Special Tutorial: Introduction to LSI Microprocessor Developments

In its constant endeavor to increase the number of functions per semiconductor device, the semiconductor industry has focused continual effort on developing new semiconductor processes and photolithographic technologies and on compressing smaller geometries onto increasingly larger silicon chip areas. The result is that the number of functions (components per chip) is approximately doubling every year while the cost per function is decreasing. A byproduct of these improvements is increased system reliability. By increasing chip complexity above a few hundred gates, generally referred to as large-scale integration, the capability of economically producing new devices and systems for new applications is being realized.