99TheAgeOfSilicon

The invention of the transistor by Bardeen, Brattain and Shockley paved the way for a wide range of new electronic devices. Today’s technology, from computers and lasers, to jet engines and space probes, has been based on twentieth century advances in material science. Utilising a knowledge of the electrical, magnetic, optical and thermal properties of compounds of transition and rare earth metals allows for its application to robotics, automation in the manufacturing industry and advances in the personal computer industry. Semiconducting material is the basis of the integrated circuits that run our computers and many of modern technologies, including programmable controllers. Many modern technologies use electro-mechanical principles to interface real world sensors and outputs to microprocessors, temperature controllers, thermocouples and power regulators.  =The Age of Silicon Module Plan= Module Length: 7 weeks ** Time ** || || • identify that early computers each employed hundreds of thousands of transistors ||  ||  || • **(Act 1)** identify data sources, gather, process and analyse information to outline the rapid development of electronics and, using examples, relate this to the impact of electronics on society || || • explain that the invention of the integrated circuit using a silicon chip was related to the need to develop lightweight computers and compact guidance systems ||  ||  || || || • explain the impact of the development of the silicon chip on the development of electronics ||  ||  || • **(Act 2)** gather secondary information to identify the desirable optical properties of silicon, including: – refractive index – ability to form fibres – optical non-linearity || || • outline the similarities and differences between an integrated circuit and a transistor ||  ||  || || || • describe the difference between an electronic circuit and an electric circuit and the advantages and disadvantages of each ||  ||  || • **(Exp 3)** identify data sources, perform an investigation to demonstrate the difference between digital and analogue voltage outputs over time || || • distinguish between digital and analogue systems in terms of their ability to respond to or process continuous or discrete information ||  ||  || • **(Act 4)** gather, process and present information to identify electronic systems that use analogue systems, including television and radio sets and those that use digital systems, including CD players || || • identify systems that are digital and ones that are analogue in a range of devices ||  ||  || || || • identify potential dividers and transducers as common elements in both analogue and digital systems • explain how the ratio of resistances in a potential divider allows a range of voltages to be obtained || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Act 5)** solve problems and analyse information involving resistances, voltages and currents in potential dividers || || • describe the role of transducers as an interface between the environment and an electronic system || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || || || • define a transducer as a device that can be affected by or affect the environment || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || || || • explain the relationship in a light-dependent resistor (LDR) between resistance and the amount of light falling on it || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Act 6)** gather, process and present graphically information on the relationship between resistance and the amount of light falling on a light-dependent resistor || || • describe the role of LDRs in cameras || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Act 7)** gather and analyse information and use available evidence to explain why solar cells, switches and the light meter in a camera may be considered input transducers || || • explain why thermistors are transducers and describe the relationship between temperature and resistance in different types of thermistors || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Act 8)** solve problems and analyse information involving circuit diagrams of LDRs and thermistors || || • distinguish between positive and negative temperature coefficient thermistors || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || || || • explain the function of thermistors in fire alarms and thermostats that control temperature || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || || || • explain the need for a relay when a large current is used in a device || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Act 9)** process information to explain the way in which a relay works using a circuit diagram || || • describe the role of the electromagnet, pivot, switch contacts and insulator in a relay || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || || || • describe the structure of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in terms of p-type and n-type semiconductors || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Act 10)** solve problems and analyse information using circuit diagrams involving LEDs and relays • analyse information to assess situations where an LED would be preferable to an ordinary light source || || • explain why voltmeters, ammeters, CROs and other electronic meters are considered output transducers || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || || || • describe the behaviour of the logic gates in terms of the high and low voltages and relate these to input and outputs || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Exp 11)** identify data sources, plan, choose equipment or resources for, and perform first-hand investigations to construct truth tables for logic gates || || • identify that gates can be used in combination with each other to make half or full adders || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • solve problems and analyse information using circuit diagrams involving logic gates || || • describe the functions and the properties of an ideal amplifier || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Act 12)** solve problems and analyse information to show the transfer characteristics of an amplifier || || • identify the voltage over which the amplifier acts as a linear or analogue device and a digital device || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || || || • describe how amplifier can be used as amplifying circuits || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || || || • explain that the gain of an amplifier is related to the ratio of its output voltage to its input voltage: || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Act 13)** gather and present graphical information to distinguish between the input and output voltages when the voltages are applied to the inverting and non-inverting inputs respectively || || • define open loop gain: || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Act 14)** solve problems and analyse information using: and || || • explain the difference between the non-inverting input and the inverting input || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || || || • discuss how a control system can be used to provide feedback || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Act 15)** gather information to identify the different ways in which amplifiers are used in current technologies || || • identify that the increased speed of computers has been accompanied by a decrease in size of circuit elements || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || • **(Act 16)** gather, process and analyse information and use available evidence to discuss the possibility that there may be a limit on the growth of computer power and this may require a reconceptualisation of the way computers are designed || || • explain that as circuit component size is decreasing, quantum effects become increasingly important || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || <span style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: PalmSprings; LETTER-SPACING: -0.15pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt"> || ||
 * 9.9 The Age of Silicon (30 indicative hours) **
 * Contextual Outline **
 * Focus Area ** ||
 * Focus Area ** ||
 * Concept ** ||
 * Text Summary ** ||
 * Problems ** ||
 * Practical ** ||
 * ===1. Electronics has undergone rapid development due to greater knowledge of the properties of materials and increasingly complex manufacturing techniques=== ||
 * ===2. Electronics use analogue and digital systems, the basic circuit elements of which are potential dividers and transistors=== ||
 * ===3. Sensors and other devices allow the input of information in electronic systems=== ||
 * ===4. Some devices use output transducers to make connections between the product and the environment=== ||
 * ===5. Information can be processed using electronic circuits=== ||
 * ===6. Amplifiers are used in different ways in current technologies=== ||
 * ===7. There are physics limits that may impact on the future uses of computers=== ||