# Microelectronics

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Subfield of electronics

"Microminiaturisation" redirects here. For the art form, see [Micro miniature](/source/Micro_miniature).

An integrated circuit (IC) as an example application in the field of microelectronics. The chip housing is opened to allow a view of the actual circuit. The golden connecting cables, which form the electrical wiring between the IC and the housing contacts, can be seen on the sides.

**Microelectronics** is a subfield of [electronics](/source/Electronics). As the name suggests, microelectronics relates to the study and manufacture (or [microfabrication](/source/Microfabrication)) of very small electronic designs and components. Usually, but not always, this means micrometre-scale or smaller. These devices are typically made from [semiconductor](/source/Semiconductor) materials. Many components of a normal electronic design are available in a microelectronic equivalent. These include [transistors](/source/Transistor), [capacitors](/source/Capacitor), [inductors](/source/Inductor), [resistors](/source/Resistor), [diodes](/source/Diode) and (naturally) [insulators](/source/Electrical_insulation) and [conductors](/source/Electrical_conductor) can all be found in microelectronic devices. Unique wiring techniques such as [wire bonding](/source/Wire_bonding) are also often used in microelectronics because of the unusually small size of the components, leads and pads. This technique requires specialized equipment and is expensive.

Digital [integrated circuits](/source/Integrated_circuit) (ICs) consist of billions of transistors, resistors, diodes, and capacitors.[1] [Analog circuits](/source/Analog_circuit) commonly contain resistors and capacitors as well. Inductors are used in some high frequency analog circuits, but tend to occupy larger chip area due to their lower reactance at low frequencies. [Gyrators](/source/Gyrator) can replace them in many applications.

As techniques have improved, the scale of microelectronic components has continued to decrease.[2] At smaller scales, the relative impact of intrinsic circuit properties, such as unintended interactions between components or their parts, may become more significant. These are called **parasitic effects**, and the goal of the microelectronics design engineer is to find ways to compensate for or to minimize these effects, while delivering smaller, faster, and cheaper devices.

Today, microelectronics design is largely aided by [electronic design automation (EDA)](/source/Electronic_design_automation) software.

## See also

- [Digital electronics](/source/Digital_electronics)

- [Electrical engineering](/source/Electrical_engineering)

- [Kelvin probe force microscope](/source/Kelvin_probe_force_microscope)

- [IMEC](/source/IMEC) - Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre

- [Macroelectronics](/source/Macroelectronics)

- [Microscale chemistry](/source/Microscale_chemistry)

- [Nanoelectronics](/source/Nanoelectronics)

## References

- Veendrick, H.J.M. (2019). *Bits on Chips*. Springer. p. 284. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-319-76095-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-319-76095-7). [https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-76096-4/](https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-76096-4/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Shamieh, Cathleen (2015-07-27). *Electronics for dummies* (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781119117971](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781119117971). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [919482442](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/919482442).{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["The State of the Transistor in 3 Charts - IEEE Spectrum"](https://spectrum.ieee.org/transistor-density). *[IEEE](/source/IEEE)*. Retrieved 2024-02-20.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Microelectronic and microelectromechanical systems](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Microelectronic_and_microelectromechanical_systems).

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: ***[Microtechnology](https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Microtechnology)***

v t e Microtechnology Microelectromechanical systems Microtechnology Micromachinery Basic structures Interdigital transducer Cantilever Microchannel Applications Sensors Microbolometer Actuators Comb drive Scratch drive actuator Thermal actuator Switches Digital micromirror device Optical switch Other Millipede memory Radio-frequency microelectromechanical systems Microoptoelectromechanical systems Microphotonics Biological microelectromechanical systems Microfluidics Micropower Processes General Surface micromachining Bulk micromachining HAR micromachining Deposition Lithography Etching Wire bonding 3D microfabrication Specific LOCOS Shallow trench isolation LIGA Lift-off Photolithography Silicon on insulator Smart cut

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