electronic component various 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 are not to be confused with electrical elements which are conceptual abstractions representing idealized electronic components electronic components have a number of electrical terminals or leads these leads connect to create an electronic circuit with a particular function for example an amplifier radio receiver or oscillator basic electronic components may be packaged discretely as arrays or networks of like components or integrated inside of packages such as semiconductor integrated circuits hybrid integrated circuits or thick film devices the following list of electronic components focuses on the discrete version of these components treating such packages as components in their owner right classifications components can be classified as passive active or electromechanic the strict physics definition treats passive components as ones that cannot supply energy themselves whereas a battery would be seen as an active component since it truly acts as a source of energy however electronic engineers who perform circuit analysis use a more restrictive definition of passivity when only concerned with the energy of signals it is convenient to ignore the socalled dc circuit and pretend that the power supplying components such as transistors or integrated circuits is absent as if each such component had its own battery built in though it may in reality be supplied by the dc circuit then the analysis only concerns the ac circuit an abstraction that ignores dc voltages and currents and the power associated with them present in the reallife circuit this fiction for instance lets us view an oscillator as producing energy even though in reality the oscillator consumes even more energy from a dc power supply which we have chosen to ignore under that restriction we define the terms as used in circuit analysis as active components rely on a source of energy usually from the dc circuit which we have chosen to ignore and usually can inject power into a circuit though this is not part of the definition active components include amplifying components such as transistors triode vacuum tubes valves and tunnel diodes passive components cant introduce net energy into the circuit they also cant rely on a source of power except for what is available from the ac circuit they are connected to as a consequence they cant amplify increase the power of a signal although they may increase a voltage or current such as is done by a transformer or resonant circuit passive components include twoterminal components such as resistors capacitors inductors and transformers electromechanical components can carry out electrical operations by using moving parts or by using electrical connections most passive components with more than two terminals can be described in terms of twoport parameters that satisfy the principle of reciprocitythough there are rare exceptions in contrast active components with more than two terminals generally lack that property active components semiconductors diodes conduct electricity easily in one direction among more specific behaviors diode rectifier bridge rectifier schottky diode hot carrier diode super fast diode with lower forward voltage drop zener diode passes current in reverse direction to provide a constant voltage reference transient voltage suppression diode tvs unipolar or bipolar used to absorb highvoltage spikes varactor tuning diode varicap variable capacitance diode a diode whose ac capacitance varies according to the dc voltage applied various examples of lightemitting diodes lightemitting diode led a diode that emits light photodiode passes current in proportion to incident light avalanche photodiode photodiode with internal gain solar cell photovoltaic cell pv array or panel produces power from light diac diode for alternating current trigger diode sidac often used to trigger an scr constantcurrent diode peltier cooler a semiconductor heat pump tunnel diode very fast diode based on quantum mechanical tunneling transistors transistors were considered the invention of the twentieth century that changed electronic circuits forever a transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and electrical power transistors bipolar junction transistor bjt or simply transistor npn or pnp photo transistor amplified photodetector darlington transistor npn or pnp photo darlington amplified photodetector sziklai pair compound transistor complementary darlington fieldeffect transistor fet jfet junction fieldeffect transistor nchannel or pchannel mosfet metal oxide semiconductor fet nchannel or pchannel mesfet metal semiconductor fet hemt high electron mobility transistor thyristors siliconcontrolled rectifier scr passes current only after triggered by a sufficient control voltage on its gate triac triode for alternating current bidirectional scr unijunction transistor ujt programmable unijunction transistor put sit static induction transistor sith static induction thyristor composite transistors igbt insulatedgate bipolar transistor integrated circuits digital electronics analog hall effect sensor senses a magnetic field current sensor senses a current through it optoelectronic devices optoelectronics optoisolator optocoupler photocoupler photodiode bjt jfet scr triac zerocrossing triac open collector ic cmos ic solid state relay ssr opto switch opto interrupter optical switch optical interrupter photo switch photo interrupter led display sevensegment display sixteensegment display dotmatrix display display technologies current filament lamp indicator lamp vacuum fluorescent display vfd preformed characters 7 segment starburst cathode ray tube crt dot matrix scan radial scan eg radar arbitrary scan eg oscilloscope monochrome colour lcd preformed characters dot matrix passive tft monochrome colour neon individual 7 segment display led individual 