An electronic component is any basic discrete device or physical entity in an electronic system used to affect

electrons The electron ( or ) is a subatomic particle with a negative one elementary electric charge. Electrons belong to the first generation of the lepton particle family, and are generally thought to be elementary particles because they have no ...

or their associated

field Field may refer to: Expanses of open ground * Field (agriculture), an area of land used for agricultural purposes * Airfield, an aerodrome that lacks the infrastructure of an airport * Battlefield * Lawn, an area of mowed grass * Meadow, a grass ...

s. Electronic components are mostly industrial products, available in a singular form and are not to be confused with

electrical element Electrical elements are conceptual abstractions representing idealized electrical components, such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors, used in the analysis of electrical networks. All electrical networks can be analyzed as multiple electric ...

s, which are conceptual abstractions representing idealized electronic components and elements. Electronic components have a number of electrical terminals or

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cut, l ...

s. These leads connect to other electrical components, often over wire, to create an

electronic circuit An electronic circuit is composed of individual electronic components, such as resistors, transistors, capacitors, inductors and diodes, connected by conductive wires or traces through which electric current can flow. It is a type of electric ...

with a particular function (for example an

amplifier An amplifier, electronic amplifier or (informally) amp is an electronic device that can increase the magnitude of a signal (a time-varying voltage or current). It may increase the power significantly, or its main effect may be to boost th ...

, radio receiver, or

oscillator Oscillation is the repetitive or periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. Familiar examples of oscillation include a swinging pendulum ...

). Basic electronic components may be packaged discretely, as arrays or networks of like components, or integrated inside of packages such as

semiconductor A semiconductor is a material which has an electrical conductivity value falling between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass. Its resistivity falls as its temperature rises; metals behave in the opposite way. ...

integrated circuit An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit (also referred to as an IC, a chip, or a microchip) is a set of electronic circuits on one small flat piece (or "chip") of semiconductor material, usually silicon. Large numbers of tiny ...

s, 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 own right.

Classification

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 engineer Electronics engineering is a sub-discipline of electrical engineering which emerged in the early 20th century and is distinguished by the additional use of active component, active components such as semiconductor devices to amplify and control e ...

s who perform

circuit analysis A network, in the context of electrical engineering and electronics, is a collection of interconnected components. Network analysis is the process of finding the voltages across, and the currents through, all network components. There are many t ...

use a more restrictive definition of passivity. When only concerned with the energy of

signal In signal processing, a signal is a function that conveys information about a phenomenon. Any quantity that can vary over space or time can be used as a signal to share messages between observers. The '' IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing' ...

s, it is convenient to ignore the so-called DC circuit and pretend that the power supplying components such as

transistor upright=1.4, gate (G), body (B), source (S) and drain (D) terminals. The gate is separated from the body by an insulating layer (pink). A transistor is a semiconductor device used to Electronic amplifier, amplify or electronic switch, switch ...

s or

s 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 real-life 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

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

s, triode

vacuum tube A vacuum tube, electron tube, valve (British usage), or tube (North America), is a device that controls electric current flow in a high vacuum between electrodes to which an electric voltage, potential difference has been applied. The type kn ...

s (valves), and tunnel diodes. * Passive components cannot introduce net energy into the circuit. They also cannot rely on a source of power, except for what is available from the (AC) circuit they are connected to. As a consequence, they cannot 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 two-terminal 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 two-port parameters that satisfy the principle of reciprocity—though there are rare exceptions. In contrast, active components (with more than two terminals) generally lack that property.

Active components

Semiconductors

Transistors

Transistor upright=1.4, gate (G), body (B), source (S) and drain (D) terminals. The gate is separated from the body by an insulating layer (pink). A transistor is a semiconductor device used to Electronic amplifier, amplify or electronic switch, switch ...

s 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. *

Field-effect transistor The field-effect transistor (FET) is a type of transistor that uses an electric field to control the flow of current in a semiconductor. FETs ( JFETs or MOSFETs) are devices with three terminals: ''source'', ''gate'', and ''drain''. FETs co ...

s (FET) ** MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor FET) – by far the most widely manufactured electronic component (also known as MOS transistor) *** PMOS ( p-type MOS) *** NMOS ( n-type MOS) ***

CMOS Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS, pronounced "sea-moss", ) is a type of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) fabrication process that uses complementary and symmetrical pairs of p-type and n-type MOS ...

(complementary MOS) ***

Power MOSFET A power MOSFET is a specific type of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) designed to handle significant power levels. Compared to the other power semiconductor devices, such as an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IG ...

****

LDMOS LDMOS (laterally-diffused metal-oxide semiconductor) is a planar double-diffused MOSFET (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor) used in amplifiers, including microwave power amplifiers, RF power amplifiers and audio power amplifie ...

(lateral diffused MOSFET) *** MuGFET (multi-gate field-effect transistor) ****

FinFET A fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) is a multigate device, a MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) built on a substrate where the gate is placed on two, three, or four sides of the channel or wrapped around the channel, ...

