The most advanced integrated circuit is the core of a microprocessor or multi-core processor, which can control everything from a computer to a mobile phone to a digital microwave oven. Although the cost of designing and developing a complex integrated circuit is very high, the cost of each integrated circuit is minimized when it is spread over millions of products. The performance of integrated circuits is very high, because the small size brings short paths, so that low-power logic circuits can be applied at fast switching speeds.
Over the years, integrated circuits have continued to develop toward smaller dimensions, allowing each chip to package more circuits. This increases the capacity per unit area, which can reduce costs and increase functionality. See Moore’s Law, the number of transistors in integrated circuits doubles every 1.5 years. In short, with the shrinking of the external dimensions, almost all indicators have improved, unit cost and switching power consumption have decreased, and speed has increased. However, ICs that integrate nanoscale devices also have problems, mainly leakage currents. Therefore, the increase in speed and power consumption for the end user is very significant, and manufacturers face the acute challenge of using better geometries. This process and the progress expected in the next few years are well described in the semiconductor international technology roadmap.
Only half a century after its development, integrated circuits have become ubiquitous, and computers, mobile phones and other digital appliances have become an indispensable part of the social structure. This is because modern computing, communication, manufacturing and transportation systems, including the Internet, all rely on the existence of integrated circuits. Even many scholars believe that the digital revolution brought about by integrated circuits is the most important event in human history. The maturity of IC will bring about a great leap forward in technology, whether it is in design technology or semiconductor process breakthroughs, both are closely related.