ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS Handout
ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS Handout
ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS Handout
Electronic components
An electronic component is any basic discrete device or physical entity in an electronic system
used to affect electrons or their associated fields. Electronic components are mostly industrial
products, available in a singular form and have two or more electrical terminals (or leads) aside
from antennas which may only have one terminal. These leads connect to create an electronic
circuit with a particular functional objective.
Electronic components can be classified as passive, active, or electro mechanic.
• Passive components can't introduce net energy into the circuit. Passive components
include two-terminal components such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, and
transformers.
• Active components Active components include amplifying components such
as transistors, triode vacuum tubes (valves), and tunnel diodes.
• Electromechanical components can carry out electrical operations by using moving parts
or by using electrical connections
Introduction
Basic components like capacitors, resistors, inductors, diodes, light emitting diode (led) and
transistors can be divided into 2 categories: (i) Passive components like resistors and capacitors
and (ii) Active components like diodes and transistors. The difference between the above two
categories is that active components can generate energy whereas passive components can not
generate energy. In other words active components can increase power of a signal whereas
Some components like resistors have their values marked on them whereas others like
transistors do not have any value marking but have a type number on them. One has to refer to
datasheets to get to know the value of the unmarked component. Besides component values, they
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are also characterized by their ratings for e.g. maximum current value that a component can
Passive components
Resistors:
Symbol of a Resistor
Resistors can be of two types: fixed value resistors or variable resistors. The formula for
Different value resistors can be manufactured by changing the length and area of crossection or
the material itself which changes the resistivity. Materials generally used for fabrication of
resistors are nichrome (80 % Ni and 20 % Cr), constatntan (55% cu and 45 % Ni ) and
Manmganin (85 % Cu and 10 % Mn and < 5 % Ni). Metals are not used as they have a very high
temperature coefficient of resistance. Three main methods of fabrication are (i) a slab or a rod of
suitable resistivity, (ii) Material using thinner crossection and longer length. The length is
doubled and then wound in such a way that inductance effects are cancelled out. (iii) Thin films
of material on insulating substrate. Each resistor has a current carrying capacity. Current more
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Black = 0 Gold = + - 5%
Brown = 1 Silver = + - 10 %
Red = 2 No colour means 20 %
Orange = 3
Yellow = 4
Green = 5
Blue = 6
Violet = 7
Grey = 8
White = 9
The first two bands near an end indicate first 2 digits, digit corresponding to 3rd band is the
power of 10 to be multiplied and fourth band indicates tolerance as mentioned in the table. Refer
fig 1, where brown = 1, black = 0, red = 2 and silver = 10 % tolerance. Hence its value is
10 x 10 2 Ω = 1 k Ω.
Most commonly used resistors in lab are fixed value resistors which exist for standard values
E12 Range: Table 1 is for the values of resistors of E12 range. Topmost row defines the basic
value units of resistors in ohms. Every following row is 10 fold of the upper row.
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Table 1: Table for E12 range values of resistors.
1.0 Ω 1.2 1.5 1.8 2.2 2.7 3.3 3.9 4.7 5.6 6.8 8.2 Ω
10 Ω 12 . . . . 68 82 Ω
10k 82k
100k 820k
Variable resistors Besides the fixed value resistors, there also exist variable resistors. The
Special purpose resistors Light dependent resistors (LDR) and thermistors are examples of
special purpose resistors. Thermistor is a resistor whose value depends on its temperature. It is
also called a heat sensor. LDR is a resistance whose resistance depends upon the amount of
Capacitors
Symbol of a Capacitor
Capacitors are capable of storing charges. They are used for coupling ac signals from one circuit
to another and for frequency selection etc. A capacitor consists of 2 metallic plates separated by
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a dielectric. The capacitance is defined as : C = Єo Єr A / d, where A is the area of plates, d is
parameter for capacitors is its voltage handling capacity beyond which the capacitor dielectric
breaks down.
The value of a capacitor depends upon the dielectric constant (K = Єo Єr.) of the material. There
are three main classes of capacitors: (i) Non electrolytic or normal capacitors and (ii) electrolytic
capacitors and (iii) variable capacitors. Normal capacitors are mostly of parallel plate type and
can have mica, paper, ceramic or polymer as dielectric. In the paper capacitors two rectangular
metal foils are interleaved between thin sheets of waxed paper and the whole system is rolled to
form a compact structure. Each metal foil is connected to an electrode. In mica capacitors
alternate layers of mica and metal are clamped tightly together. Refer fig 3.
axial electrode. That’s how it derives its name. During electrolysis the electrode acts as anode
whose cathode is a concentric can. Since the dielectric layer is very thin hence these require
special precaution for their use: i.e. they have to connected in the right polarity failing which the
dielectric breaks down. Besides these fixed value capacitors we also have variable capacitors
whose value depends upon the area of crossection. They have a fixed set of plates and a movable
set of plates which can be moved through a shaft. This movement changes the area of overlap of
the two sets of plates which changes its capacity. Refer fig 3.
