Abstract :
Since their invention in 1958, integrated circuits (ICs) have found their way into numerous electrical products. Their widespread use is due to the fact that they are extremely small, highly reliable, and attractively inexpensive. As a result, there is a growing demand for IC engineers, i.e. experts in their design and fabrication. There is an even larger demand for EEs who understand at least the basic fundamentals of this process, since this helps in making decisions about the selection and application of ICs.