7 segment display starburst display dot matrix flap indicator numeric preprinted messages plasma display dot matrix obsolete incandescent filament 7 segment display aka numitron nixie tube dekatron aka glow transfer tube magic eye tube indicator penetron a 2 colour seethrough crt vacuum tubes valves a vacuum tube is based on current conduction through a vacuum see vacuum tube diode or rectifier tube amplification triode tetrode pentode hexode pentagrid octode travelingwave tube klystron oscillation magnetron reflex klystron obsolete carcinotron optical detectors or emitters phototube or photodiode tube equivalent of semiconductor photodiode photomultiplier tube phototube with internal gain cathode ray tube crt or television picture tube obsolete vacuum fluorescent display vfd modern nonraster sort of small crt display magic eye tube small crt display used as a tuning meter obsolete xray tube generates xrays discharge devices gas discharge tube ignitron thyratron obsolete mercury arc rectifier voltage regulator tube nixie tube power sources sources of electrical power battery acid or alkalibased power supply fuel cell an electrochemical generator power supply usually a main hookup photo voltaic device generates electricity from light thermo electric generator generates electricity from temperature gradients electrical generator an electromechanical power source piezoelectric generator generates electricity from mechanical strain van de graaff generator generates electricity from friction passive components components incapable of controlling current by means of another electrical signal are called passive devices resistors capacitors inductors and transformers are all considered passive devices resistors smd resistors on a backside of a pcb pass current in proportion to voltage ohms law and oppose current resistor fixed value power resistor larger to safely dissipate heat generated sip or dip resistor network array of resistors in one package variable resistor rheostat twoterminal variable resistor often for high power potentiometer threeterminal variable resistor variable voltage divider trim pot small potentiometer usually for internal adjustments thermistor thermally sensitive resistor whose prime function is to exhibit a large predictable and precise change in electrical resistance when subjected to a corresponding change in body temperature humistor humidityvaried resistor photoresistor memristor varistor voltage dependent resistor mov passes current when excessive voltage is present resistance wire nichrome wire wire of highresistance material often used as a heating element heater heating element capacitors some different capacitors for electronic equipment capacitors store and release electrical charge they are used for filtering power supply lines tuning resonant circuits and for blocking dc voltages while passing ac signals among numerous other uses capacitor integrated capacitors mis capacitor trench capacitor fixed capacitors ceramic capacitor film capacitor electrolytic capacitor aluminum electrolytic capacitor tantalum electrolytic capacitor niobium electrolytic capacitor polymer capacitor oscon supercapacitor electric doublelayer capacitor nanoionic supercapacitor lithiumion capacitor mica capacitor vacuum capacitor variable capacitor adjustable capacitance tuning capacitor variable capacitor for tuning a radio oscillator or tuned circuit trim capacitor small variable capacitor for seldom or rare adjustments of lccircuits vacuum variable capacitor capacitors for special applications power capacitor safety capacitor filter capacitor lightemitting capacitor motor capacitor photoflash capacitor reservoir capacitor capacitor network array varicap diode ac capacitance varies according to the dc voltage applied magnetic inductive devices electrical components that use magnetism in the storage and release of electrical charge through current inductor coil choke variable inductor saturable inductor transformer magnetic amplifier toroid ferrite impedances beads motor generator solenoid loudspeaker and microphone memristor electrical components that pass charge in proportion to magnetism or magnetic flux and have the ability to retain a previous resistive state hence the name of memory plus resistor memristor networks components that use more than one type of passive component rc network forms an rc circuit used in snubbers lc network forms an lc circuit used in tunable transformers and rfi filters transducers sensors detectors transducers generate physical effects when driven by an electrical signal or vice versa sensors detectors are transducers that react to environmental conditions by changing their electrical properties or generating an electrical signal the transducers listed here are single electronic components as opposed to complete assemblies and are passive see semiconductors and tubes for active ones only the most common ones are listed here audio loudspeaker electromagnetic or piezoelectric device to generate full audio buzzer electromagnetic or piezoelectric sounder to generate tones position motion linear variable differential transformer lvdt magnetic detects linear position rotary encoder shaft encoder optical magnetic resistive or switches detects absolute or relative angle or rotational speed inclinometer capacitive detects angle with respect to gravity motion sensor vibration sensor flow meter detects flow in liquid or gas force torque strain gauge piezoelectric or resistive detects squeezing stretching twisting accelerometer piezoelectric detects acceleration gravity thermal thermocouple thermopile wires that generate a voltage proportional to delta temperature thermistor resistor whose resistance changes with temperature up ptc or down ntc resistance temperature detector rtd wire whose resistance changes with temperature bolometer device for measuring the power of incident electromagnetic