The Definition of Computer Chips
A computer chip is a microscopic set of electronic circuits composed of semiconductor material such as silicon. The chip has been around since the 1950s and its development accelerated and miniaturized the modern computer.
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History
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The ancestry of the computer chip traces back to the transistor, which was introduced by Bell Labs in 1947. Fairchild Semiconductor used the concept to formulate the integrated circuit in the late 1950s.
Types
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Computers use several different chips. A completely fabricated logic chip is a microprocessor or central processing unit (CPU) while a partially fabricated logic chip is manufactured by a semiconductor company and is then programmed by a circuit developer. Memory chips and RAM chips store data temporarily or permanently.
Function
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An integrated circuit is composed of millions of microscopic transistors, which are a series of on-off switches for delivering or interrupting electric impulses. These impulses provide the basis for machine language.
Significance
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The chip allows for computers to efficiently store huge volumes of data. Since its development, the chip has evolved to expand transistor capacity with accelerated data transmission speed, leading to a constant stream of faster computers.
Material
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Computer chips are usually made of silicon, sapphire or gallium arsenide. Silicon originates in quartz rock and is then treated with a series of chemical processes and stages such as masking, etching and diffusion. A layer of metal, usually aluminum, is applied to allow electric current to flow.
Chip Industry
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The computer chip industry is led by Intel, which makes CPUs for computer manufacturers such as HP and Apple. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is a top competitor that makes chips for HP, Acer and Dell computers. Both Intel and AMD have roots with chip inventor Fairchild Semiconductor.
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