(fin field-effect transistor) ***TFT (

thin-film transistor A thin-film transistor (TFT) is a special type of field-effect transistor (FET) where the transistor is thin relative to the plane of the device. TFTs are grown on a supporting (but non-conducting) substrate. A common substrate is glass, beca ...

) ** FeFET (ferroelectric field-effect transistor) ** CNTFET (carbon nanotube field-effect transistor) **

JFET The junction-gate field-effect transistor (JFET) is one of the simplest types of field-effect transistor. JFETs are three-terminal semiconductor devices that can be used as electronically controlled switches or resistors, or to build amplifiers. ...

(junction field-effect transistor) – N-channel or P-channel ***SIT (

static induction transistor The static induction transistor (SIT) is a type of field-effect transistor (FET) capable of high-speed and high-power operation, with low distortion and low noise. It is a vertical structure device with short multichannel. The device was original ...

) **

MESFET A MESFET (metal–semiconductor field-effect transistor) is a field-effect transistor semiconductor device similar to a JFET with a Schottky (metal–semiconductor) junction instead of a p–n junction for a gate. Construction MESFETs are constr ...

(metal semiconductor FET) **HEMT (

high-electron-mobility transistor A high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT), also known as heterostructure FET (HFET) or modulation-doped FET (MODFET), is a field-effect transistor incorporating a junction between two materials with different band gaps (i.e. a heterojunction) ...

) *Composite transistors **

BiCMOS Bipolar CMOS (BiCMOS) is a semiconductor technology that integrates two semiconductor technologies, those of the bipolar junction transistor and the CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) logic gate, into a single integrated circuit. In ...

(bipolar CMOS) **IGBT ( Insulated-gate bipolar transistor) *Other

transistors upright=1.4, gate (G), body (B), source (S) and drain (D) terminals. The gate is separated from the body by an insulating layer (pink). A transistor is a semiconductor device used to Electronic amplifier, amplify or electronic switch, switch e ...

** 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 In electronics, the Sziklai pair, also known as a complementary feedback pair, is a configuration of two bipolar transistors, similar to a Darlington pair. In contrast to the Darlington arrangement, the Sziklai pair has one NPN and one PNP trans ...

(compound transistor, complementary Darlington) *

Thyristor A thyristor () is a solid-state semiconductor device with four layers of alternating P- and N-type materials used for high-power applications. It acts exclusively as a bistable switch (or a latch), conducting when the gate receives a current ...

s ** Silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) – passes current only after triggered by a sufficient control voltage on its gate **

TRIAC A TRIAC (triode for alternating current; also bidirectional triode thyristor or bilateral triode thyristor) is a three terminal electronic component that conducts current in either direction when triggered. The term TRIAC is a genericised trad ...

(TRIode for Alternating Current) – bidirectional SCR ** Unijunction transistor (UJT) **Programmable Unijunction transistor (PUT) **SITh ( static induction thyristor)

Diodes

Conduct electricity easily in one direction, among more specific behaviors. *

Diode A diode is a two-terminal electronic component that conducts current primarily in one direction (asymmetric conductance); it has low (ideally zero) resistance in one direction, and high (ideally infinite) resistance in the other. A diod ...

, rectifier, diode bridge * Schottky diode (hot carrier diode) – super fast diode with lower forward voltage drop * Zener diode – allows current to flow "backwards" when a specific set voltage is reached. *

Transient voltage suppression diode A transient-voltage-suppression (TVS) diode, also transil or thyrector, is an electronic component used to protect electronics from voltage spikes induced on connected wires. Description The device operates by shunting excess current when the ...

(TVS), unipolar or bipolar – used to absorb high-voltage spikes * Varicap, tuning diode, varactor, variable capacitance diode – a diode whose AC capacitance varies according to the DC voltage applied. Verschiedene LEDs

Laser diode The laser diode chip removed and placed on the eye of a needle for scale A laser diode (LD, also injection laser diode or ILD, or diode laser) is a semiconductor device similar to a light-emitting diode in which a diode pumped directly with e ...

Light-emitting diode A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (c ...

(LED) – a diode that emits light *

Photodiode A photodiode is a light-sensitive semiconductor diode. It produces current when it absorbs photons. The package of a photodiode allows light (or infrared or ultraviolet radiation, or X-rays) to reach the sensitive part of the device. The packag ...

– 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 * Constant-current diode *

Step recovery diode In electronics, a step recovery diode (SRD, snap-off diode or charge-storage diode or memory varactor) is a semiconductor junction diode with the ability to generate extremely short pulses. It has a variety of uses in microwave (MHz to GHz rang ...

* Tunnel diode - very fast diode based on quantum mechanical tunneling

Integrated circuits

Integrated Circuits can serve a variety of purposes, including acting as a timer, performing digital to analog conversion, performing amplification, or being used for logical operations. *

Integrated circuit An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit (also referred to as an IC, a chip, or a microchip) is a set of electronic circuits on one small flat piece (or "chip") of semiconductor material, usually silicon. Large numbers of tiny ...

