scope:

General.

Introduction. The field of microelectronic devices is a rapidly advancing technology in which new devices become outdated in a relatively short span of time. In this application handbook, the following grouping is used:

Low-power Schottky transistor-transistor logic microcircuits - subsection 7.2

Advanced low-power Schottky transistor-transistor logic microcircuits - subsection 7.3

Advanced Schottky transistor-transistor logic microcircuits - subsection 7.4

4000 series CMOS microcircuits - subsection 7.5

High-speed CMOS microcircuits - subsection 7.6

Interface microcircuits - subsection 7.7

Memories - subsection 7.8

Microprocessors - subsection 7.9

Linear microcircuits - subsection 7.10

Hybrid microcircuits - subsection 7.11

When used within their laminations, microcircuits devices offer several advantages over circuits made from discrete devices. Their high packaging densities permit reduced end product sizes and minimum propagation delay times. When produced in volume they are generally far less expensive. Complex circuits can be created with a minimum of connections within a single hermetically sealed package.

There are some disadvantages which should be examined when microcircuits are evaluated for an application. Because of their small size, microcircuits are power limited. The close proximity of active elements, unless carefully shielded, can sometimes result in crosstalk problems. The nonrecurring cost for development of monolithic circuits is very high. Therefore, when not made in volume production, the overall cost per device is also high. However, when considering all major factors such as reduced size, power consumption, powerful circuit implementation, and reliability, microcircuits are clearly the choice of circuit designers and application engineers.