A scale of temperature which was invented by the British mathematician and physicist William Thomas, first Baron of Kelvin. Under the absolute, or Kelvin, scale of temperature, 0 K (corresponding to -273 degrees C) is the coldest possible temperature and is known as absolute zero.

Under the absolute, or Kelvin, scale of temperature (which was invented by the British mathematician and physicist William Thomas, first Baron of Kelvin), 0 K (corresponding to -273 degrees C) is the coldest possible temperature and is known as absolute zero.

A signal whose active state is considered to be a logic 0.

A signal whose active state is considered to be a logic 1.

A hybrid or multichip module substrate formed from a semiconductor. Termed active because components such as transistors can be fabricated directly into the substrate.

The process of trimming components such as resistors while the circuit is under power. Such components are fabricated directly onto the substrate of a hybrid or multichip module, and the trimming is usually performed using a laser beam.

A transducer that converts an electronic signal into a physical equivalent. For example, a loudspeaker is an actuator which converts electronic signals into corresponding sounds.

Refers to devices which allow new design variations to be "compiles" in real-time, which may be thought of as dynamically creating subroutines in hardware (see also Virtual Hardware and Cache Logic).

A process in which conducting material is added to specific areas of a substrate. Groups of tracks, individual tracks, or portions of tracks can be built up to precise thicknesses by iterating the process multiple times with selective masking.

A unidirectional set of signals used by a computer to point to memory locations in which it is interested.

The process of converting an analog value into its digital equivalent.

A continuous value that most closely resembles the real world and can be as precise as the measuring technique allows. ("Analog" is spelt "analogue" in England.)

A collection of components used to generate or process analog signals.

The process of converting an analog value into its digital equivalent.

A continuous value that most closely resembles the real world and can be as precise as the measuring technique allows. ("Analogue" is spelt "analog" in America.)

Special adhesives which contain minute particles of conductive material. These adhesives find particular application with the flipped-chip techniques used to mount bare die on the substrates of hybrids, multichip modules, or circuit boards. The conducting particles are only brought in contact with each other at the sites where the raised pads on the die are pressed down over their corresponding pads on the substrate, thereby forming good electrical connections between the pads.

A programmable logic device technology in which conducting paths (anti-fuses) are grown by applying signals of relatively high voltage and current to the device's inputs.

The area of copper etched away around a via or a plated through-hole on a power or ground plane, thereby preventing an electrical connection being made to that plane.

A device whose function is determined by a designer for a particular application or group of applications.

Refers to an integrated circuit created by a device manufacturer using ASIC technologies, and for these components to be sold as standard parts to anybody who wants to buy them.

A device whose function is determined by a designer for a particular application or group of applications.

A logic function in the cell library defined by the manufacturer of an application-specific integrated circuit.

Special symbols which are used to more precisely indicate the function of gates with active-low inputs.

Algebraic rules that state that the order in which pairs of variables are associated together will not affect the result of an operation; for example ((a & b) & c) = (a & (b & c)).

Refers to an integrated circuit created by a device manufacturer using ASIC technologies, and for these components to be sold as standard parts to anybody who wants to buy them.

A signal whose data is acknowledged or acted upon immediately, irrespective of any clock signal.

Unit qualifier (symbol = a) representing one millionth of one millionth of one millionth, or 10^-18. For example, 3aS stands for 3 x 10^-18 seconds.