(IC) ** MOS integrated circuit (MOS IC) ** Hybrid integrated circuit (hybrid IC) ** Mixed-signal integrated circuit **

Three-dimensional integrated circuit A three-dimensional integrated circuit (3D IC) is a MOS (metal-oxide semiconductor) integrated circuit (IC) manufactured by stacking as many as 16 or more ICs and interconnecting them vertically using, for instance, through-silicon vias (TSVs) or ...

(3D IC) *

Digital electronics Digital electronics is a field of electronics involving the study of digital signals and the engineering of devices that use or produce them. This is in contrast to analog electronics and analog signals. Digital electronic circuits are usuall ...

** Logic gate **

Microcontroller A microcontroller (MCU for ''microcontroller unit'', often also MC, UC, or μC) is a small computer on a single VLSI integrated circuit (IC) chip. A microcontroller contains one or more CPUs (processor cores) along with memory and programmab ...

Analog circuit Analogue electronics ( en-US, analog electronics) are electronic systems with a continuously variable signal, in contrast to digital electronics where signals usually take only two levels. The term "analogue" describes the proportional relat ...

** Hall-effect sensor – senses a magnetic field ** Current sensor – senses a current through it

Programmable devices

Programmable logic device A programmable logic device (PLD) is an electronic component used to build reconfigurable digital circuits. Unlike digital logic constructed using discrete logic gates with fixed functions, a PLD has an undefined function at the time of manu ...

** Field-programmable gate array (FPGA) ** Complex programmable logic device (CPLD) * Field-programmable analog array (FPAA)

Optoelectronic devices

* Opto-electronics ** Opto-isolator, opto-coupler, photo-coupler – photodiode, BJT, JFET, SCR, TRIAC, zero-crossing TRIAC, open collector IC, CMOS IC, solid state relay (SSR) ** Slotted optical switch, opto switch, optical switch **

LED display A LED display is a flat panel display that uses an array of light-emitting diodes as pixels for a video display. Their brightness allows them to be used outdoors where they are visible in the sun for store signs and billboards. In recent ...

–

seven-segment display A seven-segment display is a form of electronic display device for displaying decimal numerals that is an alternative to the more complex dot matrix displays. Seven-segment displays are widely used in digital clocks, electronic meters, basi ...

, sixteen-segment display, dot-matrix display

Display technologies

Current: * Filament lamp (indicator lamp) *

Vacuum fluorescent display A vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) is a display device once commonly used on consumer electronics equipment such as video cassette recorders, car radios, and microwave ovens. A VFD operates on the principle of cathodoluminescence, roughly ...

(VFD) (preformed characters, 7 segment, starburst) *

Cathode ray tube A cathode-ray tube (CRT) is a vacuum tube containing one or more electron guns, which emit electron beams that are manipulated to display images on a phosphorescent screen. The images may represent electrical waveforms ( oscilloscope), pic ...

(CRT) (

dot matrix A dot matrix is a 2-dimensional patterned array, used to represent characters, symbols and images. Most types of modern technology use dot matrices for display of information, including mobile phones, televisions, and printers. The system is al ...

scan, radial scan (e.g.

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, ...

), arbitrary scan (e.g.

oscilloscope An oscilloscope (informally a scope) is a type of electronic test instrument that graphically displays varying electrical voltages as a two-dimensional plot of one or more signals as a function of time. The main purposes are to display repetiti ...

)) ( monochrome &

colour Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are assoc ...

) *

LCD A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers. Liquid crystals do not emit light directly but i ...

(preformed characters, dot matrix) (passive, TFT) (monochrome, colour) * Neon (individual, 7 segment display) *

LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light ...

(individual, 7 segment display, starburst display, dot matrix) * Split-flap display (numeric, preprinted messages) * Plasma display (dot matrix) *

OLED An organic light-emitting diode (OLED or organic LED), also known as organic electroluminescent (organic EL) diode, is a light-emitting diode (LED) in which the emissive electroluminescent layer is a film of organic compound that emits light ...

(similar to an LCD, but each pixel generates its own light, can be made flexible or transparent) * Micro-LED (similar to OLED, but uses inorganic

s instead of organic ones, does not suffer from screen burn-in, however it cannot be made flexible or transparent) Obsolete: * Incandescent filament 7 segment display (aka ' Numitron') *

Nixie tube A Nixie tube ( ), or cold cathode display, is an electronic device used for displaying numerals or other information using glow discharge. The glass tube contains a wire-mesh anode and multiple cathodes, shaped like numerals or other symb ...

* Dekatron (aka glow transfer tube) * Magic eye tube indicator * Penetron (a 2 colour see-through CRT)

Vacuum tubes (valves)

A vacuum tube is based on current conduction through a vacuum (see

Vacuum tube A vacuum tube, electron tube, valve (British usage), or tube (North America), is a device that controls electric current flow in a high vacuum between electrodes to which an electric voltage, potential difference has been applied. The type kn ...

