Published: 11th Apr, 2024
Context
Semiconductor chip manufacturing capabilities are currently limited to very few regions in the world. Due to limited manufacturing and threat of supply chain disruptions, India has realised the importance of investing in chip manufacturing infrastructure.
What is a semiconductor?
- Semiconductors are materials that possess properties between those of conductors (such as metals) and insulators (such as glass or plastic).
- The most commonly used semiconductor material is silicon (Si).
- The conductivity component of semiconductors can be altered by introducing impurities through a process called "doping." By adding specific impurities, the semiconductor's electrical properties can be controlled.
- Application: Microprocessors, memory chips, commodity integrated circuits, microcontrollers, transistors and others.
How is semiconductor chip manufactured?
- A semiconductor chip is manufactured much like a postage stamp.
- A sheet of stamps is printed on a piece of paper and then each individual stamp is cut out.
- Similarly, an array (typically 300-400) of chips are printed on a circular piece of semiconductor (called a wafer in industry parlance).
- This is then diced to create individual chips.
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