radiation thermal cutoff switch that is opened or closed when a set temperature is exceeded magnetic field see also hall effect in semiconductors magnetometer gauss meter humidity hygrometer electromagnetic light photo resistor light dependent resistor ldr antennas antennas transmit or receive radio waves elemental dipole yagi phased array loop antenna parabolic dish logperiodic dipole array biconical feedhorn assemblies modules multiple electronic components assembled in a device that is in itself used as a component oscillator display devices liquid crystal display lcd digital voltmeters filter prototyping aids wirewrap breadboard electromechanical a quartz crystal left and a crystal oscillator piezoelectric devices crystals resonators passive components that use piezoelectric effect components that use the effect to generate or filter high frequencies crystal a ceramic crystal used to generate precise frequencies see the modules class below for complete oscillators ceramic resonator is a ceramic crystal used to generate semiprecise frequencies ceramic filter is a ceramic crystal used to filter a band of frequencies such as in radio receivers surface acoustic wave saw filters components that use the effect as mechanical transducers ultrasonic motor electric motor that uses the piezoelectric effects for piezo buzzers and microphones see the transducer class below terminals and connectors devices to make electrical connection terminal connector socket screw terminal terminal blocks pin header cable assemblies electrical cables with connectors or terminals at their ends power cord patch cord test lead 2 different miniature pushbutton switches switches components that can pass current closed or break the current open switch manually operated switch electrical description spst spdt dpst dpdt npnt general technology slide switches toggle switches rocker switches rotary switches pushbutton switches keypad array of pushbutton switches dip switch small array of switches for internal configuration settings footswitch footoperated switch knife switch switch with unenclosed conductors micro switch mechanically activated switch with snap action limit switch mechanically activated switch to sense limit of motion mercury switch switch sensing tilt centrifugal switch switch sensing centrifugal force due to rate of rotation relay or contactor electromechanically operated switch see also solid state relay above reed switch magnetically activated switch thermostat thermally activated switch humidistat humidity activated switch circuit breaker switch opened in response to excessive current a resettable fuse protection devices passive components that protect circuits from excessive currents or voltages fuse overcurrent protection one time use circuit breaker resettable fuse in the form of a mechanical switch resettable fuse or polyswitch circuit breaker action using solid state device groundfault protection or residualcurrent device circuit breaker sensitive to mains currents passing to ground metal oxide varistor mov surge absorber tvs overvoltage protection inrush current limiter protection against initial inrush current gas discharge tube protection against high voltage surges spark gap electrodes with a gap to arc over at a high voltage lightning arrester spark gap used to protect against lightning strikes mechanical accessories enclosure electrical heat sink fan other printed circuit boards lamp waveguide memristor obsolete carbon amplifier see carbon microphones used as amplifiers carbon arc negative resistance device dynamo historic rf generator coherer standard symbols electronic symbol on a circuit diagram electronic devices are represented by conventional symbols reference designators are applied to the symbols to identify the components electronics portal circuit design circuit diagram eseries of preferred numbers lumped element model counterfeit electronic components electrical element electronic mixer electronic components datasheets ieee 3151975 solidstate electronics history of electronic engineering wikimedia commons has media related to electronic components vteelectronic componentssemiconductor devices avalanche diode transistor tetrode transistor pentode transistor memistor memristor bipolar junction transistor bjt finfet cmos mosfet jfet fieldeffect transistor fet quantum circuit constantcurrent diode cld crd darlington transistor diac diode heterostructure barrier varactor insulatedgate bipolar transistor igbt integrated circuit ic lightemitting diode led photodetector photodiode solaristor pin diode programmable unijunction transistor put schottky diode silicon controlled rectifier scr thyristor triac unijunction transistor ujt varicap zener diode voltage regulators linear regulator lowdropout regulator switching regulator buck boost buckboost splitpi uk sepic charge pump switched capacitor vacuum tubes acorn tube audion beam tetrode barretter compactron diode fleming valve nonode nuvistor pentagrid hexode heptode octode pentode photomultiplier phototube tetrode triode vacuum tubes rf backwardwave oscillator bwo cavity magnetron crossedfield amplifier cfa gyrotron inductive output tube iot klystron maser sutton tube travelingwave tube twt cathode ray tubes beam deflection tube charactron iconoscope magic eye tube monoscope selectron tube storage tube trochotron video camera tube williams tube gasfilled tubes cold cathode crossatron dekatron ignitron krytron mercuryarc valve neon lamp nixie tube thyratron trigatron voltageregulator tube adjustable potentiometer digital variable capacitor varicap passive connector audio and video electrical power rf electrolytic detector ferrite fuse resettable resistor switch thermistor transformer varistor wire wollaston wire reactive capacitor types ceramic resonator crystal oscillator inductor parametron relay reed relay mercury switch authority control gnd 40143600 ndl 00561429 