). *

or rectifier tube * Amplification ** Triode ** Tetrode **

Pentode A pentode is an electronic device having five electrodes. The term most commonly applies to a three-grid amplifying vacuum tube or thermionic valve that was invented by Gilles Holst and Bernhard D.H. Tellegen in 1926. The pentode (called a ''tripl ...

** Hexode ** Pentagrid (Heptode) ** Octode **

Traveling-wave tube A traveling-wave tube (TWT, pronounced "twit") or traveling-wave tube amplifier (TWTA, pronounced "tweeta") is a specialized vacuum tube that is used in electronics to amplify radio frequency (RF) signals in the microwave range. The TWT belongs t ...

Klystron A klystron is a specialized linear-beam vacuum tube, invented in 1937 by American electrical engineers Russell and Sigurd Varian,Pond, Norman H. "The Tube Guys". Russ Cochran, 2008 p.31-40 which is used as an amplifier for high radio frequenc ...

* Oscillation **

Magnetron The cavity magnetron is a high-power vacuum tube used in early radar systems and currently in microwave ovens and linear particle accelerators. It generates microwaves using the interaction of a stream of electrons with a magnetic field whil ...

** Reflex Klystron (obsolete) **

Carcinotron A backward wave oscillator (BWO), also called carcinotron or backward wave tube, is a vacuum tube that is used to generate microwaves up to the terahertz range. Belonging to the traveling-wave tube family, it is an oscillator with a wide elect ...

Optical detectors or emitters * Phototube or photodiode – tube equivalent of semiconductor

photodiode A photodiode is a light-sensitive semiconductor diode. It produces current when it absorbs photons. The package of a photodiode allows light (or infrared or ultraviolet radiation, or X-rays) to reach the sensitive part of the device. The packag ...

* Photomultiplier tube – phototube with internal gain *

(CRT) or television picture tube (obsolete) *

(VFD) – modern non-raster sort of small CRT display * Magic eye tube – small CRT display used as a tuning meter (obsolete) *

X-ray tube An X-ray tube is a vacuum tube that converts electrical input power into X-rays. The availability of this controllable source of X-rays created the field of radiography, the imaging of partly opaque objects with penetrating radiation. In contrast ...

– generates x-rays

Discharge devices

Gas discharge tube A gas-filled tube, also commonly known as a discharge tube or formerly as a Plücker tube, is an arrangement of electrodes in a gas within an insulating, temperature-resistant envelope. Gas-filled tubes exploit phenomena related to electric d ...

* Ignitron * Thyratron Obsolete: *

Mercury arc rectifier Mercury commonly refers to: * Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun * Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg * Mercury (mythology), a Roman god Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to: Companies * Merc ...

* Voltage regulator tube *

Power sources

Sources of electrical power: * Battery – acid- or alkali-based power supply. *

Fuel cell A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts the chemical energy of a fuel (often hydrogen) and an oxidizing agent (often oxygen) into electricity through a pair of redox reactions. Fuel cells are different from most batteries in re ...

– an electrochemical generator *

Power supply A power supply is an electrical device that supplies electric power to an electrical load. The main purpose of a power supply is to convert electric current from a source to the correct voltage, current, and frequency to power the load. As ...

– usually a main hook-up * Photovoltaic device – generates electricity from light *

Thermoelectric generator A thermoelectric generator (TEG), also called a Seebeck generator, is a solid state device that converts heat flux ( temperature differences) directly into electrical energy through a phenomenon called the ''Seebeck effect'' (a form of thermoel ...

– generates electricity from temperature gradients * Electrical generator – an electromechanical power source * Piezoelectric generator - generates electricity from mechanical strain *

Van de Graaff generator A Van de Graaff generator is an electrostatic generator which uses a moving belt to accumulate electric charge on a hollow metal globe on the top of an insulated column, creating very high electric potentials. It produces very high voltage dir ...

- 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

Pass current in proportion to voltage ( Ohm's 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 A potentiometer is a three-terminal resistor with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. If only two terminals are used, one end and the wiper, it acts as a variable resistor or rheostat. The measuring instrum ...

– two-terminal variable resistor (often for high power) **

Potentiometer A potentiometer is a three-terminal resistor with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. If only two terminals are used, one end and the wiper, it acts as a variable resistor or rheostat. The measuring instrume ...

– three-terminal variable resistor (variable voltage divider) ** Trim pot – small potentiometer, usually for internal adjustments **

Thermistor A thermistor is a type of resistor whose resistance is strongly dependent on temperature, more so than in standard resistors. The word thermistor is a portmanteau of ''thermal'' and ''resistor''. Thermistors are divided based on their conduction ...

