Tags
A tag is a keyword or label that categorizes your question with other, similar questions. Using the right tags makes it easier for others to find and answer your question.
A type of bipolar transistor comprised of n-type semiconductor in contact with p-type semiconductor which in turn is in contact with a n-type semiconductor -> thus NPN. The transistor has three termi…
A transmission line may refer to a cable or assembly that is designed to carry radio frequencies and must consider the wave nature of the signal. Coaxial cable is an example of a transmission line.
…
A mechanism for the control of program flow in a computer. When interrupted a computer saves its present operational state and changes to executing code (interrupt handler) that is dependent upon whi…
A DAC is a Digital to Analog Converter.
CAN stands for Controller Area Network and is a bus often used in automotive applications. It is a two-wire differential protocol and works on baud rates from 10 kbits/sec to 1 Mbits/sec.
Microchip Technology is an IC manufacturer, best known for its extensive range of PIC microcontrollers, but also memory and analog function ICs. The term "microchip" is a legacy term for integrated ci…
Involving or pertaining to a circuit or device that is intended to be operated with cells or batteries (as opposed to mains power, for example).
An impedance that is non-zero during normal operation becoming very low
Questions about programming parts (FPGAs, Flash, etc.) Many software programming questions should be asked instead on Stack Overflow.
Layout is the process of designing a PCB including placement of parts and routing of traces.
Feedback is a process whereby information from an output of a signal is used (intentionally or unintentionally) to alter the input of the same signal. Commonly used in operational amplifiers. An every…
LED Strips come in two designs, both on Flex Printed Circuits (FPC). 1. Simple LED + Resistor versions, typically with multiple parallel segments of three LEDs with matching resistors. 2. Digitally co…
for circuits that only contain passive components, such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors. This includes RC, RL, LC, and RLC circuits.
A circuit that converts a signal from one form to another: analog to digital, digital to analog, voltage to current, current to voltage, etc. The key to understanding is the transformational properti…
Amperage is the disfavored term for "current:": the strength of an electric current in Amperes (Sometimes shortened to Amps).
IR is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths from about 750 nm to 1000 µm, which is beyond the nominal red edge of the visible spectrum.
Most generally a class of materials that are neither insulators or conductors in their natural state, but which can be manipulated via doping or electric fields to change their conduction state. Silic…
Induction motors are alternating current motors with rotors that are energized by induction. They are available with power ratings ranging from about 1/500 Hp (1.5 W) to 30,000 Hp (22MW). They are th…
Battery and battery operated devices' charging methods and problems encountered relevant to charging.
A popular manufacturer of FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) and CPLDs (Complex Programmable Logic Devices).
Piezo-electric device cut at a specific resonance frequency, mostly used in oscillators.
About the manufacturing of PCBs (Printed Circuit Boards).
The microprocessor is an integrated circuit that elaborates information in the form of digital signals. Not to be confused with a microcontroller, which embeds many additional devices to control embed…
A device, components, or safety measure designed to protect circuits from overvoltage, overcurrent, a combination of these; or the theory of same.
Allowing for the flow of power or information without shared electrical nodes
A coil is an electrical conductor such as a wire in the shape of a coil, spiral or helix. Coils are used in applications where electric currents interact with magnetic fields, in devices such as induc…
Impedance matching is a process of making one impedance equal to another another.
A flyback diode is a diode used to eliminate flyback, which is the sudden voltage spike seen across an inductive load when its supply voltage is suddenly reduced or removed.
A flyback transformer, …
Inductance is the property by which a change in current in a conductor induces a voltage both in the conductor itself and nearby inductors, the latter being the basis upon which transformers operate. …
The ratio of output signal to input signal. This dimensionless quantity is a measure of the amplification of a signal which may be represented by voltage or current, or a digital number.
It is a ve…
Current limiting is the practice in electrical or electronic circuits of imposing an upper limit on the current that may be delivered to a load with the purpose of protecting the circuit generating or…
Deprecated tag. Do not use in the future.
Flash is a type of EEPROM which is page-eraseable. It's commonly used for microcontroller program memory and code storage. You can use this tag for questions about this type of memory as well as que…
Questions regarding physical fuses. A fuse is a safety device consisting of a strip of wire that melts and breaks an electric circuit if the current exceeds a safe level. PPTC, PTC, and Polyfuse quest…
Quesions about the design of USB devices that connect to a USB host, such as a PC.
A famous textual circuit simulator with a number of graphic front-ends. Please tag with the precise flavor used (e.g. Pspice, LTspice, ngspice, Multisim, Proteus, Qucs) whenever appropriate (e.g. synt…