To produce any integrated circuit or circuit board, manufacturers must begin with a process called polysilicon growing. This application, which takes place in a large vacuum, sees several small, hairpin-shaped rods connected to a power supply and heated. Once these rods meet the appropriate temperature, gas containing silica is added to the process – allowing the rods to grow in diameter.
After the gas is added, each rod must keep a consistent temperature throughout the entire process, which can take several days. As each rod increases in diameter the power must also be increased to maintain temperature; however, if the power is increased too much, the rods will melt, and the process must be stopped and started again.
