The ECL Logic Chip - Emitter Coupled Logic Technology

About this Artwork This artwork is a mixed media display celebrating Emitter Coupled Logic (ECL) Technology. Logic chips were the first silicon-based integrated circuits. Prior to logic chips, components such as transistors, diodes, resistors, inductors, and capacitors were created individually. These discrete components were soldered to printed circuit cards, which had metal traces to connect the components. With logic chips, all components in the circuit were created at the same time, on one piece of silicon. This process, called etching, created the components by depositing layers of silicon, treated with impurities. These N-type and P-type silicon layers provided the semiconductor effect. Initially, integrated circuits had less than 10 transistors. These chips implemented simple logic gates, hence their name. Various technologies were used to create these early chips. The fastest of these was Emitter Coupled Logic. ECL circuits prevented transistor saturation, which dramatically de