Electronics basics

Index

• Acronyms
• Basics
• Basic circuits
• Measuring
• Analogue electronics
• Chemistry
• Cooling
• Digital electronics
• Theory
• Protecting ideas
• Electronics symbols
• Component information
• Materials
• Component markings explained
• Electronics construction
• Electronics design
• Soldering
• Component handling
• Prototyping
• Circuit board design and making
• Manufacturing and design
• Misc links

Basics

• Basic Electronics - online tutorial
• Electromagnetic Spectrum
• Electronics Frequently Asked Questions archive
• How things work
• Junior Electronics - exploration into the essentials of electricity, electronic technology and related physics
• Metric Prefix in Electronics
• Physical Quantities - Systems of measurement, including the SI System of Units
• Silicon, Circuits, and the Digital Revolution - Science Concepts behind High Technology
• SI Units
• The Decibel
• The Hardware Tutor - the BASIC programmer's guide to understanding hardware and electronic circuits
• Twisted Pair - a site dedicated to those in pursuit of an understanding of Electronics
• Various Formulas - formulas related to resistors, capacitors and inductors

  Acronyms

  • Abbreviations used in Electronics
  • Acronym Dictionary
  • Diana's Electronics Info Page - electronics pages aimed at beginners
  • Electronics Dictionary
  • Lexicon of Semiconductor Terms
  • List of electronics acronyms
  • Metric Prefix in Electronics
  • What does k, M, m, n and p mean in component markings ?

  Basic tutorials

  • A Basic Electronics Course, for Passive Components
  • A Basic Electronics Course, for Active Components
  • Williamson Labs Electronics Tutorials

  Theory

  • A Basic Introduction to Filters - active, passive and switched capacitor filters, document in PDF format
  • Alex's Electronic Resource Library - collection of electronics tutorials
  • Basic Analog for Digital Designers - tutorial in pdf format
  • Basic Circuit Theory - by International Rectifier
  • Basics of Electronics - basics of electricity and charge
  • Cable impedance - what is cable characteristic impedance
  • Characteristic Impedance of Cable at High and Low Frequencies
  • Cource notes for power electronics
  • Elements of AC Electricity - Basic Electronics on-line tutorial
  • Electronics Information Files - pages aimed at beginners, includes simple circuit and some useful free teaching software
  • Feedback and Temperature Control - an introduction to the effects that feedback can have on systems
  • Filters - examples of very many different filter types, good page for filter design information
  • Foundations and Frontiers of Physics - hypertext guide to physics
  • International Rectifier Application Training Guide - basic circuit theory, semiconductor basics, applications
  • Laws of electronics - Ohm's Law and Kirchhoff's Laws
  • Ohm's Law - equations, description and examples
  • Piezoelectricity education
  • Power factor - it is more than just cos(Phi)
  • Practical Analog Design - refresher on op-amps
  • The Smith Chart - an RF engineering aid by Phillip Smith of RCA many years ago
  • Transistors and amplification
  • Two-port tables - a helpful collection of tables for two-port matrices
  • Understanding Electricity - an analogy with water
  • Various Formulas - formulas related to resistors, capacitors and inductors

  Cooling

  • Fan Engineering Information
  • Thermal resistance: an oxymoron?

  Analogue electronics

  • Understand capacitor soakage to optimize analog systems - Dielectric absorption can cause subtle errors in analog applications

  Digital electronics

  Basics

  • Introduction to Boolean Algebra - check also Basic Boolean Algebra Manipulation
  • Introductory Digital Electronics - on-line tutorial

  Digital IC characteristics

  • Low Power Schottky TTL logic levels
  • Standard TTL logic levels
  • Understanding Computers - introduces signed and unsigned binary numbers, two's complements, the carry, borrow, and overflow flags, and the effect of shifting signed and unsigned values, article is in pdf format

  Memory

  • How EPROMs Work - Some Things You Wanted To Know About EPROMs But Didn't Know Whom Or What To Ask
  • How Memory Works

  Technology articles

  • Basic Transistor Level Schematics and Advanced Transistor Level Schematics - describes how digitalcircuits are built using transistors
  • General Comparison of Programmable Logic Architectures - CPLDs vs. FPGAs
  • Layout Design: An introduction to CMOS layout design - Digital Electronics, Boolean Algebra, Transistor Level Schematics, and Stick Diagrams
  • High Speed Digital Design Handouts and Notes
  • S-88.110 DIGISKITTI - notes and information on a kit to help to learn basic digital circuit operation by building your own circuits, text in Finnish

  Analogue-digital conversion

  • 1-bit converters
  • Analog to Digital (A/D) and Digital to Analog (D/A) Converters
  • Care and Feeding of the One Bit Digital to Analog Converter - information about one bit digital to analog conversion
  • The A/D - D/A Laboratory - basics of A/D and D/A conversion explained

