Archiwa Microelectronics - Rafal Bartoszak

The light hidden inside the rectifier diode

Electronics, Microelectronics / By Rafal

Anyone studying electronics knows that semiconductor diodes can be divided into several categories: classic rectifier diodes, light-emitting LEDs, fast Schottky diodes, and Zener diodes. Although each of these components is based on the same phenomenon occurring in the simplest structure of a semiconductor PN junction, a closer look reveals that there are quite a few differences. Thanks to these differences—which are numerous enough to warrant a separate article—each type of diode is used in a slightly different application. When designing a power supply, it would be an aberration to use LEDs as a rectifier bridge (though it would be an interesting experiment), and similarly, when building a device requiring color indicators, no one would use rectifier diodes for that purpose—but are we really sure?

Is the LED in the optocoupler actually lit?

Microelectronics / By Rafal

A transoptor, which is a creative combination of a transistor and an LED, is not one of the basic electronic components. It is not as common as resistors and capacitors, but it has found its niche in specific types of applications, mainly due to its unique design.

The mysterious electronic module and the first Soviet integrated circuits

Microelectronics / By Rafal

In the package with electronic equipment from Mr. Marek, apart from an interesting Intel chip, which was mentioned in an article some time ago, there was also a mysterious module, and that is what we will focus on today.

Intel’s forgotten registry

Microelectronics / By Rafal

What was the name of the first personal computer? The answer to this question depends on the answerer. According to the Computer History Museum located in Silicon Valley, it was the Kenbak-1.

The display that turned out to be more

Microelectronics / By Rafal

Browsing popular auction sites, I once came across an offer for a display similar to those manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s. It was described as our indigenous CEMI design, although the “NN” logo, denoting National Semiconductor, was visible on the board. Of course, this type of design was produced in communist Poland, although not on a large scale, it is much more common to find displays from Czechoslovakia, where production volumes were larger. So, I think one can forgive the seller’s marketing gaffe of labeling the element as a CEMI production, although this is also some misrepresentation. Nevertheless, the price of the item was quite low, so I decided to order it, and in this article I will tell you about its construction and the adventures of trying to get it to work.

A forgotten type of integrated circuits

Microelectronics / By Rafal

Inside one of my retro treats, the Soviet calculator Электроника МК-52, about which I have already prepared an article“Электроника МК-52 – Soviet calculator in orbit”, as well as in some respects its twin design Электроника МК-61, one can find rather mysterious-looking integrated circuits.

The art of microelectronics – silicon integrated circuits

Microelectronics / By Rafal

Modern microelectronics is one of the fastest growing areas of science and technology. Its relevance to our daily lives is immense, as it is thanks to microelectronics that we can use advanced electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, which have become an integral part of our reality. In today’s article, we invite you to take a deeper dive into the fascinating world of silicon, where we will consider the construction of elements such as transistors and diodes.

In the land of silicon – an introduction to electronic structures

Microelectronics / By Rafal

The modern world is constantly flowing toward the future, driven by incredible advances in technology. Central to this dynamic process is the electronics that underpin most everyday devices. One of the key foundations of electronics are structures called integrated circuits, which have been revolutionizing our ability to process information and communicate for years. However, when we look deep into electronic chips, we see that they are made up of structures such as transistors, diodes, resistors and even capacitors. These elements are placed together, on a single piece of silicon, which makes them significantly different from similar structures placed on printed circuit boards. In this article I will tell you a little about silicon electronic structures, the foundation of today’s technological world.