Lecture Notes on Basic Electronics

These flashcards cover key concepts, terminologies, and definitions related to basic electronics, specifically focusing on semiconductor devices, circuit theory, and their applications.

Semiconductor

A material having an electrical conductivity that is a strong function of temperature, purity, and optical excitation.

Insulator

A material having a low electrical conductivity.

Conductor

A material having a high electrical conductivity.

PN Junction

A junction formed by joining p-type and n-type semiconductors.

Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

A three-terminal device for which the voltage or current at one terminal controls the electrical behavior of the other terminals.

Field Effect Transistor (FET)

A three-terminal device for which the voltage at one terminal controls the electrical behavior of the other terminals.

N-Type Semiconductor

A semiconductor in which electrons are the majority carriers.

P-Type Semiconductor

A semiconductor in which holes are the majority carriers.

Ohm’s Law

The relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in an electrical circuit, stated as V=IR.

Depletion Region

The region in a pn junction where there are no charge carriers.

Barrier Potential

The voltage required to overcome the electric field in the depletion region of a diode.

Zener Diode

A type of diode that allows current to flow in the reverse direction when a specific reverse voltage is reached.

Photodiode

A semiconductor device that converts light into an electrical current.

Transconductance

The measure of the AC output current of a device divided by the AC input voltage.

SCR (Silicon Controlled Rectifier)

A four-layer semiconductor device that can conduct current in one direction when triggered.

Triac

A type of thyristor that can conduct current in both directions.

Optocoupler

A device that uses light to transfer electrical signals between two isolated circuits.

Voltage Divider

A simple circuit that produces an output voltage that is a fraction of its input voltage.

Dynamic Resistance

The resistance of a diode as it operates above its threshold or barrier potential.

Holding Current

The minimum current required to keep a thyristor or SCR in the 'on' state.