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Colour and Number code of capacitors. Different marking schemes are used for electrolytic and
filter capacitor, but it is very important in ceramic trimmers for attenuator use. One never finds
(i) Electrolytic Capacitors: There are two designs of electrolytic capacitors: (i) Axial
where the leads are attached to each end (220µF in picture) and (ii) Radial where
both leads are at the same end (10µF in picture) Refer fig 4.
(iii) Non-polarised capacitors ( < 1µF): Small value capacitors have their values printed but
without a multiplier. For example 0.1 means 0.1µF = 100nF. Sometimes the unit is placed in
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between 2 digits indicating a decimal point. For example: 4n7 means 4.7nF.
Capacitor Number Code : A number code is often used on small capacitors where printing is
difficult: the 1st number is the 1st digit, the 2nd number is the 2nd digit, the 3rd number is the
power of ten to be multiplied., to give the capacitance in pF. Any letters just indicate tolerance
and voltage rating. For example: 102 means 10 X 10 2 pF = 1nF and 472J means 4700pF =
Available Values of Capacitors: Like resistors capacitors are also available for only
The E3 series (3 values for each multiple of ten) 10, 22, 47, then it continues 1to100, 220, 470,
The E6 series (6 values for each multiple of ten) 10, 15, 22, 33, 47, 68, ... then it continues 100,
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Inductors:
Symbol of a Inductor
Inductor is a component made by a coil of wire which is wound on a core. It is used to vary the
impedance of a circuit or for frequency tuning. The value of an inductor depends upon the total
number of turns (N), area of crossection of the core (A) and length of the core (l).The formula is
Inductors devices
Electrical components that use magnetism in the storage and release of electrical charge through
current:
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• Variable inductor
• Transformer
• Loudspeaker and microphone
Active components
Diode: A diode is a single junction device made of p and n type materials.. Its main function is to
rectify an ac signal although other special purpose diodes like zener and led’s are used for other
purposes. A normal diode comes in a black casing whereas a zener diode has a transparent
Other diodes may be made by a p type and n type materials or between a semiconductor and a
metal. If the junction is made between a metal and semiconductor then it is called a Schottky
diode whose application is in rectifying and non-rectifying contacts and Schottky devices. If the
pn junction is made between very heavily doped materials then it forms a Zener diode. These are
used for voltage regulation in power supplies. and have breakdown voltages which are very low.
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Some of the diode specifications are: Maximum reverse voltage (Vbr), rated forward current (If) ,
maximum forward voltage drop (Vf) and package style. Table 3 gives some of the most
Table 3
To test whether a given diode is O.K. or not, a simple multimter test can be performed which is
Led’s are pn junction devices which emit light radiation when biased in the forward direction.
The semiconductor material used for these junctions is a compound semiconductor like AlGaAs
where Eg is the band gap in ev and λ is the wavelength in microns. (e.g. red ~ 0.7 µ hence
corresponding E g = 1.24 / 0.7 = 1.77 ev). When the pn junction is forward biased, the electrons
are excited to conduction band and when they fall to the valence band, they give out energy in
the form of radiation corresponding to the Eg of the material Conventional led’s are made from
the materials like AlGaAs, GaAlP, GaAsP, GaP and GaN which emit Red, green, orange, yellow
and blue colours respectively. Led’s come in a special transparent casing as shown in fig 8..Dual
colour led’s are also available where two junctions are encapsulated on the same chip. It has
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three leads where cathode is common whereas normal leds’ have two leads one for cathode and
other for anode. A very important precaution while using an led is the amount of current being
passed through it. For most leds the maximum allowable current is 20 mA beyond which the led
can burn out. Hence in most of the circuits a resistor is used to limit the current. Some important
specifications before using an led are: LED colour, peak wavelength, viewing angle, optical
Transistors
Symbol of a Transistor
Transistors are semiconductor devices used for applications like amplification of voltages,
current and are also used in oscillator circuits and switches. It’s a two junction and 3 terminal
device made of three layers of n and p type materials. The three regions are emitter, base and
collector. They are of 2 types (i) pnp and (ii) npn. Their most important specifications are Ic,
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Vce, hfe and Power rating. They come in different casings like TO18, TO92C, and TO39 etc
Given below is a table of most commonly used transistors with their specifications (approximate)
and casings. Datasheets from the companies can be referred to to know the exact specifications.