– 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.What is a Thermistor
U.S. Sensor Corp. ** Humistor – humidity-varied resistor **

Photoresistor A photoresistor (also known as a photocell, or light-dependent resistor, LDR, or photo-conductive cell) is a passive component that decreases resistance with respect to receiving luminosity (light) on the component's sensitive surface. The resi ...

Memristor A memristor (; a portmanteau of ''memory resistor'') is a non-linear two-terminal electrical component relating electric charge and magnetic flux linkage. It was described and named in 1971 by Leon Chua, completing a theoretical quartet of ...

** Varistor, Voltage-dependent resistor, MOV – Passes current when excessive voltage is present * Resistance wire,

Nichrome Nichrome (also known as NiCr, nickel-chromium or chromium-nickel) is a family of alloys of nickel, chromium, and often iron (and possibly other elements) commonly used as resistance wire, heating elements in devices like toasters, electrical ke ...

wire – wire of high-resistance material, often used as a heating element *

Heater Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the use of various technologies to control the temperature, humidity, and purity of the air in an enclosed space. Its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HV ...

–

heating element A heating element converts electrical energy into heat through the process of Joule heating. Electric current through the element encounters resistance, resulting in heating of the element. Unlike the Peltier effect, this process is independ ...

Capacitors

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 A capacitor is a device that stores electrical energy in an electric field by virtue of accumulating electric charges on two close surfaces insulated from each other. It is a passive electronic component with two terminals. The effect of a c ...

** Integrated capacitors *** MIS capacitor *** Trench capacitor ** Fixed capacitors *** Ceramic capacitor *** Film capacitor ***

Electrolytic capacitor An electrolytic capacitor is a polarized capacitor whose anode or positive plate is made of a metal that forms an insulating oxide layer through anodization. This oxide layer acts as the dielectric of the capacitor. A solid, liquid, or gel e ...

**** Aluminum electrolytic capacitor **** Tantalum electrolytic capacitor **** Niobium electrolytic capacitor ( Columbium capacitor) **** Polymer capacitor, OS-CON ***

Supercapacitor A supercapacitor (SC), also called an ultracapacitor, is a high-capacity capacitor, with a capacitance value much higher than other capacitors but with lower voltage limits. It bridges the gap between electrolytic capacitors and Rechargeable ba ...

(Electric double-layer capacitor) **** Nanoionic supercapacitor ****

Lithium-ion capacitor A lithium-ion capacitor (LIC) is a hybrid type of capacitor classified as a type of supercapacitor. It is called a hybrid because the anode is the same as those used in lithium-ion batteries and the cathode is the same as those used in supercapa ...

*** Mica capacitor *** Vacuum capacitor **

Variable capacitor A variable capacitor is a capacitor whose capacitance may be intentionally and repeatedly changed mechanically or electronically. Variable capacitors are often used in L/C circuits to set the resonance frequency, e.g. to tune a radio (therefo ...

– adjustable capacitance *** Tuning capacitor – variable capacitor for tuning a radio, oscillator, or tuned circuit *** Trimmer capacitor – small variable capacitor for seldom or rare adjustments of LC-circuits ***

Vacuum variable capacitor A vacuum variable capacitor is a variable capacitor which uses a high vacuum as the dielectric instead of air or other insulating material. This allows for a higher voltage rating than an air dielectric using a smaller total volume. However, m ...

** Capacitors for special applications *** Power capacitor ***

Safety capacitor Film capacitors, plastic film capacitors, film dielectric capacitors, or polymer film capacitors, generically called film caps as well as power film capacitors, are electrical capacitors with an insulating plastic film as the dielectric, sometime ...

***

Filter capacitor Capacitors have many uses in electronic and electrical systems. They are so ubiquitous that it is rare that an electrical product does not include at least one for some purpose. Energy storage A capacitor can store electric energy when it is ...

*** Light-emitting capacitor (LEC) *** Motor capacitor *** Photoflash capacitor ***

Reservoir capacitor A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current (AC), which periodically reverses direction, to direct current (DC), which flows in only one direction. The reverse operation (converting DC to AC) is performed by an inver ...

/ Bulk capacitor *** Coupling capacitor ***

Decoupling capacitor A decoupling capacitor is a capacitor used to decouple one part of an electrical network (circuit) from another. Noise caused by other circuit elements is shunted through the capacitor, reducing its effect on the rest of the circuit. For hig ...

/ Buffer capacitor *** Bypass capacitor *** Pull capacitor / Padding capacitor *** Backup capacitor ***

Switched capacitor A switched capacitor (SC) is an electronic circuit that implements a function by moving charges into and out of capacitors when electronic switches are opened and closed. Usually, non-overlapping clock signals are used to control the switches, so ...

*** Feedthrough capacitor ** Capacitor network (array) *

Varicap In electronics, a varicap diode, varactor diode, variable capacitance diode, variable reactance diode or tuning diode is a type of diode designed to exploit the voltage-dependent capacitance of a reverse-biased p–n junction. Applications Va ...

diode – AC capacitance varies according to the DC voltage applied

Integrated passive devices

Integrated passive devices are passive devices integrated within one distinct package. They take up less space than equivalent combinations of discrete components.

