1. What is an IC, a device that's so small, yet so essential to everyday life?
An IC is a semiconductor integrated circuit, or computer chip. ICs have many millions of elements (transistors, resistors, capacitors, diodes), all of which constitute an electrical circuit. These elements are arranged on a chip made of silicon—a semiconductor material that passes and stops electrical current.
In today's digital society, electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal computers, and electrical appliances such as rice cookers and washing machines that have microprocessors (tiny computers) in them, have become a part of our daily life. ICs are the brains of these devices. ICs are indispensable to making many types of electronic devices and electrical appliances work efficiently. ICs of just a few square millimeters in size work behind the scenes to keep our rooms at comfortable temperatures, microwave our food so it's just right, and make it easy for us to take beautiful digital photos at the push of a button. Our digital society is supported in a significant way by highly integrated ICs.