---
title: Integrated circuits
categories:
  - Electronics
  - Hardware
tags: [logic-gates]
---

# Integrated circuits

An integrated circuit (IC) is a single unit that comprises several logic gates designed for the easy construction of [digital circuits](/Electronics_and_Hardware/Digital_circuits/Digital_circuits.md). The terms "integrated circuit" and "chip" are often used interchangeably.

An IC puts the gates on a single piece of silicon that has electrical contact points called pins. There are two types of pins on an IC: input pins and output pins. Input pins are used to receive signals from other components in the circuit, while output pins are used to send signals to other components. The function of a pin is determined by the connection it has to the rest of the circuit and the type of signal it is intended to transmit or receive.

The type we will look at are called **dual in-line packages** (DIPs). They are rectangular wth two parallel rows of pins. The pins make it easy to connect DIPs to a breadboard.

_An integrated circuit and its use on a breadboard:_

<img align="left" width="200" src="/home/thomas/repos/computer_science/_img/integrated-circuit.jpeg">
<img  width="200" src="/home/thomas/repos/computer_science/_img/breadboard-DIP.jpg">

// TODO: Add diagrams of different IC gate types
