Part 1 of this FAQ reviewed the standard PN semiconductor diode, and looked at some specialized variations called the tunnel, Zener/avalanche, and Schottky diodes. Part 2 briefly explores the varactor, Gunn, and PIN diodes. Q: What about the varactor diode? A: The varactor diode (Figure 1), also called a voltage variable capacitor (VVC) or varicap […]
Specialized diodes, Part 1: Tunnel, Zener/Avalanche, and Schottky diodes
There are diode varieties which do much more than just block current flow in one direction and allow it in the other; some of these special diodes have favorable attributes while others are essential in modern electronics. Every electronic engineer is familiar with the diode: it’s a basic, widely used, two-terminal semiconductor device. The diode’s […]
How it Works: Personal Defibrillator — Design and implementation
Part 1 of the FAQ began an exploration of the first Philips AED, a very innovative personal defibrillator which completely changed the way, place, operation, user role, and time-to-administer electric-shock resuscitation, as well as the popular thinking and expectations about it. Q: What other challenges did Philips face in delivering the desired BTE waveform? A: […]
How it Works — the Personal Defibrillator: Medical basics and principles
The personal defibrillator combines sophisticated electronics with precise, adaptive control of the high-energy pulses which can re-start the heart’s beating but do so without shocking the patient to death. You’ve seen those life-saving defibrillators in offices, malls, and even homes, quietly at the ready for immediate use. When the Philips Medical Systems division of Royal […]
Stress & Strain, Part 2: Implications for electronics
The mechanical strain induced on electronic components due to mechanical and thermal stress is an important aspect of their performance consistency and limitations; stress is also used to enable some materials to provide critical electronic functions. Part 1 of this FAQ looked at the basic principles and tests for material strain when stress is applied. […]
Flyback power converters, Part 2: Enhancements and ICs
Power supplies and converters tend to be simple in principle, yet their actual design – including overcoming the subtle issues which degrade and impede their performance – is the real challenge. In Part 1, we looked at the flyback design and some distinct advantages along with unique idiosyncrasies. This FAQ looks at some of these […]
Stress & Strain, Part 1: Fundamental principles
The mechanical strain induced on electronic components due to mechanical and thermal stress is an important aspect of their performance consistency and limitations; stress is also used to enable some materials provide critical electronic functions. Although electronic systems and circuits invoke intangibles such as voltages, currents, power, EM fields, and Maxwell’s equations — to cite […]
Barcodes and Scanners, Part 2: History and development
Part 1 of this FAQ looked at the basics of the standard barcode system and UPC arrangement for retailers. Part 2 looks at the history of the development and successful adoption of the barcode system. Q: What started the barcode development? A: Unlike many innovations, the idea of bar codes was not one where potential […]
Flyback power converters, Part 1: Basic principles
Among the many available topologies used for power-supply converters, the flyback design offers some distinct advantages along with unique idiosyncrasies. There’s a wide and diverse array of power-supply converter topologies among which to choose, each with tradeoffs in their various performance attributes and cost. The flyback design is a converter approach which has been used […]
Barcodes and Scanners, Part 1: How they work
Barcodes: you can’t escape them, and all along the supply chain from raw source to end-user purchase, we can’t function without them. They are pre-printed on neatly everything we buy or use, they can be added later as stick-on labels, or they can be printed on demand as needed for custom projects. Barcodes are now […]
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