integrated circuit

Definitions

1. A set of electronic circuits fabricated on a single piece of semiconductor material, combining transistors, resistors, and capacitors into one chip. The integrated circuit eliminated the need to wire individual components together, enabling mass production of reliable, compact electronics and launching the semiconductor industry.

   In plain English: A computer chip where many tiny electronic components are built onto one small piece of silicon — the invention that made modern electronics compact and affordable.

   Example: Kilby's first integrated circuit was a crude lump on a germanium slab, but it proved you could fit an entire circuit on a single chip.

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