  Protecting ideas

  • IBM Patent Server - lets you access over 26 years of U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) patent descriptions as well as the last 23 years of images
  • Peter's Patent Page - patent law page, listing of US patent firms and attorneys, patent information, patent searching sites, IP organizations and articles
  • The Internet Patents Book - information resource consisting of a collection of informative posts from the news group comp.patents

  Electronics symbols

  • Symbols Index for Graphical Symbols - IEC417 electrical symbols, check also new server with search
  • Electronic Component Template - most common electronics components
  • Electronic Symbol Libraries - common symboles in pictures and in Autocad format
  • Popular electronics symbols
  • Transistor / Diode / IC (DIP) Outlines

  Component information

  General

  • Electronic component v-i curve photos - transistors, FETs, photocell, transformer, capacitor

  Resistors

  • 4 Band Resistor Color Codes
  • How to read resistor color codes
  • Resistor Color Codes
  • Resistor Color Codes Calculator
  • Resistor Color Codes Table
  • Resistor Technical Information - color codes, resistor calculator, military codes, resistor replacement

  Tubes

  • All About Tubes: A Warm Inner Glow - information on application of valve technology in pro-audio
  • An Introduction to Vacuum Tube Electronics
  • Basics of valves (tubes) - basic information regarding valves (tubes) and how to use them
  • How Tubes Work
  • Mike's Electric Stuff - information on old tubes and related components

  ICs

  • 4000B Series CMOS Functional Diagrams
  • 4000 series CMOS logic IC pinouts
  • 7400 series TTL logic IC pinouts
  • 74xx/54xx Family TTL Circuits - nice drawings of the most commonly used chips from 74xx series
  • Components from Bebek catalogue - tietoa komponenteista jotka esiintyvät Bebek Electronic Oy:n asiakaslehdessä
  • Internal Structure of Op-amps and Audio Power Amps
  • Pinouts of some common optoisolators used in Midi interfaces
  • Specifications for various 74xx Chips
  • Voltage regulators (stabilizers) 78xx a 79xx by ST - warning about some possible problem if the regulator load is too low

  Amplifier ICs

  • High-frequency signal-contaminations - information how RF can effect circuit accuracy and how to shield circuits against RFI
  • Op-amp issues
  • Understanding operational amplifier specifications - application note from Texas Instruments

  Capacitors

  • ABX Double Blind Test Results: Capacitors - information on distortion caused by capacitors
  • Capacitor color codes
  • Capacitors and ESR: Effective Series Resistance
  • Capacitor & Coil Technical Information - color codes, number codes
  • Electrolytic Capacitors - Theory, Construction, Characteristics and Application
  • FaradNet - A Worldwide Capacitor Resource Covering all Aspects of Capacitor Technology
  • Gimmick Capacitors - how to make easily small under 15 pF capacitors from plastic covered hook-up wire
  • How to read Capacitor Codes - how to read number codes on small plastic film capacitors
  • Picking capacitors - capacitor testing article from Audio Magazine, February and March, 1980
  • Revox Vifa Tech Notes and Presentations
  • Understanding the Parasitic Effects In Capacitors

  Coils

  • 1mH 10A Audio Choke - how to make your own
  • Amidon Technical Reference Online - lots of information on magnetic materials
  • Capacitor & Coil Technical Information
  • Coils - how to calculate coil inductance
  • Ferrites from Amidon - information on products and equations for calcuating the turns needed for coils
  • Ferrites for RFI - ferrite toroidal cores, as well as beads, can be very useful in attenuation of unwanted RF signals
  • Frequently Asked Questions About Magnetic Materials
  • Iron Powder Cores from Amidon - information on products and equations for calcuating the turns needed for coils
  • Power considerations - how large a core is needed to handle a certain amount of power
  • Practical Construction Tips For Coils Using Iron Powder Cores
  • Software from Magnetics - some design software
  • The 7-Henry Inductor - measured value of a large iron-core inductor can vary from its nominal value for several reasons

