In Parts 1, 2, and 3 we took a closer look at calculating “ac” gain and how to desensitize the circuit to temperature and transistor parameter variations. In part 4 we consider the effects of a ...

A snubber circuit limits voltage spikes in power converters. Snubbers are also used in the output of Class-D audio amplifiers for the same reasons (Fig. 1). When the transistor you use to switch the ...

Sometimes I wish FETs had become practical before bipolar transistors. A FET is a lot more like a tube and amplifies voltages. Bipolar transistors amplify current and that makes them a bit harder to ...

Unijunction transistors (UJTs) were common circuit elements several decades ago. A simple ramp generator could be built from a single UJT and a few other components (Fig. 1). 1. In a simple UJT-based ...

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A hacker can reproduce a circuit on a chip by discovering what key transistors are doing in a circuit – but not if the transistor “type” is undetectable. Purdue University ...

In previous parts of this series we reviewed the basic transistor parameters that determine ac voltage gain and practical considerations limiting high gain. The role of a coupling capacitor was ...