courtesy : the quint
Explained: India’s Bid To Be a Semiconductor Superpower During a Chip Shortage
Semiconductor chips, also known as microchips or integrated circuits, are a vital component in nearly every industry, from consumer electronics to healthcare. However, because of their limited supply, the world is currently facing a chip shortage.
Enter India. The government, in December 2021, rolled out an incentive scheme worth Rs 76,000 crore (roughly $10 billion) to attract international semiconductor and display manufacturers in a bid to establish the country as a global chip manufacturing hub.
Why don’t we already make semiconductors? Why is there a global chip shortage? Here’s all you need to know.
What Is a Semiconductor Chip? How Are They Made?
Conductors conduct electricity, while resistors do the opposite. Semiconductors, as the name suggests, are substances that have properties somewhere in between.
A semiconductor chip is an electric circuit with many components like transistors and wiring formed on a semiconductor wafer. They act as tiny brains for most modern electronics.
To make these chips, silicon is extracted from sand and melted into solid cylinders called ingots. These ingots are then sliced into very thin wafers and polished, after which intricate circuits are printed on them.
Finally, the wafers are cut into individual semiconductors and packaged into finished chips, which can then be placed on a circuit board.
Manufacturing these chips is a complex process that takes over three months.
