Electronics
The concept electronics is used for electronic components, integrated circuits, and electrical systems. Main areas of usage are modern information technology and telecommunications, tools for recording and playing sound and picture, sensors and steering systems, instrumentation and measurement devices. Electronics, information technology and communication technology have undergone immense growth during the past 30 years. Our new technology-based lives are run by the development of miniaturized electrical circuits (microchips) and broadband phone and internet through optical fibers or across wireless channels.
When the field of electronics was invented in 1883, electrical devices had already been around for at least 100 years. For example:
The first electric batteries were invented by a fellow named Alessandro Volta in 1800. Volta’s contribution is so important that the common volt is named for him. (There is some archeological evidence that the ancient Parthian Empire may have invented the electric battery in the second century BC, but if so we don’t know what they used their batteries for, and their invention was forgotten for 2,000 years.)
The electric telegraph was invented in the 1830s and popularized in America by Samuel Morse, who invented the famous Morse code used to encode the alphabet and numerals into a series of short and long clicks that could be transmitted via telegraph. In 1866, a telegraph cable was laid across the Atlantic Ocean allowing instantaneous communication between the United States and Europe.
All of these devices and many other common devices still in use today, such as light bulbs, vacuum cleaners, and toasters, are known as electrical devices. Electrical devices take the energy of electric current and transform it in simple ways into some other form of energy — most likely light, heat, or motion. The heating elements in a toaster turn electrical energy into heat so you can burn your toast. And the motor in your vacuum cleaner turns electrical energy into motion that drives a pump that sucks the burnt toast crumbs out of your carpet.
In contrast, electronic devices do much more. Instead of just converting electrical energy into heat, light, or motion, electronic devices are designed to manipulate the electrical current itself to coax it into doing interesting and useful things.
One of the most common things that electronic devices do is manipulate electric current in a way that adds meaningful information to the current. For example, audio electronic devices add sound information to an electric current so that you can listen to music or talk on a cell phone. And video devices add images to an electric current so you can watch great movies until you know every line by heart.
Electronics and the science of electricity both deal with electric current. But each focuses on a different use of current. Electricity deals with current mainly as a form of energy that can operate lights, motors, and other equipment. Electronics treats electric current chiefly as a means of carrying information. Currents that carry information are called signals.
A steady, unchanging electric current can carry energy. But the current must vary in some way to serve as a signal. Some electron devices change a current’s behaviour to produce or modify signals. Others interpret the signals. The signals may represent sounds, pictures, numbers, letters, or computer instructions. Signals also can be used to count objects, measure time or temperature, or detect chemicals or radioactive materials.
The signals in electronic circuits may be classified as either digital or analog. A digital signal is like an ordinary electric switch-it is either on or off. An analog signal can have any value within a certain range.
Analog signals are widely used to represent sounds and pictures because light levels and the frequencies of sound waves can have any value within a given range. Analog signals can be converted into digital signals, and digital signals into analog. For example, compact disc players convert digital sound signals on discs to analog signals for playback through loudspeakers.
The fast and reliable control of both digital and analog signals by electronic equipment is made possible by the unique properties of such semi-conductor materials as silicon and germanium.
Electronics depends on certain highly specialised electron devices. A television set, computer, or other piece of complex electronic equipment may contain anywhere from hundreds to millions of these devices. The best-known and most important electronic device is the transistor.
Transistors still operate millions of stereos, radios, and television sets. But engineers can now put more than a hundred thousand transistors on a single chip of silicon that is smaller than a fingernail. Such a chip forms an integrated circuit. Chips of this type can be wired together on circuit boards to produce electronic equipment that is smaller and less expensive—but far more powerful—than ever before.
Electronic devices are commonly used in a large number of applications that formerly relied on mechanical or electric systems for their operation. Examples are electronic controls in automatic cameras, electronic ignition systems in cars, and electronic control in domestic equipment, such as washing machines.
Functions of Electronic Devices:
Electronic devices perform three main functions: (1) amplification, (2) switching, and (3) oscillation, all as part of circuits. A circuit consists of a series of connected electron devices and other parts. By combining the three functions in various ways, engineers design electronic equipment that performs many other special functions, such as the high-speed operations of computers.
Role of Electronics:
Electronics has an all-important role in a country’s development process today. Electronics plays a catalytic role in enhancing production and productivity in key sectors of the economy, whether it relates to infrastructure, process industries, communication, or even manpower training. High-tech areas today depend heavily on electronics.
Electronics is conventionally classified into consumer, industrial, defence, communications and information processing sectors. In recent times, medical electronics, and systems for transportation and power utilities have become important segments on their own.
Consumer electronics is the oldest sector of the field which began with the development of radio receivers after the invention of the triode. International competitiveness in this field requires constant innovation.
This field has expanded remarkably in the last few years with the development of items like compact disc (CD) players, digital audiotape, microwave ovens, washing machines, and satellite television reception systems. All these items, however, make use of advanced technologies and techniques of manufacturing such as semiconductor lasers and microwave devices.
Industrial electronics is oriented towards manufacturing products required by modem industry-process control equipment, numerically controlled machinery and robots, and equipment for testing and mea¬surement. Laboratories too require instruments of precision. This field has great potential for growth and development.
Advanced infrastructure in material sciences and sophisticated electronics are both relevant for the defence field where cost is generally not a limiting factor. Equipment must be hardy enough to withstand environmental pressures besides being precise and sensitive as well.
Defence-electronics is strategic of course; it also has valuable spin-offs to offer industry. Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL), a defence funded organisation, has contributed much to the development of the transistor and television in India.
Communications electronics is a rapidly growing field with much scope for innovation and industrial application. Communications equip¬ment have benefited immensely from the development of efficient semiconductor lasers, optical fibre technology, digital techniques, and powerful microprocessors.
Information technology, again, is clearly dependent on electronics. The integrated circuit is the base of computers which are, in turn, used for designing better very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits, particularly microprocessors and memories. Better computers again help to improve communication systems, while fast and efficient communications lead to distributed computer networks giving one access to specialised data in a distant computer from one’s workplace itself.
In the medical field, electronics has made possible the ECG (Electrocardiogram) recorder as well as the NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) scanner besides other measurement equipment.
Modern electronics has revolutionized medical diagnosis by introducing new techniques like CT (computer tomography), MR (magnetic resonance), and ultrasound imaging devices. The industry applies electronics for controlling and supervising production processes and developing new technologies.
Centrally in this picture we also have sensors that can “feel” sound, light, pressure, temperature acceleration, etc., and actuators that can “act”, i.e. perform specific operation such as turning on a switch or transmit sound signals. This advancement in technology and electronics will continue with increasing speed in times to come.
Finally, computers have become common facilities in offices and at home. Through systematic miniaturization of electrical components and circuits, computers and other advanced electronics today are now available for ordinary users for moderate prices.
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