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 In mathematics, a toroid is a surface of revolution with a hole in the middle. The axis of revolution passes through the hole and so does not intersect the surface. For example, when a rectangle is rotated around an axis parallel to one of its ...

) * ferrite impedances, beads *

Motor An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ge ...

/ Generator *

Solenoid upright=1.20, An illustration of a solenoid upright=1.20, Magnetic field created by a seven-loop solenoid (cross-sectional view) described using field lines A solenoid () is a type of electromagnet formed by a helix, helical coil of wire whose ...

Loudspeaker A loudspeaker (commonly referred to as a speaker or speaker driver) is an electroacoustic transducer that converts an electrical audio signal into a corresponding sound. A ''speaker system'', also often simply referred to as a "speaker" or "l ...

and

microphone A microphone, colloquially called a mic or mike (), is a transducer that converts sound into an electrical signal. Microphones are used in many applications such as telephones, hearing aids, public address systems for concert halls and pub ...

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. *

Networks

Components that use more than one type of passive component: * RC network – forms an

RC circuit A resistor–capacitor circuit (RC circuit), or RC filter or RC network, is an electric circuit composed of resistors and capacitors. It may be driven by a voltage or current source and these will produce different responses. A first order RC ci ...

, used in snubbers * LC Network – forms an LC circuit, used in tunable transformers and RFI filters.

Transducers, sensors, detectors

Transducer A transducer is a device that converts energy from one form to another. Usually a transducer converts a signal in one form of energy to a signal in another. Transducers are often employed at the boundaries of automation, measurement, and cont ...

s generate physical effects when driven by an electrical signal, or vice versa. #

Sensor A sensor is a device that produces an output signal for the purpose of sensing a physical phenomenon. In the broadest definition, a sensor is a device, module, machine, or subsystem that detects events or changes in its environment and sends ...

s (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 **

– Electromagnetic or

piezoelectric Piezoelectricity (, ) is the electric charge that accumulates in certain solid materials—such as crystals, certain ceramics, and biological matter such as bone, DNA, and various proteins—in response to applied mechanical stress. The word ''p ...

device to generate full audio **

Buzzer A buzzer or beeper is an audio signaling device, which may be mechanical, electromechanical, or piezoelectric (''piezo'' for short). Typical uses of buzzers and beepers include alarm devices, timers, train and confirmation of user input such as a ...

– Electromagnetic or piezoelectric sounder to generate tones * Position, motion ** Linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) – Magnetic – detects linear position **

Rotary encoder A rotary encoder, also called a shaft encoder, is an electro-mechanical device that converts the angular position or motion of a shaft or axle to analog or digital output signals. There are two main types of rotary encoder: absolute and increm ...

, 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 A motion detector is an electrical device that utilizes a sensor to detect nearby motion. Such a device is often integrated as a component of a system that automatically performs a task or alerts a user of motion in an area. They form a vital c ...

, Vibration sensor ** Flow meter – detects flow in liquid or gas * Force, torque **

Strain gauge A strain gauge (also spelled strain gage) is a device used to measure strain on an object. Invented by Edward E. Simmons and Arthur C. Ruge in 1938, the most common type of strain gauge consists of an insulating flexible backing which support ...

– Piezoelectric or resistive – detects squeezing, stretching, twisting **

Accelerometer An accelerometer is a tool that measures proper acceleration. Proper acceleration is the acceleration (the rate of change of velocity) of a body in its own instantaneous rest frame; this is different from coordinate acceleration, which is acce ...

– Piezoelectric – detects acceleration, gravity * Thermal **

Thermocouple A thermocouple, also known as a "thermoelectrical thermometer", is an electrical device consisting of two dissimilar electrical conductors forming an electrical junction. A thermocouple produces a temperature-dependent voltage as a result of the ...

thermopile A thermopile is an electronic device that converts thermal energy into electrical energy. It is composed of several thermocouples connected usually in series or, less commonly, in parallel. Such a device works on the principle of the thermoele ...

– Wires that generate a voltage proportional to delta temperature **

– Resistor whose resistance changes with temperature, up PTC or down NTC **

Resistance Temperature Detector Resistance thermometers, also called resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), are sensors used to measure temperature. Many RTD elements consist of a length of fine wire wrapped around a heat-resistant ceramic or glass core but other constructio ...

(RTD) – Wire whose resistance changes with temperature **

Bolometer A bolometer is a device for measuring radiant heat by means of a material having a temperature-dependent electrical resistance. It was invented in 1878 by the American astronomer Samuel Pierpont Langley. Principle of operation A bolometer ...

– Device for measuring the power of incident

electromagnetic radiation In physics, electromagnetic radiation (EMR) consists of waves of the electromagnetic (EM) field, which propagate through space and carry momentum and electromagnetic radiant energy. It includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared, (visible) l ...

