Chip

A chip is a small piece of silicon that contains electronic circuits and components. Chips are found in everything from computers to cell phones to automobiles. They are an essential part of modern life.

The first chips were made in the early 1950s. They were used in radar systems and other military applications. In the 1960s, chips began to be used in consumer products such as calculators and watches. The first microprocessor, which is a type of chip that can perform calculations, was invented in 1971. It was called the Intel 4004.

Today, chips are made using a process called lithography. A silicon wafer is coated with a layer of material called photoresist. A light-sensitive chemical compound is then exposed to ultraviolet light through a mask with the desired circuit pattern on it. The areas of the photoresist that are exposed to UV light become harder and more resistant to chemicals than the unexposed areas. The photoresist is then developed, which means that the exposed areas are washed away while the unexposed areas remain intact.

The next step is etching, which involves using chemicals to remove the unwanted parts of the photoresist that were not washed away in the development process. This leaves behind a negative image of the desired circuit pattern on the silicon wafer beneath it. Finally, metals such as copper or aluminum are deposited onto the wafer to create electrical conductors for the circuit components.