summary
● Integrated circuits are popular because they have the following advantages:
● Are reliable with complex circuits
● Consume little power
● Are small and light
● Are economical to produce
● Provide new and better solutions to problems
● Integrated circuits cannot handle large amounts of current or voltage.
● Only diodes, transistors, resistors, and capacitors are available as integrated circuits.
● Integrated circuits cannot be repaired, only replaced.
● Integrated circuits are constructed by monolithic, thin-film, thick-film, or hybrid techniques.
● The most popular integrated circuit package is the DIP (dual-inline package).
● Integrated circuit packages are made of ceramic or plastic, with plastic most often used.
● Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage integrated circuits.
● Integrated circuits easily affected by ESD damage are packaged with warning labels.
● ESD destroys oxide layers and/or junctions, which can cause hidden defects.
● There is no known method for testing an integrated circuit for hidden ESD defects.
● Wear a grounded wrist strap at all times when handling integrated circuits.
● Always avoid touching the lead of an integrated circuit.
● Do not touch any materials that will create a static charge when working on an integrated circuit.