electronics The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...

, an electronic switch is an

electronic component 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 no ...

or device that can

switch In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting the electric current or diverting it from one conductor to another. The most common type of ...

electrical circuit An electrical network is an interconnection of electrical components (e.g., batteries, resistors, inductors, capacitors, switches, transistors) or a model of such an interconnection, consisting of electrical elements (e.g., voltage source ...

, interrupting the current or diverting it from one conductor to another. Electronic switches are considered binary devices because they can be on or off. When an electronic switch is ''on'', the circuit is closed and when it is ''off'', the switch is open in the circuit. Typically, electronic switches use solid state devices such as

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 ...

, though

vacuum tubes 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 potential difference has been applied. The type known as a ...

can be used as well in

high voltage High voltage electricity refers to electrical potential large enough to cause injury or damage. In certain industries, ''high voltage'' refers to voltage above a certain threshold. Equipment and conductors that carry high voltage warrant sp ...

applications. Electronic switches also consist of complex configurations that are assisted by physical contact. Physical contact typically comes from pressing or flipping a switch mechanically, but other forms of contact, such as light sensors and magnetic field sensors, are used to operate switches.

Types

Depending on application, switches are manufactured in many types. Switches operated by a person are called ''hand switches''. Hand switches consist of many types such as toggle switches, pushbutton switches, selector switches, and joystick switches. Another form is a motion switch; these are typically called ''limit switches''. Limit switches are used to limit the motion of a machine. Limit switches are usually used for preventive safety measures so that a machine will cut off past a specified point. Two of the most common limit switches are ''lever actuator switches'' and ''proximity switches''. In industrial processes, process switches are used to monitor physical quantities. Switches such as ''speed'', ''pressure'', ''temperature'', ''liquid level'', ''liquid flow'', and ''nuclear level switches'' are used to monitor vital information so that a process stays in control and never exceeds safety regulations. The most widely used electronic switch in

digital circuits 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 usual ...

is the

metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor The metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET, MOS-FET, or MOS FET) is a type of field-effect transistor (FET), most commonly fabricated by the controlled oxidation of silicon. It has an insulated gate, the voltage of which d ...

(MOSFET).

Applications

Electronic switches are used in all kinds of common and industrial applications. Household applications consist of simple hand switches like toggle switches and push-button switches. Turning on lights, opening garage doors, and rolling down a car window all use simple switches. Industrial applications for electronic switches consist of more complex systems like conveyors, furnaces, welders, and water pumps. With complex systems, a variety of switches can be used to complete a task, but due to the advantages or disadvantages of certain switch types, the switch should be chosen based on graded efficiency and reliability metrics.

References

Electronic circuits {{electronics-stub

Types

Applications

See also

References