A
die in the context of
integrated circuits is a small block of
semiconducting material, on which a given functional circuit is fabricated. Typically, integrated circuits are produced in large batches on a single
wafer of electronic-grade
silicon (EGS) or other semiconductor (such as
GaAs) through processes such as
photolithography. The wafer is cut (“
diced”) into many pieces, each containing one copy of the circuit. Each of these pieces is called a die.