Term of the Moment
addictive intelligence
Definition: Microchip Technology
(Microchip Technology Inc., Chandler, AZ) A semiconductor manufacturer founded as a spinoff of General Instrument in 1987. Microchip became independent two years later. With facilities in the Phoenix, Arizona area, Microchip's massive product line includes 8-, 16- and 32-bit microcontrollers, 32-bit processors, memory, analog, networking, power management chips and more. Used in myriad applications from kitchen toasters to automobiles, more than a billion chips are shipped every year. Microchip is the leading manufacturer of 8-bit microcontrollers (MCUs). See microcontroller and microchip.
Inside the Plant
With "acres" of specialized equipment, a variety of chips are made at Microchip's Tempe Arizona plant. They can take weeks to manufacture from start to finish with hundreds of steps in between. The yellow light causes less interference to the wafers as they are moved through their final stages. See chip manufacturing.