How to Read a Capacitor's Values
Due to the limited space available for printing, physically small capacitors are especially difficult to read. Therefore capacitors use a wide variety of codes to describe their characteristics. More ...
Integrated Circuit Fabrication Photolithography
Photolithography is the process of transferring patterns on a mask to a thin layer ofphotoresist covering the surface of a semiconductor wafer. These patterns define the various regions in an integrated circuit, such as the implantation regions, the contact windows, and the bonding pad areas. More ...
Transforming Sources for Circuit Analysis
Kirchhoff's laws and Ohm's laws can get pretty laborious when you're analyzing complex circuits. Through a transformation technique, you modify a complex circuit so that in the transformed circuit, the devices are all connected in series or in parallel. After the transformation, you no longer need to systematically apply Kirchhoff's laws. More ...
Inductors in Series and Parallel
With inductors connected in series, the total inductance is the sum of the inductances of the individual inductors With inductors in parallel, the reciprocal of the equivalent inductance is the sum of the reciprocals of the inductors connected in parallel. More ...
Superposition Theorem
The resistive networks that satisfy Ohm's law allow a number of simplifying approaches to be taken in their analysis. Circuit analysis by superposition replaces all voltage sources but one with short circuits, then using the summation rules of series-parallel combinations of resistors determine the voltage across and current in each branch due to the remaining voltage source, and then repeating this process for all voltage sources and superposing the results. More ...
Introduction to Integrated Circuit Manufacturing
An integrated circuit is an ensemble of active (e.g., transistors) and passive devices (e.g., resistors, capacitors, and inductors) formed on and within a single-crystal semiconductor substrate and interconnected by a metallization pattern. More ...
The Diode
A diode is a semiconductor component designed to allow current to pass in one direction. To form a diode, a P type semiconductor is joined with an N type of the same semiconductor element, forming a P-N junction. Diodes are used for turning AC to DC, isolating signals, and mixing signals. More ...
Conductors and Insulators
Materials can be classified depending on whether they allow charge to move. If charge can easily move through a material, these materials are called conductors. If charge cannot move through a material, then this material is called an insulator. More ...
Integrated Circuit Manufacturing E-Beam Lithography
Optical lithography high resolution, at low cost, but it has limitations. Electron-beam lithography uses an electron gun to generate a beam of electrons to produce submicrometer resist geometries without a mask. More ...
Alternating Current
With DC (Direct Current), electric current flows in only one direction. With AC (Alternating Current), current direction reverses periodically. More ...
RMS Used in AC Circuit Analysis
Because the value of an AC signal is continuously varying, it would be difficult to use formulas such as ohms law. In the specific case of a sine wave, the Root Mean Square (RMS) of the wave is used instead. More ...
Lithium Ion Battery Chemistry
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are one of the most common portable power sources used today. Impurities in the materials used to construct a lithium battery can cause it to overheat. More ...
Operational Amplifier
An operational amplifier (op amp) is an amplifier circuit with a differential input, in other words it amplifies the voltage difference between its two inputs. The open-loop gain of an op amp is typically very large so normally, it's configured with negative feedback to reduce the gain. More ...
Inductors in DC Circuits
When voltage first applied current through an inductive circuit is low because a magnetic field starts building in the coil, and this magnetic field creates a back electromotive force (EMF) that oppose the current in the inductor. More ...