  Transformers

  • Caging Transformer EMI Still a Key Design Issue - medical and telecom specs demand a quiet electromagnetic setting
  • Controlling EMI in Transformers and Switch-Mode Power Supplies
  • Dielectric Strength - information on Hi Pot testing of transformers, pdf file
  • Design Parameters for Low-Distortion and Power Transformers using EPCOS TT/PR Cores - application note about ferrite core transformer design from Epcos in pdf format
  • Kleinsignal Transistoren - technical data on some common small signal transistors
  • LF transformers - theory and some practice
  • Power considerations - how large a core is needed to handle a certain amount of power
  • Pulse Transformer Equivalent Circuit - pdf file
  • RF BALUNs - one f the most important components in of transmitting system is the antenna feeder system
  • Rhombus Industries Application Notes and General Information - information on tranformers and tranfromer testing
  • Ring Cores - application note about ferrite core transformer design from Epcos in pdf format
  • Suppression of Powerline Noise with Isolation Transformers
  • Transformer Applications - tranformer selection and use application from Newport Components in pdf format
  • Transformer Insertion Loss and Frequency Response Measurements - pdf file
  • Transformer Polarization - performance characteristics of any ferromagnetic transformer will be dependent od it's previous magnetic history, pdf file
  • Transformer Resistance and Inductance Measurements - pdf file
  • Transmission Line Transformers - theory, articles and construction details for RF transmission line transformers, check also how to design other ratios than 1:1 and 1:4
  • Varnish: The Invisible Insulator
  • Winding Rod and Toroidal Transformers - some useful tips

  Mains power transformers

  • Isolation Transformers Increase Safety of Electronic Systems
  • Isolation Transformer Makes Comeback
  • Method of Determining Secondary Current Ratings in D.C. Circuits
  • Piirilevymuuntajat - circuit board mounted transformer technical information in Finnish by Muuntosähkö
  • Power Transformer Specification Formulae - calculated transformer needed for regulated linear power supply
  • Rengassydänmuuntajat - toroidal transformer technical information in Finnish by Muuntosähkö
  • Signal Transformer Technical Library - application notes and FAQ
  • Specifying the Proper Transformer - international standards governing electronic equipment have specific requirements for transformers
  • Specifying: shielding, regulation and temperature rise
  • Temperature Rise Calculation - calculate temperature rise inside transformer
  • Transformer Basics
  • Understanding Transformer Standards at Home and Abroad - standards in USA and Internaltionally

  Other electromagnetic components

  • Cross Reference Table Mn-Zn Ferrite Materials
  • Electromagnetic Delay Lines
  • How to choose permanent magnet materials and grades
  • Magnetic Material Reference Table - compare some of the ferrites of three large suppliers: Siemens, TDK and Philips

  Crystals

  • Crystal Charasteristics and equivalent circuit

  Diodes

  • The Unusual Diode FAQ

  Thyristor, TRIAC

  • Explanation of Maximum Ratings for Thyristors - application note from Teccor, pdf file
  • Fundamental Characteristics of Thyristors - application note from Teccor in pdf format
  • Gating, Latching, and Holding of SCRs and Triacs - application note from Teccor in pdf format
  • PUT Complimentary Feedback Pair - connect two transistors to make four layer device which works like UJT or thyristor
  • Teccor Application Notes - thyristor and TRIAC information

  Transistors

  • 50 years of the transistor - transistor history
  • Kleinsignal Transistoren - data on some popular small signal transistors
  • Transistor Biasing
  • How a Transistor Works
  • How Semiconductors are Made
  • Martijn Beelen's Transistor Page - most of the answers to questions about transistors
  • Package pinouts - typical pinouts for transistors and some ICs
  • Pinouts of some common transistors and IC chips
  • Transistor Cross Reference Database - database currently has over 40,000 transistors in it which can be cross-referenced to other parts, you can also download the whole cross reference list file by Pacific Semiconductor
  • Small Signal Transistors, FETs and Diodes - semicondictors that are most popular and have a history of high usage for most applications
  • Transistor history and operation
  • Transistor Pinouts - some common transistors in TO-92 case listed
  • Transistors - to explain the transistors for beginners

  FETs, IGBTs

  • IGBT Characteristics - info on Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors
  • Measuring HEXFET® Characteristics
  • Power Mosfet Basics - technial paper in pdf format, check also Paralleling of Power MOSFETs
  • Protecting IGBTs and MOSFETs from ESD
  • Simple and inexpenesive methods to generate isolated gate drive supplies
  • The Do's and Dont's of Using MOS-Gated Transistors
  • Transformer-Isolated Gate Driver Provides very large duty cycle ratios - information on driving power FETs

  Optoelectronics

  • Former Motorola Products Now Supplied by QT Optoelectronics - datasheets of most optocoupler types
  • Pinouts of common optoisolators used in MIDI interfaces
  • The LED FAQ Pages
  • What is Inside an LED?

  Electromechanics

  • Different electronic switch types
  • What is a solenoid ? - solenoid information and troubleshooting

  Misc

  • Contact Bounce and De-Bouncing
  • NiCd battery FAQ
  • Peltier coolers/heaters
  • Tomi Engdahl's list of basic electronics components

  Materials

  • Electrical properties of Insulators
  • Frequently Asked Questions About Magnetic Materials