Integrated Circuits

Contributors:

jimblom

Resources and Going Further

Integrated circuits are present in just about every circuit out there. Now that you're familiar with ICs, why not check out some of these related concept tutorials:

PCB Basics - ICs have to be connected to a circuit somehow. Usually we'll solder an IC to a printed circuit board (PCB). Check out this tutorial to learn more about those little green boards.
Serial Communication, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), and I²C - All three of these are communication protocols ICs use to communicate between each other.

Or, check out some of these skill tutorials. These are handy skills every budding electronics hacker should learn!

How to Solder - Unless you're using a breadboard with your ICs, you'll probably need to solder them.
8-Pin SOIC to DIP Adapter Hookup Guide - An example of soldering a 8-pin SOIC package to breakout board.
SSOP-16 to DIP Adapter Hookup Guide - Another example of soldering a 16-pin SOIC package to breakout board.
Designing PCBs - Or, if you're already familiar with PCBs, why not try making one! This tutorial explains how to use a freely available software (Eagle) to design PCBs.
Designing PCB Footprints - This tutorial walks you through the steps required to design a PCB footprint for an IC, using Eagle CAD.
Making Custom Footprints in EAGLE - Making a custom footprint in Eagle with a picture.