This document provides a non-technical introduction to electronics and basic concepts such as electrons, silicon, transistors, integrated circuits, logic gates, and microprocessors. It explains how controlling the flow of electrons allows electronics to transmit and transform information. Key topics covered include how silicon semiconductors are used to build transistors, the development and impact of integrated circuits, basic digital logic functions, how computers perform calculations and make decisions using transistors arranged in logical patterns, and how field programmable gate arrays can be reconfigured to perform various digital functions.

1. So what the heck are these little black
plastic box things with legs anyway?
Electronics for non-geeks

2. What we will talk about









Electrons
Water
Silicon
Transistors
ICs
Counting to two
Logical decisions
Thinking machines
FPGAs – what the…!

3. I’m about to
spend two hours
in a small room
with an
engineer…
aaahhhh!

4. Electrons are fun!



Electronics = controlling the flow of
electrons to do useful stuff
Electrons are tiny charged particles
Electrons can made to ‘move’ in some
materials
– Conductors
 Metals for example

Electrons don’t move in some
materials
– Insulators
 Rubber, wood for example

By controlling flow of electrons we can
– Transmit information
– Transform information

5. The water analogy







Voltage = water pressure
Current = amount of water flowing
Hoses/pipes = wires
Resistor = kink or restriction in hose
Capacitor = storage tank
Inductor = water wheel in the flow
Transistor = tap or valve

6. Some basic terms

7. So where does silicon fit in?

Silicon forms semiconductors
– Sometimes it conducts
– Sometimes it doesn’t conduct

We can help semiconductors make up their
mind
– Temperature
– Electric/magnetic fields

Silicon is used to make some electronic
components
– Transistors
– Diodes


We place ‘impurities’ in silicon to form these
components
Silicon transistors form the heart of all modern
electronics devices

8. The first transistor - 1947

9. Those pesky little black blobs!




Multiple components on one piece of silicon
= Integrate Circuit = IC
ICs can be complete circuits
ICs can perform complex functions
The complexity cycle:
1. Combine multiple ICs and basic components
to form even more complex circuits
2. Turn this into an even more complex IC
3. Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3

10. The law according to Mr Moore
“The number of transistors that can
be inexpensively placed on an
integrated circuit is increasing
exponentially, doubling
approximately every two years”
- Gordon E. Moore, co-founder of Intel, 1965


This observation has held true for
almost half a century
The latest Intel processor has
2,000,000,000 transistors

11. Practical electronic product - 1

12. Practical electronic product - 2

13. A real practical electronic product

14. Counting to two




Transistors can act as an on/off switch
Let On=1, Off=0
Now you can count using electrons!
For electrons, and penguins, 1+1 = 10

15. A very old joke
There are 10 types of people in the world…
…those that understand binary and those
that don’t!

16. Analogue vs digital




The real world is analogue
Analogue stuff is hard to manipulate with
electrons
Digital stuff – well it’s just numbers!
We can easily do stuff with numbers

17. AND and NAND or OR NOT NOR





Transistors can act logically
Let On=TRUE, Off=FALSE
Now you can make decisions with
electrons
Sound buzzer if A and (B or C)
Logical circuits are called GATES
– Not named after Bill
– Reflect what they do to signals

18. Boolean algebra with transistors
 Gates are just electronic circuits
=

19. What do electrons think?





Logic + counting = processing
Processing is controlling one set of signals with another
A set of logical instructions is a ‘program’
Chips that execute programs are called Microprocessors
No you can think, calculate and react with electrons

20. Today, microprocessors are in everything!

21. So what is an FPGA?
 FPGA = Field Programmable Gate Array
 An array of gates on a single chip
– Can be connected together after manufacture
– Can be made to do almost any digital function
– Can be reconfigured at any time
 Development of FPGAs has been consistent with Moore’s Law
 They will have a significant impact on the future of electronic design

22. So what have you learned?







Electrons can be used to do useful things
Components control the flow of electrons
Putting components together to do stuff is called electronics design
It’s easier to do stuff with numbers than with analogue signals
Microprocessors make doing stuff with numbers easy
FPGAs let you do digital design in a whole new way
Electronics is developing at an exponential rate

23. And finally…
 Electrons CAN be DANGEROUS
 Leave it to the professionals!

24. The End