What is Discrete Circuit?

Refers to the type of circuit construction in which the components are

manufactured separately. The component are connected using a conducting
wires, breadboard or a printed circuit board (PCB). These components can be
resistor, diodes, transistors and inductors.

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Components of this circuit type are combined to performed a particular

output. For example, we can use transistors to create a logic gates. Discrete
circuits can be designed to use in low voltage or high voltage, it depends on
the acceptability and compatibility of components. Nowadays, most of
electronics devices are mixture of discrete component and integrated circuits.

Advantages of Discrete circuits

1. Handles high power input

2. Produces high power output
It can produce high power output that can drive the actuators diectly.
3. Achieves low temperature coefficient
4. Can change parameters of the circuit
Changing the parameter of the circuit can be achieved here as same as
changing the components and values of components.

Disdvantages of Discrete circuits

1. Assembling and Wiring

Assembling and wiring of separate components will take time and it usually
occupies space that makes the circuitry bulky.

2. Designing the Circuitry

In case of designing, it takes patience and creativity. Usually discrete circuits
have many component to combining. So, this will test your patience in
designing a circuit in which components and wires will not messed up.

3. Replacement of failed components

It is complicated to replace failed components in this type of circuit
construction. Some components are connected to each other and the other
components will be affect when removing the other. For the intention of
making the circuit as compact as possible, replacing single component is
fragile.

4. Less Relibility
Wires and components are usually connected with soldering process.
Soldering process by hand affects reliability due to solder joint behavior,
component damage and cleanliness. Solder joint behavior can affect because
it can add resistances on the circuit specially when you had bad solder joint.
Usually, soldering process would reached to 400 degrees celsius and this
high temperature can damage the component.

What is integrated Circuit?

Integrated Circuit or IC is a very small array of electronic circuits and
components like capacitor, resistor, transistor and diode which are diffused
into the surface of semiconductor wafer such as silicon. Usually comes in
chip package and it represents a circuit system (not single element) and a
single IC can be represent as up to thousands of elements brought together
into a single chip.

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IC's are enclosed with a solid outer cover made from insulating material with
contact or terminals called as pins. Also, the solid outer cover was designed
to have a high thermal conductivity for the devices not to melt during
runtime.

These are the common packaging type of an IC.

• Dual In-line Package (DIP)

• Plastic Quad Flat Pack (PQFP)
• Flip-Chip Ball Grid Array (FCBGA)
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Advantages of IC

1. Small in size
IC's are small in size but, practically as equivalent as around 20,000
components that are incorporated in a single chip.

2. Simplifies Design
On the end, complex circuits are fabricated with in a single chip. Therefore,
designing of a complex circuit will be simplified into a single chip.

3. High Reliability
Complex circuit are incorporated on a single chip making it with lesser
number of connections. Thus, soldering process will be minimize to gain
high reliability.

4. Low cost
Production of IC's are done in bulk or mass production. Therefore, the price
of IC per unit will be reduce due to high supply. It will be much inexpensive
rather than creating equivalent discrete circuit of an IC.
5. Low power consumption
Because IC's are made of semiconductor material wafer, it consumes very
little power or less power. As we know that semiconductors draw lesser
power than other elements.

6. Easy to replace component

In integrated circuit, a circuit system will be considered a single element. So,
replacing the entire circuit is easy rather than finding the specific component
and replace it in discrete circuit. Also, there is no need of repairing.
Replacement is economical and reliable than repair.

7. Increase operating speed

Integrated circuits can increase the operation speed because parasitic
elements such as capacitors are omitted.

8. Small Signal Suitability

IC components are designed with very compact arrangement within the
wafer. So, these components are help close to each other and there is no
chance of stray electrical pick ups.

Disadvantages of Integrated Circuits

1. Impossible to modify the parameters

After the IC was fabricated, it is impossible to modify its parameters in
which it will operate.

2. Cannot be repair
When the component of an IC is damaged, the whole IC should be replaced
and it is impossible the repair the component inside.

3. Cannot be integrated with high capacitance

With the capacitance value higher than 30pF, it is impossible to fabricate in
the semiconductor chip. To make it possible, should have connected to
discrete component externally.
4. Low power production
It is impossible for a IC to produce a high power output. Usually it can not
produce power greater than 10W. So, it is impossible to feed directly the
output from IC to actuators like motors. Discrete component is needed to
drive the actuators.

5. Exterior connection of inductor and transformer

Discrete components such as inductors and transformers are impossible to
fabricate in semiconductor chip. If the circuit needs inductor, connecting it
external inductor is the only way.
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