Semicondutores digitais: um setor industrial estratégico a nível internacional

Resumo

This article studies some aspects of the international industry of digital
semiconductors. It begins by reviewing the historical evolution of eletronic
components up to the introduction of integrated circuits (ICs), associating
each kind of component to the correspondent generation of computers. The
present conditions of the market for semiconductor memory circuits are
analized in greater detail, as well as the growing utilization of Application
Specific ICs (ASICs), replacing standard components. The increasing
competition in the international market of semiconductors is also studied, as
well as other characteristics and main trends prevailing in that market. Other
questions focused include the structural changes in the international industry
of semiconductors caused by the generalization of automatized processes of
production. The conclusions enphasize the importance of the consolidation
of a microelectronic sector for the development of newly industrialized
countries.