Very large-scale integration

Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI) is a type of technology used to make many electrical components very small. These components can be anything from transistors, which control the flow of electricity in a circuit, to microchips, which store and process data. All of these components are placed onto a single chip, or tiny piece of semiconductor material, usually about the size of a fingernail. By putting all of the components into one chip, engineers can fit more components onto the chip than could fit on a larger board. This helps make the devices smaller, faster and more efficient.