Electronics Tutorial Websites - Link Information

Contents: General Information ...Analog Circuits and Semiconductors ... Soldering ... IC manufacturing ... Digital (Basic) ... Digital (A-D and sampling) ... Digital (Microprocessors) ... 555 timer ... Telecommunications and networking ... (Physics Tutorial Links are listed on the physics page) ... (PC info links are on the PC info page)
... to Prof. Wade's General Webinfo Index Page ... Contact us .................................... updated 3/23/23

Note: Many web sites listed on the other links pages also include tutorials -- it is sometimes hard to differentiate between a reference page and a tutorial. Also many tutorials cross over the boundaries of the subjects listed below.

Unfortunately these links to Prof. Hoppe's web pages require flash player which is no longer available! (Gateway Technical College, Wisconsin): http://cws.gtc.edu/programs/objects/electronics.htm He has produced almost three hundred Learning Objects (5 minute Flash demos) for electronics. This is an amazing collection of short tutorials as well as interactive practice problems which cover almost every aspect of the electronics curriculum and many other subjects. DC-AC-digital-transistors-op amps-Excel-even several TI calculators. He also has Camtasia videos covering basic DCAC, MultiSIM, and Excel for electronics with more added on a weekly basis: http://cws.gtc.edu/programs/objects/camtasia.htm

General Information:

How Things Work/How Stuff Works: http://www.howstuffworks.com/category-science.htm
A great site --you name it, they've got it; at a level designed for the general student. Various specific tutorials are listed by subject in each of the sections below.
The Electronics Club: https://electronicsclub.info/study.htm
has a host of sections: Projects | Construction | Soldering | Study | Components | 555 | Symbols | FAQ | which give an excellent overview of basic electronics
How to use a slide rule: http://www.sliderulemuseum.com/SR_Course.htm
A superb exposition of the history and how to use a slide rule. Includes virtual (working) slide rules.
Powers of 10: http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10/
a visualization on what powers of 10 mean, showing a series of pictures from outside the milky way to sub-atomic particles:
Academic Earth: http://www.academicearth.org/
If you get past the ads, there are links to college level lectures on a wide range of subjects including physics and engineering. Usually at an Engineering level.
TechOnLine: http://www.techonline.com
Tutorials; lectures (some free, some paid); on many subjects
Tutorialfind.com: http://www.tutorialfind.com
A listing of tutorials and a search engine to find them for you. Currently being reorganized; seems to be mostly about Computer applications.
Wikipedia is a good resource for all types of information: http://en.wikipedia.org/
A website with links to many tutorials and projects at a basic level: https://www.partsgeek.com/mmparts/car_electronics_all_about_circuits.html

AC and DC Circuits, Diodes and Transistors (Analog Subjects) -- Also Soldering, Schematics, and Color Codes ... [top of page]

How Things Work/How Stuff Works: at a very basic level:
Electronics Information Website: http://www.aaroncake.net/electronics/index.html
Several interesting sections:
- Electronic Circuits; Schematic Symbol Reference; How To Solder; How To Desolder; Building Tips; Electronics Calculators (calculate series, parallel, LED resistors, more)
- Electronics Software
All About Citcuits: This site provides a series of online textbooks covering electricity and electronics:

Volume I - DC Basic Concepts of Electricity, OHM's Law, Electrical Safety, Scientific Notation...
Volume II - AC Basic AC Theory, Complex Numbers, Reactance and Impedance, Resonance...
Volume III - Semiconductors Amplifiers and Active Devices, Solid-State Device Theory, Diodes and Rectifiers...
Volume IV - Digital Numeration Systems, Binary Arithmetic, Logic Gates, Switches...
Volume V - Reference Conversion Factors, Resistor Color Codes, Math References, Periodic Table...
Volume VI - Experiments Test Equipment, DC Circuits, AC Circuits, Discrete Semiconductor Circuits...

