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Electronics Learning-Resources on the WWW

by Charles D. H. Williams

Introduction

The links on this page are to background information which students taking electronics courses (particularly PHY2028, PHY3128) may find helpful. The descriptors used in the tables are explained at the bottom of the page. Suggestions for new links, or reclassification of existing ones, are very welcome - send them to CDHW.

Circuit Analysis and Complex Variables

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
0TutorialSOSMComplex numbers and variables
1InformalJLComplex numbers in electronics
1FormalSWSComplex numbers for electronics and DSP applications
2FormalDMGAC circuit theory
2TutorialJHUHarmonic phasors and Fourier series with Java applets
2ReferenceCDHWLissajous Figures (pdf) and using them to find phase differences

Techniques and Good Practice

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
0TutorialJLCircuit diagrams - how to interpret them
1Reference4QDComponent values and colour codes
1TutorialEPEBasic soldering and desoldering Guide
2InformalGAWKeeping a professional notebook
2TutorialCDHWTroubleshooting op-amp circuits in the laboratory
2FormalDMGLog-log plots and decibels
2InformalHHHow to draw schematic diagrams
2TutorialBCGNBode plots and approximations
2ReferenceCDHWGraph paper for Bode plots (pdf)
3TutorialHPSources of Measurement Errors in Digital Multimeters
4InformalBOBPWhat's all this breadboarding stuff, anyhow?

Oscilloscopes

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
0TutorialUSYDIntroduction to the oscilloscope
1TutorialTEKTektronix - XYZ's of oscilloscopes
2TutorialLCRYLeCroy - fundamentals of DSOs

Passive Components

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
0InformalJLResistors
0InformalJLInductors
1TutorialSATC How do resistors work?
1TutorialSATCHow do capacitors work?
2FormalDMGCapacitance
2FormalDMGInductance
3NotesTHInductance of a straight wire
3ReferenceENRIntroduction To Capacitors
3NotesBHMutual Inductance
4ReferenceRMConsiderations for a high performance capacitor
4TutorialBOBPNon-ideal capacitor behaviour

Diodes

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
0TutorialSATCHow do diodes work?
0TutorialJLDiodes
3TutorialCVNPhotodiode technology
3FormalDMGDiode circuits
4TutorialAVTThe Unusual Diode FAQ.

Transistors

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
0TutorialSATCHow do transistors work?
0TutorialJLField effect transistors
0TutorialJLBipolar transistors
2InformalGAWTransistors
2TutorialIFETApplication notes for JFETs
2TutorialMMDesign Guidelines for Bipolar Transistor Audio Preamplifier Circuits
2TutorialMMDesign Guidelines for JFET Audio Preamplifier Circuits
3FormalDMGTransistor circuits

Op-Amps

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
0TutorialJLOp-amps and feedback
2InformalGAWOp-amps
2-3TextbookTEXASOp Amps For Everyone
3FormalDMGOperational amplifiers - analysis of ideal and non-ideal models
3TutorialADCommon Mode and Instrumentation Amplifiers
4TutorialBRYWhy are there so many different types of operational amplifier?
4TutorialNSCThe Monolithic Operational Amplifier: A Tutorial Study [pdf]

Filters

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
0TutorialJLVirtual (Java) experiments on filters
2ReferenceAFLC filter design - interactive package for designing passive analogue filters
3FormalDMGFilter circuits
3TutorialTWUsing ferrites for interference suppression
3TutorialFDIFilter design guide, also in pdf
4FormalBBsbfa001.pdf (pdf) MFB low-pass filter design program
4FormalBBsbfa002.pdf (pdf) Filter design program for the UAF42 universal active filter

Digital Signal Processing

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
2NotesCDHWDigital signal processing (pdf)
2FormalSWSDSP Textbook (pdf).
2TutorialBSPBORES Signal Processing DSP course
3FormalNSCAn Introduction to the Sampling Theorem (pdf)

