Abbreviations

This page lists some abbreviations in the field of electronics. It might be helpful to understand some of the context on my pages. Missing a certain abbreviaion? Write me!

A
	ADC		analog to digital converter An analog input signal (most often a voltage) is sampled and converted to a proportional digital number. The output can be serial or parallel, conversion rates range from a few samples/s to GSamples/s.
	AWG		american wire gauge A classification system for solid and stranded cables.
B
	BIOS		basic input output system The firmware of a computer or intelligent peripheral containing the primary hardware oriented program code for I/O.
	BJT		bipolar junction transistor The common transistor as presented 1947 by Schockley, Brattain and Bardeen.
	B(M)FET		bipolar mode field effect transistor A power transistor.
	B(M)SIT		bipolar mode static induction transistor Same as BMFET.
C
	CCD		charge coupled device IC technology used for image sensors and bucket chain delay lines.
	CCT		conductivity controlled transistor Same as BMFET.
	CMOS		complementary metal oxide semiconductor IC technology using both p-MOS and n-MOS transistors.
D
	DAC		digital to analog converter A digital input signal is converted to a proportional analog output signal (a current or a voltage). The input can be serial or parallel, conversion rates range from a few samples/s to GSamples/s.
E
	EEPROM		electrically eraseable programmable read only memory A memory type used to store small amounts (some kBytes) of data which should not be affected by power-off of the system (e.g. configuration information).
	EPROM		electrically programmable read only memory A memory type often used to store program code like firmware. The memory is programmed using an elevated programming voltage. UV-EPROMs can be erased by UV radiation through a quartz window.
F
	FET		field effect transistor
G
	GTO		gate turn off A special kind of a thyristor or SCR which can be turned off by a gate signal.
H
	HBT		heterojunction bipolar transistor A bipolar transitor consisting of different semiconductor compounds for base, emitter and collector to improve certain parameters, like speed, gain or breakdown voltage.
	HC		high-speed complementary metal oxide semiconductor IC technology using fast p-MOS and n-MOS transistors.
I
	IGBT		isolated gate bipolar transistor A power transistor consisting of a MOSFET driving a BJT.
J
	JBS		junction barrier schottky A power rectifier design, combining advantages of pin diodes under reverse and Schottky diodes under forward bias conditions.
	JFET		junction field effect transistor A special FET.
K
	high-K		high permittivity (K) material Characterising gate dielectrics with a permittivity above that of silicon dioxide SiO2 (K=3.9), needed for deep submicron technology.
	low-K		low permittivity (K) material Characterising inter-metal dielectrics with a permittivity below that of silicon dioxide SiO2 (K=3.9), needed for deep submicron technology.
L
	LS-TTL		low power schottky transistor transistor logic IC technology using npn bipolar transistors, Schottky diodes and resistors as basic components.
M
	MESFET		metal semiconductor field effect transistor A FET where the gate junction is formed by a Schottky contact.
	MISFET		metal isolator semiconductor field effect transistor A FET where the gate is separated from the channel by an isolator.
	MOSFET		metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor A MISFET where the isolator between gate and channel is formed by an oxide (most often silicon dioxide SiO2).
N
	NMOS		negative metal oxide semiconductor A MOSFET with an electron conducting channel formed by inversion of p-type doped material.
O
	OT-PROM		one time programmable read only memory EPROMs of the UV-eraseable kind but packaged in cheap opaque plastic.
P
	PMOS		positive metal oxide semiconductor A MOSFET with a hole conducting channel formed by inversion of n-type doped material.
	PROM		programmable read only memory The original programmable ROMs were made of fuses that could be blown by external signals to make a memory cell permanently 1 or 0.
Q
R
	RAM		random access memory A memory chip with free read and write access to each location.
	ROM		read only memory A memory chip with a fixed unchangeble contents like a program code, BIOS and so on. Except for the more flexible reprogrammable ones, the first generation of ROMs was "programmed" during fabrication by designing each cell to contain 1 or 0.
S
	SCR		silicon controlled rectifier Another name for a thyristor, a gate controlled semiconductor switch.
	SIT		static induction transistor In principle a junction field effect transistor.
T
	TTL		transistor transistor logic IC technology using npn bipolar transistors and resistors as basic components.
U
	UJT		uni junction transistor A transistor only consisting of one electrical junction.
V
	Vcc		voltage The positive supply voltage in bipolar integrated ciruits (TTL, LS-TTL, F). Internally the collectors of the transistors are connected to this voltage rail, thus the cc.
	Vdd		voltage The positive supply voltage in NMOS and CMOS integrated ciruits. Internally the drains of the transistors are connected to this voltage rail, thus the dd.
	Vee		voltage The negative supply voltage in bipolar integrated ciruits (TTL, LS-TTL, F). Internally the emitters of the transistors are connected to this voltage rail, thus the ee.
	Vgg		voltage The second positive supply voltage in NMOS integrated ciruits. Internally the gates of the pull-up transistors are connected to this voltage rail, thus the gg.
	Vss		voltage The negative supply voltage in NMOS and CMOS integrated ciruits. Internally the sources of the transistors are connected to this voltage rail, thus the ss.
W
X
	Xtal		crystal Abbreviation for any kind of crystal (quartz or ceramic) resonator or oscillator.
Y
Z

Responsible for these pages: U. Zimmermann