A website with links to many tutorials and projects at a basic level: https://www.partsgeek.com/mmparts/car_electronics_all_about_circuits.html

The Electronics Club: https://electronicsclub.info/study.htm
has a host of sections: Projects | Construction | Soldering | Study | Components | 555 | Symbols | FAQ | which give an excellent overview of basic electronics and even a section on the codes on capacitors: https://electronicsclub.info/capacitors.htm
VK2TIP electronics tutorial home page: http://www.electronics-tutorials.com/basics/basic-electronics.htm
basic electronics followed by some radio electronics terminology. Then electron theory and atoms, attenuators, capacitance, current, digital basics, impedance, inductance, integrated circuits, ohms law, power supply, Q, reactance, resistance, resonance, transformers, transistors and voltage.
- Resonance tutorial: http://www.electronics-tutorials.com/basics/resonance.htm
Lazar's Power Electronics Guide: http://www.smps.us/
Switching Power Supply Design Basics: Circuits, Schematics, Pcbs, Electrical Engineering Reference, Software And Other Info

Integrated Circuit and Semiconductor manufacturing Subjects... [top of page]

Integrated Circuit Manufacturing Information:
- A 10+ min. video on IC fabrication: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35jWSQXku74
- Virtual Clean Room of the Georgia Institute of Technology: http://www.ece.gatech.edu/research/labs/vc/
  Works only with MS Internet Explorer
- Stanford University's "How Everyday Things are Made": http://manufacturing.stanford.edu/hetm.html. (video; suitable for high speed connections)
  Once you are on the site, click on the tab PRODUCTS 2 (on the left of the listings) - then in the EXTRAS section (half way down) click on SEMICONDUCTORS for a 2 min. video tour of a fabrication facility.
- From sand to chip - How a CPU is made: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GQmtITMdas
  A 10 min video of a copper inconnect CPU from AMD with lots of animations and sort of fuzzy actual pictures of the actual process. Long on special effects, WOW! items, and praise for AMD; short on hard facts.
- Integrated Circuit (IC) Fabrication: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOaJFKWXYY0
  a 15 min. video with hand-drawn sketches showing an overview of the making of a silicon gate n-channel transistor.
- From Sand to Silicon: Integrated Circuit Design and Manufacturing: http://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/digital-logic/12/288/2220
  a 5+ min video with actual pictures of the the process and an explanation of what is going on.
- Sand to Circuits: http://vimeo.com/26687697
  a 2 min quick animated trip through the fabrication process. Nice animations but no accompanying explanation.
- Britney's Guide to Semiconductor Physics: http://britneyspears.ac/lasers.htm
  An in-depth, engineering level, look at semiconductors including fabrication techniques. All graced by pictures of Ms Spears.

The following seem to have been removed or else hidden somewhere in their web sites. Any help in finding them will be appreciated.

(no longer valid)Chip Art: http://www.chipworks.com/gallery1.aspx
Pictures of small designs that were found "hidden" on various IC's.
Mexico State U. fabrication tutorial: Not currently Available! http://et.nmsu.edu/ETCLASSES/vlsi/files/VLSI.HTM
(no longer valid) Sematech has an excellent Fabrication Tutorial at: http://www.sematech.org/corporate/news/mfgproc/mfgproc.htm
Also a series of fabrication pictures available at: http://www.sematech.org/corporate/gallery/
(no longer valid) A discussion of microprocessors that is really a discussion of how they are made: http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/education/k12/the-journey-inside/explore-the-curriculum/microprocessors.html
(no longer valid) Intel's "How Chips are made": http://www.intel.com/education/makingchips/introduction.htm
and also Clean Rooms: http://www.intel.com/education/cleanroom/index.htm
(no longer valid) Micron Semiconductor history and fabrication information: http://www.micron.com/k12/semiconductors/hrw.aspx
click on the various sections : history, fabrication, etc.
(no longer valid) Silicon Run Lite: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6128543572469047642&q=silicon+chip+m An excellent video on the whole IC manufacturing process, best with a high speed connection (38 min)
Bucknell Professor E. J. Mastascusa's web pages: http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/mastascu/eLessonsHTML/EEIndex.html
interactive tutorials over the entire range of electronics subjects: Basic Electricity; Elements (resistors, caps, sources, op-amps, gates, diodes, sensors, A-D, etc); Digital; Time & Frequency; Measurements; voltmeters; O'scope; Labview; IEEE 488; even a hyperlinked index to everything.
(no longer valid) University of Sidney (Australia) -- Complete with interactive examples.
Digital Systems Tutorial 1: http://www.eelab.usyd.edu.au/digital_tutorial/toc.html
Introduction, Number Systems & Codes, Logic Gates, Boolean Algebra, more
Digital Systems Tutorial 2: http://www.eelab.usyd.edu.au/digital_tutorial/part2/hpage.html
Flip-flops - Counters - Registers
Digital Systems Tutorial 3: http://www.eelab.usyd.edu.au/digital_tutorial/part3/
Sequential Circuits
A good general background with lots of illustrations: Institute for Molecular Machines, http://www.imm.org
A background article, Lilliputian Machines Set To Revolutionize RF, Optoelectronics, and Biomedical Applications, from Techonline with interesting illustrations and links http://www.techonline.com/community/tech_topic/mems/20222
Compact Disk information from Prof. Kelin J. Kuhn of the University of Washington:
(no longer valid)Audio Compact Disk - An Introduction: http://gcwebtw.com/Knowhow/AudioCD/AudioCD.htm