Applications and Circuits

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
3Tutorial4QDAudio signal (sinewave) generators
4TutorialBOBPLogarithmic amplifiers
4TutorialNSPhase-Locked Loops

Monostables and Astables

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
1NotesJA555 Tutorial and Information
2InformalGAW555 timer
3Tutorial4QDMultivibrator circuits using discrete components

Microcontrollers and PICs

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
2TutorialEPEPIC 16F87 Mini tutorial (pdf)

Spice

Learning and using Spice

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
2TutorialJVDSA brief overview of SPICE. A quick-start description for beginners .
2TutorialCDHWQuickstart Guide to Spice 3. A quick-start description for beginners .
2NotesGWNGetting started with SPICE tutorial (pdf).
2TutorialCDHWIntroductory Spice Examples.
3TutorialCDHWAdvanced Spice Examples.
3TutorialINTUSolving Convergence Problems (pdf).
3TutorialEDNStep-By-Step Procedures for Solving Spice Convergence Problems (pdf).
3TutorialCADSPICE Modeling Convergence Explored (pdf).
4ReferenceCDHWSPICE3 User's Manual (html version).
4ReferenceBERKThe SPICE home page at Berkeley.
4ReferenceDAJSpice 2G User's Guide. (Useful for converting old source.)

Links to sources of Spice-based simulation software

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
-ReferenceDAMPDuncan's Amps list with brief descriptions.
-ReferenceCDHWMacSpice. Free Spice for the Mac.
-ReferenceSFNGSpice. Open source Spice.
-ReferenceKASuperSpice. Cheap Xspice based for Windows.
-ReferenceKASwitcherCAD III. Free Spice-compatible simulator for Windows.
-ReferenceKAWinspice. Free Spice 3f4 for Windows.
-ReferenceOPUSSpice Opus. Free Xspice-based for Windows and Linux.
-ReferenceJSSpicepp Perl preprocessor for Berkeley Spice3f adds support for useful structures like .meas, .param, .lib, .globals, inline comments and equations.
-ReferenceAJBSpiceprm Perl preprocessor for Berkeley Spice 3f supports passing parameters to subcircuits
-ReferenceFSps2sp.pl Perl preprocessor converts PSpice netlists to Spice 3f.

List of lists of manufacturers' Spice models

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
-ReferenceDAMPDuncan's Amps
-ReferenceISFTIntutsoft
-ReferenceHUTHelsinki University of Technology
-ReferencePHPaul Hill's List

Special aspects of Spice models

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
3TutorialIFDSimulate a neon lamp in Spice by using a hysteric resistor
3TutorialIFDA SPICE model for the ideal transformer.
3TutorialMFKVacuum Tube SPICE parameters
4FormalBSRWSkin effects models using generic SPICE (pdf)
4TutorialAVTIntroduction to diode modeling.

General interest

LevelStyleAuthorSummary
0TutorialJLScot's Guide to Electronics - Table of contents
-ReferenceCDHWData-sheets for devices used in PHY2028
-ReferencePMLinks to manufacturer's data-sheets
0InformalSFCAnalog Designers San Francisco Chronicle article about the breed.

Descriptors

The descriptors used in the above tables are as follows:

Level

The level of the document is a rough guide to the cognitive level expected of its intended audience:

GradeCognitive level
0A'level (USA: Grade 12)
11st Year University
22nd Year University (USA: Junior Year)
33rd Year University
4MSc/Professional

Style

The style descriptor for a document indicates its delivery mode:

StyleExplanation
TutorialContinuous prose presentation with didactic structure often including examples and exercises.
NotesResembling a set of lecture notes.
InformalUsing humour, analogy and cartoons to explain material.
FormalPrecise treatment including quantitative and mathematical analysis
ReferenceLists of useful formulae, charts, data, etc.

Author

The author descriptor facilitates identification of other documents from the same source.

 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

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