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General purpose,
BC478 PNP TO18 150mA 40V 125 360mW BC178
low power
General purpose,
TIP32A PNP TO220 3A 60V 25 40W TIP32C
high power
General purpose,
TIP32C PNP TO220 3A 100V 10 40W TIP32A
high power
Fig 9 gives some of the transistors with the symbols. for npn and pnp. and fig 10 illustrates some
of the casings. with the configurations for emitter , base and collector leads
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Integrated Circuit (IC)
Today all electrical, electronic and computer parts have IC’s in them. Integrated circuit is a name
given to a package which can hold more than 10 and up to millions of electronic components.
They can give various functions like : (i) the function of a full microprocessor circuit (eg 8085),
(ii) a memory chip, (iii) a voltage regulator (LM 7805) or (iv) Can contain just 10 AND gates
(eg LS7400). They come in a black bench like casing with a notch on one side and with electrical
legs for connections, which are called pins. The size is usually around 1 cm2 X 1 cm2. Refer to
the picture. Its name is always written on top which contains a few letters with numerals,
according to its type, make and company. For example an IC with name LS 7400 would mean
LS series with And gates, LM741C - mA741C is an operational amplifier (opamp). Datasheets
can be referred to, to know the details of pin configurations and make etc. The pins are usually
read starting from left of notch and going anticlockwise as shown in picture for 555 timer IC.
rooms and very expensive equipments like photolithography, metallization and diffusion etc. But
due to their bulk manufacture and requirement, the cost of each IC is very low.
Electromechanical components
In engineering, electro mechanics combines electrical and mechanical processes and procedures
drawn from electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Electrical engineering in this
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context also encompasses electronics engineering and some devices are classified to include
Electronic symbol
A crystal oscillator is an electronic oscillator circuit that uses the mechanical resonance of a
vibrating crystal of piezoelectric material to create an electrical signal with a very
precise frequency. This frequency is commonly used to keep track of time (as in quartz
wristwatches), to provide a stable clock signal for digital integrated circuits, and to stabilize
frequencies for radio transmitters and receivers. The most common type of piezoelectric
resonator used is the quartz crystal, so oscillator circuits incorporating them became known as
crystal oscillators, but other piezoelectric materials including polycrystalline ceramics are used in
similar circuits.
The crystal oscillator circuit sustains oscillation by taking a voltage signal from the
quartz resonator, amplifying it, and feeding it back to the resonator. The rate of expansion and
contraction of the quartz is the resonant frequency, and is determined by the cut and size of the
crystal. When the energy of the generated output frequencies matches the losses in the circuit, an
oscillation can be sustained.
Terminals and connectors
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An electrical connector is an electro-mechanical device for joining electrical circuits as
an interface using a mechanical assembly. Connectors consist of plugs (male-ended) and jacks
(female-ended). The connection may be temporary, as for portable equipment, require a tool for
assembly and removal, or serve as a permanent electrical joint between two wires or devices An
adapter can be used to effectively bring together dissimilar connectors.
There are hundreds of types of electrical connectors. Connectors may join two lengths of
flexible copper wire or cable, or connect a wire or cable to an electrical terminal.
Electrical connectors are characterised by their pinout and physical construction, size, contact
resistance, insulation between pins, ruggedness and resistance to vibration, resistance to entry of
water or other contaminants, resistance to pressure, reliability, lifetime (number of
connect/disconnect operations before failure), and ease of connecting and disconnecting.
They may be keyed to prevent insertion in the wrong orientation, connecting the wrong pins to
each other, and have locking mechanisms to ensure that they are fully inserted and cannot work
loose or fall out. Some connectors are designed such that certain pins make contact before others
when inserted, and break first on disconnection; this protects circuits typically in connectors that
apply power, e.g. connecting safety ground first.
It is usually desirable for a connector to be easy to identify visually, rapid to assemble, require
only simple tooling, and be inexpensive. In some cases an equipment manufacturer might choose
a connector specifically because it is not compatible with those from other sources, allowing
control of what may be connected. No single connector has all the ideal properties; the
proliferation of types is a reflection of differing requirements.
Examples of Keyed Connectors
XLR connector, showing the 4-pin Mini-DIN S- 4-pin Mini-DIN pinout: the
notch for alignment. Video cable: the notches are off-center rectangle and
the keying showing the surrounding notches are a
keying. key.
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Note:
The XLR connector is a style of electrical connector, primarily found on professional audio,
video, and stage lighting equipment. The connectors are circular in design and have between 3
and 7 pins.
