››(This  is an old article, that I think›is  still  timely, and worth printing!›HAPPY THANGSVING to all of you-Ye Olde›EDITORS-Nov/Dec 1990)››THE CHIP››By JOSEPH A. SCHIBANI JR.›     Downloaded from "CLEARING HOUSE"››     It  almost  seems  impossible but›todays  circuits  contain  millions of›transistors  barely  the  size  of  an›infants  thumbnail.   Now doesn't this›sound     pretty     minute?     Well,›researchers are now working to produce›a  CHIP  even  smaller  than the one I›have just explained!››     Most  people  think  "the bigger,›the  better".  Not so when it comes to›the CHIP.  The smaller and more minute›the  micro-chip  becomes,  the greater›its uses and possibilities  become.››     The  CHIP,  (which  is a nickname›for  the  intergrated  circuit,)  is a›complex   arrangement   of  electronic›switches controlling electric current.› All  this is built on just a fleck of›silicon.   Some  CHIPS  are   H  U G E›information  storers, which are called›"memory chips".  Others combine memory›with logic to produce a "computer on a›chip",  or  what  we  generally call a›"microprocessor".››     The  CHIP, since its introduction›in  l959,  has  advanced technology in›leaps  and  bounds.   In every area of›modern  life  we  see  CHIPS  becoming›cheaper  and  more powerful each year.›Our  lifestyle  is now relying on what›CHIPS  can  do  for us, as well as how›fast they can do the job.››     This    silver-gray    fleck   of›silicon,  (which  is  an ingredient of›common  beach  sand), has the power of›not  only  being  a  chip  but has the›power  to  create  a  new one.  In its›simplest  form,  it is just electronic›circuitry.   On  its  silicon base are›many  minute switches, joined by wires›that are actually just very thin films›of metal.  Looking under a microscope,›a  chip  would  look  very much like a›large  city  veiwed  from miles above.›Its   intricate   maze   of  circuitry›representing    the    buildings   and›plaza's.››     With  all that is going on inside›a   CHIP   and   thinking   about  its›potential,  could this be the start of›robots  replacing man?  Let's stop and›think  of  the human intellect that is›contained  in  just one CHIP.  So much›like  the  human brain, the CHIP has a›great  potential  to change our way of›life.››     Some   microprocessors  can  make›decisions,  give instructions and even›have  self-adjusting  controls.   Cash›registers  have  chips  that can total›bills,    post   sales,   and   update›inventories  as well.  This ability to›store  logic  and  memory gives us the›feeling  of  a  human  clone.   When a›microprocessors can do all this, is it›any   wonder  that  some  people  fear›losing their job to a computer?››     Since  we  can  rely  on machines›that  are  computerized to "think" for›us  we  may  find  that  we  have more›"spare"  time.   They  can do our work›not     only    quickly    but    also›intelligently.   We  may  one day look›back  at  this  period  in time as our›second    industrial   revolution   --›calling it the "Computer Revolution".››     This thought is based not only on›the  work  that is accomplished by our›CHIPS, but also on the recreational or›"fun"  part of our computer world.  We›do  not  have to look too close to see›that  CHIPS are very much a large part›of  our  day-to-day  life.   Take  for›example  our pocket calculator that we›all  rely  on  - and take for granted!›How  about  the timer on the microwave›oven.   The  microwave  would  not  be›worth  too much without one.  How that›wrist-watch  you're wearing right now.›I bet that has a built-in LED read-out›with   date,  time,  calculator,  stop›watch,  and  possibly even a data bank›too!   We all enjoy PACMAN, as well as›many  other video games we play on our›home  video  computer  systems.   Then›there  is  the  battle  of  the  video›cameras  and VCR's.  Our life has been›so affected by the CHIP, that we could›go  on  and  on.  Let's not forget the›personal  computer.  This report would›not be possible without one!››     Speaking  of  personal computers,›they  are in such demand because their›built-in  instructions  make them very›easy  to use and understand.  The term›"user-friendly" is based on this.  All›this is the result of the CHIP.››     Computer     conveniences    have›skyrocketed because so many people now›own personal computers.  Some of these›conveniences   are   electronic   mail›through  bulletin board systems (BBS),›that are telephone dialed at the users›location,   with  a  device  called  a›modem.   Home shopping is another very›popular  service.   Compuserve  is one›example.    More  important  and  most›popular  is  the home banking services›that  are  now  available through many›large   banking  systems.   All  these›services are as simple and easy to use›as your telephone.  Again, all this is›the result of the CHIP.››     The  CHIP  has  affected  all our›lives so much that people now question›effective  cures  for poverty, hunger,›and  war.   Some wonder if the streets›will  be  safer if we tend to shop and›bank   from   home  through  our  home›computer  system.   Will  we need less›cash because we pay our bills and shop›from home? ››     When  the  CHIP was born in l959,›no  one  thought  of  these questions.›Mainly  because  no one really thought›the  CHIP  would  take-off  and become›such  a large part of our lives.  Most›parents are not sure if their children›are  learning  anything  by sitting in›front of a "computer" all day.