Functionally, semiconductor memory chips store data and programs on computers and data storage devices. Random access memory (RAM) chips provide temporary workspace, while flash memory chips permanently store information unless it is actively deleted. Read-only memory (ROM) and programmable read-only memory (PROM) chips cannot be modified. Whereas erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) and electrically erasable read-only memory (EEPROM) chips can be can be modified.
A microprocessor includes one or more central processing units (CPUs). Computer servers, personal computers (PCs), tablets, and smartphones may have more than one CPU. 32- and 64-bit microprocessors in PCs and servers are based on x86, POWER, and SPARC chip architectures. Mobile devices, on the other hand, typically use ARM chip architectures. Less powerful 8-, 16- and 24-bit microprocessors are used mainly in products such as toys and automobiles.
Standard chips, also known as commercial integrated circuits, are simple chips used to perform repetitive processing programs. These chips are mass-produced and are typically used in simple-purpose devices such as bar code scanners. The commercial IC market is characterized by lower profit margins and is dominated by large Asian semiconductor manufacturers.
SoCs are the most popular new type of chip for manufacturers. In an SoC, all the electronic components needed for an entire system are built into a single chip.SoCs have a wider range of functions than microcontroller chips, which typically combine a CPU with RAM, ROM and input/output (I/O) devices. In smartphones, SoCs can also integrate graphics, camera, audio and video processing. A three-chip solution can also be realized by adding a management chip and a radio chip.
Another way to categorize chips is by the integrated circuits used, and most computer processors today use digital circuits. These circuits usually combine transistors and logic gates. Sometimes, microcontrollers are added. Digital circuits usually use digital discrete signals based on a binary scheme. Two different voltages are used, each representing a different logic value.
But that doesn't mean that analog chips have been completely replaced by digital chips. Power supply chips often use analog chips. Analog chips are also still needed for broadband signals, which are still used as sensors. In an analog chip, voltages and currents are constantly changing at specified points in a circuit. Analog chips usually include transistors and passive components such as inductors, capacitors, and resistors. Analog chips are more prone to noise or small changes in voltage, which can produce some errors.
A hybrid circuit semiconductor is a typical digital chip that has the technology to handle both analog and digital circuits. A microcontroller may include an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for interfacing with an analog chip, such as a temperature sensor. And a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) allows the microcontroller to generate analog voltages that can be used to produce sound through an analog device.