Two very technical descriptions of the actual format of data on CDs

Reading and Writing CD Data: http://www.ee.washington.edu/conselec/CE/kuhn/cdaudio2/95x7.htm
CD-ROM: http://www.ee.washington.edu/conselec/CE/kuhn/cdrom/95x8.htm

Nanotechnology (MEMs) information:

Of course, from how stuff works: http://www.howstuffworks.com/nanotechnology.htm

Digital -- Basic (ELT-214/215, TCT-144 and TNY-174) Subjects... [top of page]

Two's Compliment and Signed Binary Information: VB Tutorial on Signed numbers: http://www.vb-helper.com/tutorial_twos_complement.html
This tutorial describes sign-magnitude, ones complement and twos complement representations for integers.
All About Citcuits: http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/
This site provides a series of online textbooks covering electricity and electronics:

Volume IV - Digital Numeration Systems, Binary Arithmetic, Logic Gates, Switches...

Logic Gates: https://electronicsclub.info/gates.htm
a basic listing of the characteristics of AND, OR, etc. gates
How Things Work/How Stuff Works:.
- How Boolean Logic Works: http://www.howstuffworks.com/boolean.htm
- How RAM works: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/ram.htm
  a tutorial on RAM, aimed toward PC usage.
- How Floppy Disk Drives Work: http://www.howstuffworks.com/floppy-disk.htm
- How Hard Disks Work: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/hard-disk.htm
- How CDs Work: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cd.htm
- How CD Burners Work: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cd-burner.htm
- How DVDs Work: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/dvd.htm
- How Analog and Digital Recording Works (very basic): http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/analog-digital.htm
- How Computer Monitors Work (CRT and LCD): http://computer.howstuffworks.com/monitor.htm
- How LCDs work: http://www.howstuffworks.com/lcd.htm
- How Electronic Ink Works (used in Digital Paper): http://www.howstuffworks.com/e-ink.htm
Hobyprojects: http://www.hobbyprojects.com/tutorial.html
A comprehensive site which includes subjects ranging from basic gates and flip-flops to counters and microprocessors.
Fiber Optics information --basic information:

How Stuff Works: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/fiber-optic.htm/

Boolean Logic Simplification program available in the tools section of the electronics links page
Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) tutorial at a very basic level http://www.netrino.com/Publications/Glossary/PWM.html
(no longer valid)Intel Museum short discussions on various integrated circuit related subjects:
- Memory Technology: http://www.intel.com/intel/intelis/museum/online/memory_tech/index.htm
(no longer valid)Micron Semiconductor: http://www.micron.com/k12/semiconductors/hrw.html A nice interactive look at how RAM works along with a lot of details about it is fabricated and assembled
(no longer valid) Kingston Semiconductor: http://www.kingston.com/tools/umg/default.asp a complete discussion of types of RAM -- moderately technical

Digital -- A-D and D-A conversion and sampling... [top of page]

Prof. Wade's chart showing resolutions of 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 bits
Howstuffworks:
How Analog and Digital Recording Works: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/analog-digital.htm
(no longer valid) Bucknell Professor E. J. Mastascusa's web tutorial on Sampling Theory:
http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/mastascu/eLessonsHTML/Signal/SignalNoteNyquistSampling.htm
an interactive site including an interactive simulation of sampling.
The Scientist and Engineer's Guide to Digital Signal Processing: http://www.dspguide.com/pdfbook.htm
A complete textbook on signal processing; free to download for personal use (or can be purchased in printed form)
Chapter 3 is about Sampling Theory: http://www.dspguide.com/ch3.htm

555 Timers:... [top of page]

NOT AVAILABLE -- University of Guelph Tutorial:
Just about the ultimate tutorial on 555 timers: http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/gadgets/555/555.html
NOT AVAILABLE -- U.Mass 555 timer tutorial and lab: http://www.ecs.umass.edu/ece/ece211/lab/555.htm

Digital - Microprocessor (ELT 310 & TNY 274/5) Subjects... [top of page]

