, TTL, etc., with each having its distinctive attributes and advantages.          

Families of Digital Integrated Circuit

Logic families are groups of electronic logic gates. Every family possesses its distinctive level of discrete logic gates, individual components, power supply, features, benefits, and drawbacks. The voltage range within a particular family can prove high or low level. Some of the families include the following.

DL or Diode Logic

Diodes and register implement the logic. Diodes are instrumental in performing “AND” and “OR” operations, besides logic switch. It always becomes vital to ensure that the diode has a forward bias for conduction. While beneficial, it cannot perform the “NOT” function, besides incapability to operate in many states. It also tends to degrade signals quickly.

RTL or Resistor-Transistor Logic

Transistors and registers are good in implementing logic in this case. Transistors combine inverted signals with amplified inputs. RTLs are simple to design and economical but with slower speeds. Additionally, RTLs need large amounts of current, and they can be useful as the interface between digital and linear Circuit.

DTL or Diode Transistor Logic

Diodes and registers get utilized in implementing logic. DTLs have benefits over RTL and DL. Its diodes can execute “OR” and “AND” operations besides having a transistor and the capacity to amplify the output signal. The logic inversion present in DTL allows for signal restoration to a full logic level, primarily upon incorporating a transistor at the logic gate’s output. The “OR” function gets carried out by diodes instead of resistors, and it removes the interaction amongst input signals.

TTL or Transistor-Transistor Logic

TTLs implement logic besides bipolar transistors in contracting integrated Circuit. It comes as either standard, high speed, low power, or Schottky TTLs. However, the family represents a popular choice among people in the electronic industry.

ECL or Emitter Coupled Logic

The logic comes unstructured and possesses the benefits of high speeds and a low propagation delay.

CMOS or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor Logic

It is a popular logic option for most people because of its low power intake and high fan-out. As a result, it represents the most reliable among the logic families.

Designing Digital Circuit

Digital Circuit contain millions of components compared to their analogue counterparts. As a result, the design process needs to assume a model that reuses and copies similar circuit functions. It mostly uses digital design programs containing libraries of already-structured circuit components.  Such libraries have components with similar heights besides containing contact points in designated locations. You need to consider other or extra rigid conformities to ensure they all fit together, notwithstanding the computer configuration’s layout.

While software design suites such as SPICE play an instrumental role in designing analogue ICs, the complex nature of digital ICs needs a less comprehensive approach. Consequently, digital analysis programs tend to ignore specific components when it comes to mathematical models of the preconfigured electronic circuit blocks.

It is, however, essential to note that digital ICs are only designed and deployed based on the circuit’s needs. Further, the needs for digital IC design are less demanding when it comes to time, innovation, teamwork, and experience as opposed to analogue Circuit.