An Economy Integrated Circuits Laboratory

The high cost of establishing and maintaining an integrated circuit fabrication facility is prohibitive for many electrical engineering programs. As discussed in this paper, an integrated circuit laboratory experience can be realized for a total investment of less than $ 5000. The laboratory is based upon the monolithic integrated circuit breadboards commercially available, and requires a lead bonder for interconnecting elements on the breadboard chips. Characteristics and limitations of monolithic structures are readily studied in this laboratory, and student-generated custom-designed circuits are easily assembled.