It is a branch of engineering that deals with the design, development, and application of electronic devices, circuits, and systems. It focuses on the study and use of electrical components such as semiconductors, transistors, diodes, and integrated circuits to create systems for communication, control, computation, and automation.
Components
Transistor
It is a semiconductor device that acts as a switch or an amplifier for electronic signals
Integrated Circuits (IC) / Chip / Microchip
It is a compact assembly of electronic components such as transistors, diodes, capacitors, and resistors. These components are fabricated onto a small piece of semiconductor material, typically silicon. Integrated Circuits form the building blocks of modern electronic devices, from computers and smartphones to household appliances and industrial systems.
Structure of an IC
1) Substrate (Silicon Wafer):
The base material is a thin slice of silicon, known as the substrate, which acts as the foundation for the IC.
2) Transistors:
These are the primary components in an IC. They act as switches or amplifiers to process and store electronic signals.
3) Interconnects:
Thin layers of metal (usually aluminum or copper) form pathways to connect the components.
4) Encapsulation:
The IC is enclosed in a protective package to shield it from physical damage and environmental factors.
Microcontroller
It is a type of IC that contains a complete computer system on a single chip.
It has a central processing unit (CPU), memory (RAM and ROM), and input/output (I/O) interfaces all integrated into one small chip.
ROM (Read-Only Memory)
- It typically stores the Operating System (OS).
- Modern mobile devices use flash memory, which can be rewritten, and this type of ROM is often referred to as NAND flash memory.
- It is used to store the Operating System (OS), including the system software, bootloader, recovery software, and other essential files needed for the mobile device to function.
- During boot-up, the mobile device loads the bootloader from ROM, which then loads the OS into the device's RAM (Random Access Memory) to run it.
- This is non-volatile memory that retains data even when the power is off. It stores the OS and other important files that are required to start and run the device.
- The OS stored in ROM can be updated through official software updates. These updates are downloaded and then written to the ROM (or flash storage) to replace older OS versions.
- If you have a rooted Android device or jailbroken iOS device, you may have modified or custom versions of the OS, which can also be stored in ROM.
Game Cartridge
It contains the game's ROM chip, where the program, graphics, and sounds for the game are stored.
It acts as external storage that the console reads to run the game.
- ROM Chip: Stores the game's code and data.
- Pins/Connectors: Interface with the console to transfer data.
- Optional Save Memory: In some cartridges, a small amount of RAM or battery-backed memory is used for saving game progress
Flash Cartridge
- These are programmable cartridges where you can load game ROMs using a computer.
- You can load multiple games onto the flash cartridge and use it like an original cartridge.
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