Electronic devices are built on a foundation of essential components, each performing specific roles that contribute to the overall functionality. This explores these core component, how they are made, and who produces them.

Passive Components • Resistors, capacitors, and inductors. • Filters: High-pass and low-pass. Active Components • Transistors: MOSFETs, BJTs, IGBTs. • Diodes: Rectifiers, Zener, LEDs. Displays • OLED vs LCD vs e-ink. • Touchscreens: Capacitive vs resistive.

Actuators • Motors (DC, stepper, brushless), servos, and linear actuators. • Pneumatics: Using compressed air for movement.

Power - Batteries, Generation, and Regulation

Passive Components - Resistors, Capacitors, etc

the basics

Basic Electronics

3. Active Components

Active components control the flow of electricity and amplify or switch electronic signals. Their operation is based on the behavior of charge carriers (electrons and holes) in semiconductor materials.

3.1 Transistors

• How They Work:
  • Transistors are semiconductor devices that control current flow by manipulating charge carriers. In an NPN BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistor), a small current at the base allows a larger current to flow between the collector and emitter.
  • MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors): Use an electric field to control current flow through a channel. The gate voltage regulates the number of charge carriers in the channel, enabling switching and amplification.
  • IGBTs (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors): Combine the high current capability of BJTs with the fast switching of MOSFETs, making them ideal for high-power applications.
• Uses:
  • MOSFETs: Power electronics, CPUs, GPUs, LED drivers.
  • BJTs: Low-power amplification, analog circuits.
  • IGBTs: Motor drives, inverters, power grid systems.
• Major Manufacturers: Intel, Infineon, ON Semiconductor, STMicroelectronics.
• [Video Placeholder: How Transistors Work at the Atomic Level]

3.2 Diodes