Cable assemblies
A cable assembly, wiring assembly or wiring loom, is an assembly of cables or wires which
transmit signals or electrical power. The cables are bound together by straps, cable ties, cable
lacing, sleeves, electrical tape, conduit, a weave of extruded string, or a combination thereof.
Commonly used in automobiles, as well as construction machinery, cable harnesses provide
several advantages over loose wires and cables. For example, many aircraft, automobiles and
spacecraft contain many masses of wires which would stretch over several kilometres if fully
extended. By binding the many wires and cables into a cable harness, the wires and cables can be
better secured against the adverse effects of vibrations, abrasions, and moisture. By constricting
the wires into a non-flexing bundle, usage of space is optimized, and the risk of a short is
decreased.
Switches
A switch is an electrical component that can break an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or
diverting it from one conductor to another. The mechanism of a switch may be operated directly
by a human operator to control a circuit (for example, a light switch or a keyboard button), may
be operated by a moving object such as a door-operated switch, or may be operated by some
sensing element for pressure, temperature or flow. Switches are made to handle a wide range of
voltages and currents.
Electronics Expansion
specification and of Description Symbol
abbreviation abbreviation
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Symbol
In electronics and electrical engineering, a fuse is a type of low resistance resistor that acts as a
sacrificial device to provide over current protection, of either the load or source circuit. It’s
essential component is a metal wire or strip that melts when too much current flows through it,
interrupting the circuit that it connects. Short circuits, overloading, mismatched loads, or device
failure are the prime reasons for excessive current. Fuses are an alternative to circuit breakers.
A fuse interrupts excessive current ("blows") so that further possible damage by overheating or
fire is prevented. Wiring regulations often define a maximum fuse current rating for particular
circuits. Over current protection devices are essential in electrical systems to limit threats to
human life and property damage. The time and current operating characteristics of fuses are
chosen to provide adequate protection without needless interruption. Slow blow fuses are
designed to allow harmless short term currents over their rating while still interrupting a
sustained overload.
Enclosure
An enclosure is a cabinet for electronic equipment to mount switches, knobs and displays and to
prevent electrical shock to equipment users and protect the contents from the environment.
Electronic packaging may place many demands on an enclosure for heat dissipation, radio
frequency interference and electrostatic discharge protection, as well as functional, esthetic and
commercial constraints.
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Heat sink
In electronic systems, a heat sink is a passive heat exchanger that cools a device by dissipating
heat into the surrounding medium. Heat sinks are used with high-power semiconductor devices
such as power transistors and optoelectronics such as lasers and light emitting diodes (LEDs),
where the heat dissipation ability of the basic device is insufficient to regulate its temperature. A
heat sink is designed to maximize its surface area in contact with the cooling medium
surrounding it, such as the air. Air velocity, choice of material, protrusion design and surface
treatment are factors that affect the performance of a heat sink. Heat sink attachment methods
and thermal interface materials also affect the temperature of the integrated circuit. Thermal
adhesive or thermal grease improve the heat sink's performance by filling air gaps between the
heat sink and the heat spreader on the device.
The most common heat sink materials are aluminium alloys. Fin efficiency is one of the
parameters which make a higher thermal conductivity material important. A fin of a heat sink
may be considered to be a flat plate with heat flowing in one end and being dissipated into the
surrounding medium as it travels to the other
A printed circuit board (PCB) mechanically supports and electrically connects electronic
components using conductive tracks, pads and other features etched from copper
sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate. PCBs can be single sided (one copper
layer), double sided (two copper layers) or multi-layer (outer and inner layers). Multi-layer PCBs
allow for much higher component density. Conductors on different layers are connected with
plated-through holes called vias. Advanced PCBs may contain components - capacitors, resistors
or active devices - embedded in the substrate.
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Relays
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Displays
A display device is an output device for presentation of information in visual. When the input
information is supplied as an electrical signal, the display is called an electronic display. Some
displays can show only digits or alphanumeric characters. They are called segment displays,
because they are composed of several segments that switch on and off to give appearance of
desired glyph. The segments are usually singleLEDs or liquid crystals. They are mostly used
in digital watches and pocket calculators.
Fasteners
A fastener is a hardware device that mechanically joins or affixes two or more objects together.
Other alternative methods of joining materials include crimping, welding, soldering, brazing,
taping, gluing, cementing, or the use of other adhesives.
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Electronic components
• Passive components
• Active components
• Electromechanical components
Passive components
Resistors
Fixed Resistors
Variable resistors
Special purpose resistors
Capacitors
Fixed capacitor
Variable capacitor
Inductors
Active components
Diode
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