Digital electronics operate on digital signals and a digital circuit is an integral component of digital electronics. It is used in various electronic devices for different purposes. The main purpose of this circuit is the transmission of power to the different components of the circuit. It can perform different types of Boolean operations. The Digital circuit is one such circuit where the signal exists in one of the two states which are 0 and 1. We use this kind of circuit to make logic gates and transistors. These circuits consume relatively less power as compared to analog circuits. Some of the important components of a digital circuit include registers, transistors, battery and many more.
What is Digital Circuit?
A digital circuit is a type of circuit that operates on different logic gates. The logic gates are used to differentiate between various power signals. It can be used to transmit the power signal to the different parts of the electronic device through various gates. This will help to create an output signal which is directly proportional to the energy level of the input signals. Most of these circuits consist of analog components. They have a more complex design as compared to that of analog circuits.
Digital Circuit Basics
A digital circuit comprises various components each of which is used to perform a specific task. These components are of two types: active components and passive components. The active components are the diodes and transistors while the passive components are the registers, inductors, capacitors, etc. Along with that, a power source is also required which is used to provide DC power supply to the circuit. Various measurement and analysis instruments can also be implemented in the circuit.
Here, we have discussed some of the basic components of an electronic circuit:
Diodes: Diodes are used to allow the flow of current in a particular direction only. Diodes are made up of semiconductor materials.
Transistor: Transistor is basically a semiconductor device that has three terminals. It can be used as an amplifier or a switching device.
Resistor: A resistor is a passive component that is used to oppose the flow of current in a circuit. Resistors follow Ohm’s law. Resistors are of two types: Fixed resistors and variable resistors.
- In a fixed resistor, we are not able to alter the value of resistance.
- In a variable resistor, the value of resistance can be changed as per our requirement.
Capacitor: A capacitor consists of two conducting plates between which there is an insulator. Capacitors are mainly used to store electrical energy in an electric field.
Inductors: Inductors are used to store electric energy in a magnetic field. It is also used to resist changes in current.
Battery: Battery is another important component of an electronic circuit which is used as a source of power. A battery converts chemical energy into electrical energy.
Logic Gates: Logic gates are the most basic components of a digital circuit. They have two or more inputs and they produce one output. Logic gates are basically of three types:
- Basic gates: In this type of gates, we can represent the boolean functions either in the sum of products form or in the product of sums form. The basic logic gates are AND, OR and NOT gates.
- Universal gates: These are the logic gates using which all other gates can be constructed. NAND and NOR are the two universal gates.
- Special gates: EX-OR and EX-NOR are the two special gates as they are the two special cases of OR and NOR gates.
Switch: A switch is another component of an electric that is capable of regulating the flow of electric current through the circuit.
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Digital Circuit Design
Digital circuits can be designed using the various components which are generally used in the circuit. Here, we have shown a simple circuit consisting of a few important components. The following circuit has a diode, a resistor, an inductor, a capacitor, and a power supply.
Digital Circuit Design
The following circuit is that of a full-adder which can be used to add the bits of the circuit. The circuit performs a boolean operation on the input bits to produce the result. The circuit consists of two XOR gates, two AND gates, and an OR gate.
Applications of digital circuits
- Digital circuits are a part of all the important electronic devices.
- It can be used for designing the display of your watch or a countdown timer.
- We use digital circuits in complex processes like Rocket Science and Quantum Computing.
- Digital circuits are also used in traffic lights and automatic glass doors in offices and restaurants.
Digital Circuits Examples
Digital circuits are of two types:
Combinational Logic Circuit
The combinatorial logic circuit is made up of logic gates whose output is determined by the present input only. The output does not depend on the previous outputs of the circuit. This type of circuit is widely used in the electronic industries for various purposes. The circuits are designed by combining the different logic gates. Two types of combinatorial circuits are encoder and decoder. Other examples include half adder, full adder, and multiplexer.
Sequential Logic Circuit
The sequential logic circuit is one such circuit in which the output of the circuit not only depends on the present input but it also depends on the past outputs. Sequential circuits have the ability to store the past output in various memory devices. They are designed using finite state machines. Different kinds of sequential logic circuits are counters and flip flops. Sequential circuits are again of three types: clock-driven circuits, event-driven circuits, and pulse-driven circuits.
Advantages of Digital Circuits
- A digital circuit can be used to rectify noise and produce correct signals.
- As digital circuits are made up of basic logic gates, they are not very expensive.
- Digital circuits can be used for precise representation of the circuit
- Switching time is much faster as compared to of analog circuits.
Disadvantages of Digital Circuits
- Digital circuits consume more energy as compared to any other circuits.
- Digital circuits require a power supply.
So, in this article, we have covered all the basics of digital circuits. We have summed up the basic components and the various advantages and disadvantages of digital circuits. We have also included different examples of digital circuits. If you have any other points to add, do let us know it.
Applications of Digital Circuits
- Digital circuits are a part of all-important electronic devices.
- It can be used for designing the display of your watch or a countdown timer.
- We use digital circuits in complex processes like Rocket Science and Quantum Computing.
- Digital circuits are also used in traffic lights and automatic glass doors in offices and restaurants.
FAQs
1). What are digital circuits used for?
A digital circuit is used for the transmission of power to an electronic device. It can be used to perform different operations based on the input which is given to the electronic circuit.
2). How does digital circuit work?
A digital circuit works on discrete values only which are either 0 or 1. An analog to digital converter can be used to convert the analog signal to digital values.
3). What makes a circuit digital?
A circuit that produces a digital signal is called a digital circuit. It works on discrete values. Digital circuits are required in all-important electronic devices like mobile phones, calculators and computers.
4). What is a circuit made of?
A digital circuit is made up of different types of logic gates. Digital circuits are made up of two types of components which are active components and passive components. Some of the important components of a digital circuit are resistors, transistors, inductors, capacitors, and many more.
5). Why do we use circuits?
Circuits can be used for performing multiple tasks. You can also use circuits to supplement non-electrical sources. Electric circuits are mainly used for transporting electric power to different electronic devices.
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Thus, this is all about an overview of a digital circuit used in digital electronics, Design, examples, advantages, disadvantages, and applications. Here is a question for you, what is the function of a digital circuit?