Thermal cutoff A thermal cutoff is an electrical safety device (either a thermal fuse or thermal switch) that interrupts electric current when heated to a specific temperature. These devices may be for one-time use (a thermal fuse), or may be reset manually or ...

– Switch that is opened or closed when a set temperature is exceeded * Magnetic field (see also Hall Effect in semiconductors) **

Magnetometer A magnetometer is a device that measures magnetic field or magnetic dipole moment. Different types of magnetometers measure the direction, strength, or relative change of a magnetic field at a particular location. A compass is one such device, on ...

, Gauss meter * Humidity **

Hygrometer A hair tension dial hygrometer with a nonlinear scale. A hygrometer is an instrument used to measure the amount of water vapor in air, in soil, or in confined spaces. Humidity measurement instruments usually rely on measurements of some other qu ...

* Electromagnetic, light ** Photo resistor – Light dependent resistor (LDR)

Antennas

Antennas transmit or receive radio waves * Elemental dipole * Yagi *

Phased array In antenna theory, a phased array usually means an electronically scanned array, a computer-controlled array of antennas which creates a beam of radio waves that can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving t ...

Loop antenna A loop antenna is a radio antenna consisting of a loop or coil of wire, tubing, or other electrical conductor, that is usually fed by a balanced source or feeding a balanced load. Within this physical description there are two (possibly three) di ...

* Parabolic dish * Log-periodic dipole array * Biconical * Feedhorn

Assemblies, modules

Multiple electronic components assembled in a device that is in itself used as a component *

Oscillator Oscillation is the repetitive or periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. Familiar examples of oscillation include a swinging pendulum ...

* Display devices **

Liquid crystal display A liquid-crystal display (LCD) is a flat-panel display or other electronically modulated optical device that uses the light-modulating properties of liquid crystals combined with polarizers. Liquid crystals do not emit light directly but i ...

(LCD) ** Digital voltmeters *

Filter Filter, filtering or filters may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Filter (higher-order function), in functional programming * Filter (software), a computer program to process a data stream * Filter (video), a software component that ...

Prototyping aids

Wire-wrap Wire wrap is an electronic component assembly technique that was invented to wire telephone crossbar switches, and later adapted to construct electronic circuit boards. Electronic components mounted on an insulating board are interconnected b ...

Breadboard A breadboard, solderless breadboard, or protoboard is a construction base used to build semi-permanent prototypes of electronic circuits. Unlike a perfboard or stripboard, breadboards do not require soldering or destruction of tracks and are h ...

Electromechanical

Piezoelectric devices, crystals, resonators

Passive components that use

effect: * Components that use the effect to generate or filter high frequencies **

Crystal A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macr ...

– a ceramic crystal used to generate precise frequencies (See the Modules class below for complete oscillators) **

Ceramic resonator A Ceramic Resonator is an electronic component consisting of a piece of a piezoelectric ceramic material with two or more metal electrodes attached. When connected in an electronic oscillator circuit, resonant mechanical vibrations in the device g ...

– Is a ceramic crystal used to generate semi-precise frequencies ** Ceramic filter – Is a ceramic crystal used to filter a band of frequencies such as in radio receivers **

surface acoustic wave A surface acoustic wave (SAW) is an acoustic wave traveling along the surface of a material exhibiting elasticity, with an amplitude that typically decays exponentially with depth into the material, such that they are confined to a depth of about ...

(SAW) filters * Components that use the effect as mechanical

transducer A transducer is a device that converts energy from one form to another. Usually a transducer converts a signal in one form of energy to a signal in another. Transducers are often employed at the boundaries of automation, measurement, and cont ...

s. ** Ultrasonic motor – Electric motor that uses the

effects ** For piezo buzzers and microphones, see the Transducer class below

Microelectromechanical systems

Microelectromechanical systems Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), also written as micro-electro-mechanical systems (or microelectronic and microelectromechanical systems) and the related micromechatronics and microsystems constitute the technology of microscopic devices, ...

Digital micromirror device The digital micromirror device, or DMD, is the microoptoelectromechanical system (MOEMS) that is the core of the trademarked DLP projection technology from Texas Instruments (TI). Texas Instrument's DMD was created by solid-state physicist an ...

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 A patch cable, patch cord or patch lead is an electrical or optical cable used to connect ("patch in") one electronic or optical device to another for signal routing. Devices of different types (e.g., a switch connected to a computer, or a sw ...

* Test lead Micro switch

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 – Foot-operated switch *

Knife switch A knife switch is a type of switch used to control the flow of electricity in a circuit. It is composed of a hinge which allows a metal lever, or knife, to be lifted from or inserted into a slot or jaw. The hinge and jaw are both fixed to an ...

– Switch with unenclosed conductors *

Micro switch A miniature snap-action switch, also trademarked and frequently known as a micro switch, is an electric switch that is actuated by very little physical force, through the use of a tipping-point mechanism, sometimes called an "over-center" mechan ...