››     Owning    a   personal   computer›teaches  the  owner the ability of the›micro-chip.    Each  personal  advance›gives  birth to another.  With man and›the  "CHIP"  so hard at work together,›we  can  understand  why  the CHIP has›endless possibilities.›     ›     Let's look further and see what's›involved  in  the  making of the CHIP.›To  get  a  rough  idea  of  how  much›information is stored in a CHIP, let's›picture   mapping   every  street  and›highway  of  New York City on the head›of a pin.  ››     The  base of the CHIP is silicon.›This  is  refined  from  quartz rocks.›Melted  and  formed into long crytals,›this  purified  silicon is sliced into›thin  wafers.  These  wafers  are  now›insulated  with  a film of oxide, then›coated   with   soft   light-sensitive›plastic called photoresist. Masked and›exposed  with  ultraviolet  light  the›exposed  photoresist hardens. Acid and›solvents  now strip away the unexposed›photoresist  and oxide. This patterned›silicon  is  ready  to  be  etched  by›superhot  gases.  More silicon is laid›down,  masked, stripped then implanted›with  chemicals that form negative and›positive  conducting  zones. repeating›these  steps  builds  layers linked by›connecting   "windows".   Aluminum  is›melted  onto  the  wafer,  filling the›gaps  and forming conducting pathways.›Each CHIP is diced away from the wafer›and bonded with conventional wires. ››     A  new  idea in the major advance›of  electronics  is a type of chemical›synthesis.  Circuits under development›for   computer   logic  functions  and›memory    devices   will   work   with›carbon-based  organic  molecules, very›much   like   those   in  our  bodies.›Imagine,  a biological microchip. Soon›to   be  introduced  is  a  super-fast›computer   memory   based  on  organic›molecules.    Researchers   are   also›trying   to   devise   a   method   of›communicating with molecular circuits.› ››     Researchers  are  turning to this›new molecular electronics because they›fear    limitations    with   ordinary›solid-state    intergrated    circuits›(IC's).    Circuits   may   fail  when›electrons    spill   over   from   one›transistor  circuit  to another.  Heat›caused  from  tight packing would also›be a problem.  ››     Molecular  circuits would be much›smaller   and  faster,  and  use  less›power.  The  new  type  of  CHIP would›bring about a reduction in the size of›circuit     components.      Molecular›microchips    would    boost   circuit›densities 100,000 times or more over a›silicon CHIP.››     To   create  useful  devices  and›circuits   with   organic   molecules,›researchers   have  to  first  develop›extremely thin films of the molecules.› One    method    of   forming   these›molecule-thin  films is the following:›The  molecules  used  are  long chains›with   different  properties  at  both›ends.  One  end  must  be  attached to›water  molecules.   The  other  end is›fatty   or  oily  -  it  repels  water›molecules.   As a result, in water the›molecules  float  at  the surface with›their oily ends up.››     Chemists  use  a container with a›movable  side.   With  the  long-chain›molecules  covering the water surfaces›like   a  thin  film  of  grease,  the›container   side   is   moved  inward,›compressing   the   loosely  scattered›molecules until they line up to form a›one-molecule-thick  film.  Each time a›glass   or   quartz  sheet  is  pulled›through   this   film,   a   layer  of›molecules   sticks   to  its  surface.›Researchers  use the technique to form›alternating layers of dyes that either›absorb  or  emit  light  of  different›colors.››     Organic  molecules can be made to›perform  logic  functions  similar  to›those  now  performed by silicon-based›CHIPS.   There  are some difficulties.›Such  a  molecule is far too small for›laser  light  to hit only one part and›not  the other.  A laser beam, focused›on   a   one-micron-wide  spot,  is  a›thousand  times larger than the entire›molecule.  So, many molecules would be›caught in the beam. ››     A more complex circuit would have›to  be  built  in  layers.   Lasers of›different wavelengths would be on top,›serving  as  inputs.   below  would be›molecule-thin   films,   each  with  a›different,  complex  molecule.   Laser›input  pulses would change the layers,›making  them  transparent.  Wavelenghs›would  go  through the first layer and›would  set  off  changes in the second›layer,  and  so forth, down the stack.›At  the  bottom  a  fiber  cable would›carry  the  laser light to an adjacent›molecular circuit.››     Let's  talk about wiring up these›molecules.   When  thinking of silicon›microchips  the  wiring seems as thick›as a human body.  The idea is to start›with  a molecule-thin film, then stack›other  molecules  on  top of the film.›The  molecules  on top are antibodies,›proteins   that   link   up  with  the›molecules  below.   To  stiffen things›up, the entire structure could be cast›in  plastic.   A special enzyme is put›on  the  antibody  and  makes  a clear›plastic  coating  on the spot when its›fed  the proper chemicals.  Before you›know  it  everything  is  coated  with›clear plastic.››     So as we can see, whether its the›silicon  CHIP,  or  the  molecular  or›organic  CHIP, the CHIP has a definite›future and is here to stay.  Let us go›on  and  enjoy all the benefits it has›to  offer  us.   Among these rewarding›benefits   are   not   only  those  of›achievement, fun, time saving and most›important,  our health!  Here's to you›MR.                              CHIP.›