Mar 15 2009
What is CMOS?
Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) (pronounced /ˈsiːmɒs/ “sea moss”), is a technology for making integrated circuits. CMOS technology is used in microprocessors, microcontrollers, static RAM, and other digital logic circuits. CMOS technology is also used for a wide variety of analog circuits such as image sensors, data converters, and highly integrated transceivers for many types of communication. Frank Wanlass successfully patented CMOS in 1967 (US Patent 3,356,858).
CMOS was also sometimes referred to as complementary-symmetry metal–oxide–semiconductor (or COS-MOS). The words “complementary-symmetry” refer to the fact that the typical digital design style with CMOS uses complementary and symmetrical pairs of p-type and n-type metal [...]