– Mechanically activated switch with snap action * Limit switch – Mechanically activated switch to sense limit of motion *

Mercury switch A mercury switch is an electrical switch that opens and closes a circuit when a small amount of the liquid metal mercury connects metal electrodes to close the circuit. There are several different basic designs (tilt, displacement, radial, etc ...

– Switch sensing tilt * Centrifugal switch – Switch sensing centrifugal force due to rate of rotation * Relay or

contactor :''In semiconductor testing, contactors can also be referred to as the specialized socket that connects the device under test.'' :''In process industries, a contactor is a vessel where two streams interact, for example, air and liquid. See Gas-l ...

– Electro-mechanically operated switch (see also solid state relay above) * Reed switch – Magnetically activated switch *

Thermostat A thermostat is a regulating device component which senses the temperature of a physical system and performs actions so that the system's temperature is maintained near a desired setpoint. Thermostats are used in any device or system th ...

– Thermally activated switch * Humidistat – Humidity activated switch *

Circuit breaker A circuit breaker is an electrical safety device designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by an overcurrent or short circuit. Its basic function is to interrupt current flow to protect equipment and to prevent the risk ...

– Switch opened in response to excessive current: a resettable fuse * Disconnector – Switch used in high- and medium-voltage applications for maintenance of other devices or isolation of circuits *

Transfer switch A transfer switch is an electrical switch that switches a load between two sources. Some transfer switches are manual, in that an operator effects the transfer by throwing a switch, while others are automatic and trigger when they sense one of t ...

– Switch that toggles a load between two sources

Protection devices

Passive components that protect circuits from excessive currents or voltages: * Fuse – over-current protection, one time use *

– resettable fuse in the form of a mechanical switch *

Resettable fuse A resettable fuse or polymeric positive temperature coefficient device (PPTC) is a passive electronic component used to protect against overcurrent faults in electronic circuits. The device is also known as a multifuse or polyfuse or polyswitch ...

or PolySwitch – circuit breaker action using solid state device * Ground-fault protection or

residual-current device A residual-current device (RCD), residual-current circuit breaker (RCCB) or ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is an electrical safety device that quickly breaks an electrical circuit with leakage current to ground. It is to protect equi ...

– circuit breaker sensitive to mains currents passing to ground * Metal oxide varistor (MOV), surge absorber,

TVS TVS may refer to: Mathematics * Topological vector space Television * Television Sydney, TV channel in Sydney, Australia * Television South, ITV franchise holder in the South of England between 1982 and 1992 * TVS Television Network, US distr ...

– Over-voltage protection * Inrush current limiter – protection against initial Inrush current *

– protection against high voltage surges *

Spark gap A spark gap consists of an arrangement of two conducting electrodes separated by a gap usually filled with a gas such as air, designed to allow an electric spark to pass between the conductors. When the potential difference between the conductor ...

– electrodes with a gap to arc over at a high voltage *

Lightning arrester A lightning arrester (alternative spelling lightning arrestor) (also called lightning isolator) is a device, essentially an air gap between an electric wire and ground, used on electric power transmission and telecommunication systems to protect ...

– spark gap used to protect against lightning strikes * Recloser – automatic switch that opens on an overcurrent (fault) condition, then closes to check if the fault is cleared, and repeats this process a specified number of times before maintaining the open position until it is manually closed *

Arc-fault circuit interrupter An arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) or arc-fault detection device (AFDD) is a circuit breaker that breaks the circuit when it detects the electric arcs that are a signature of loose connections in home wiring. Loose connections, which can de ...

– circuit breaker that protects against arcs * Network protector – protective device that disconnects a distribution transformer when energy flow reverses direction * Magnetic starter – electromechanical switch used in motors

Mechanical accessories

* Enclosure (electrical) * Heat sink * Fan

Other

Printed circuit board A printed circuit board (PCB; also printed wiring board or PWB) is a medium used in electrical and electronic engineering to connect electronic components to one another in a controlled manner. It takes the form of a laminated sandwich stru ...

s * Lamp *

Waveguide A waveguide is a structure that guides waves, such as electromagnetic waves or sound, with minimal loss of energy by restricting the transmission of energy to one direction. Without the physical constraint of a waveguide, wave intensities d ...

Obsolete

* Carbon amplifier (see Carbon microphones used as amplifiers) * Carbon arc (negative resistance device) * Dynamo (historic rf generator) *

Coherer The coherer was a primitive form of radio signal detector used in the first radio receivers during the wireless telegraphy era at the beginning of the 20th century. Its use in radio was based on the 1890 findings of French physicist Édouard B ...

Standard symbols

On a

circuit diagram A circuit diagram (wiring diagram, electrical diagram, elementary diagram, electronic schematic) is a graphical representation of an electrical circuit. A pictorial circuit diagram uses simple images of components, while a schematic diagram ...

, electronic devices are represented by conventional symbols. Reference designators are applied to the symbols to identify the components.

References

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