(this entire link is no longer valid-If you know where it moved to, please let me know) Intel The Journey Inside^SM :http://www.intel.com/education/journey/index.htm. Journey Inside^SM is an interactive tutorial divided into the following six sections:
- Introduction to Computers : This section provides short history of the computer, introduces the four major components of a computer, and compares computer "brains" with the human brain.
- Circuits and Switches : This section teaches students about electricity, electric circuits, and the difference between mechanical and non-mechanical (transistors) switches.
- Digital Information : This section explores the differences between the decimal and binary number systems and how the information is represented and processed using binary code.
- Microprocessors : This section investigates how microprocessors process information, demonstrates the size and the complexity of their circuitry, and explains how they are manufactured.
- The Internet: This section defines the Internet, then goes on to explain the World Wide Web, hypertext, URLs, packets, bandwidth, connection choices, search engines, and the need to critically evaluate the quality of the information found on the Web.
- Technology and Society : This section discusses the impact technological advances have on people's lives, with examples from the past and current day. Numerous side stories provide insights on ways the digital age is already affecting our lives. The final section talks about the accelerating rate of change and what we might expect to see in the near future.
Intel Museum short discussions on various integrated circuit related subjects:
- (no longer valid) How Microprocessors Work: http://www.intel.com/education/mpworks/index.htm
- History of the Microprocessor: http://www.intel.com/museum/online/hist_micro/hof/index.htm
- (no longer valid) Memory Technology: http://www.intel.com/intel/intelis/museum/online/memory_tech/index.htm
How Things Work/How Stuff Works:
- How Microprocessors Work: http://www.howstuffworks.com/microprocessor.htm
- How Motherboards Work: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/motherboard.htm/
- How BIOS Works: http://computer.howstuffworks.com/bios.htm/
(no longer valid)An interview with Gordon Moore: http://www.engj.ulst.ac.uk/sidk/Moore/092297moore1.html
The ex-chairman of Intel talks about how microprocessors came about and where they are going in this 1997 interview.
(no longer valid)Micron Semiconductor: http://www.micron.com/k12/semiconductors/hrw.html
A nice interactive look at how RAM works along with a lot of details about it is fabricated and assembled

Telecommunications Subjects ... [top of page]

(no longer valid) Electronics Express Tips page: http://www.elexp.com/tips.htm
a lot of practical information on many subjects: Telephony Dialing and Signaling Tones, Contact Bounce and De-Bouncing, RS-232 Interface,
How Things Work/How Stuff Works:
How Telephones Work: http://www.howstuffworks.com/telephone.htm
NextGen Datacom, Inc: http://www.nextgendc.com/index.htm
Click on the tutorials button on the left for a plethora of information: introduction to datacom, networking, layers, ATM, DOCSIS, wireless, frame relay, DSL, lots more!
Networking
- (no longer valid) Wireless Networking 101: http://www.zdnet.com/products/stories/reviews/0,4161,2908048,00.html
  Beginning overview of wireless networking alternatives from ZD net (by Brian Nadel, 1/6/03)
- (no longer valid) Ethernet Technology by James Antonakos (Broome CC); from Circuit Cellar Online.
  - Part 1: Frames, Collisions, and 10Mbps LAN's: http://www.circuitcellar.com/chipcenter-pdfs/0302/c0302ts.pdf
  - Part 2: The 100 and 1000 Mbps Internet: http://www.circuitcellar.com/library/ccofeature/antonakos0402/c0402ts.pdf
  - Part 3: Network Building BLocks: http://www.circuitcellar.com/library/ccofeature/antonakos0502/c0502ts.pdf
- Security Now Weekly Episodes from Gibson Research Corp: http://www.grc.com/securitynow.htm
  Mostly about Internet Security issues but you can search for some interesting multi-part tutorials as below. [Each episode has SIX formats: High quality 64 kbps mp3 audio file; Quarter size,16 kbps mp3 audio file; A web page with any supplementary notes; A web page text transcript of the episode; A simple text transcript of the episode; Ready-to-print PDF transcript]

Physics Tutorial Links are listed on the physics page

General Information ....Circuits and Semiconductors ... Soldering ... IC manufacturing ... Digital (Basic) ... Digital (Microprocessors) ... 555 timer ... Telecommunications
[top of page] .... Back to General Webinfo Page
Corrections, additions, notice of broken links, etc. are most welcome. Please E-mail: Prof. Wade; WadeD at ncc.edu