A 3D chip is a microprocessor chip that contains three-dimensional circuitry, as opposed to the two-dimensional circuitry found in traditional microprocessor chips. The use of three-dimensional circuitry allows for greater packing density and, as a result, higher performance. In addition, 3D chips are less susceptible to the problems of heat and power dissipation that plague … Read more
A complex instruction set computer (CISC /ˈsɪsk/) is a computer in which single instructions can execute several low-level operations, such as a load from memory, an arithmetic operation, and a memory store, all in a single instruction. This is contrasted with a reduced instruction set computer (RISC), in which these operations are split into several … Read more
Segmented memory is a memory management technique in which memory is divided into segments. Each segment has a base address and a size. The base address is the starting address of the segment and the size is the number of bytes in the segment. Segments can be of any size and can be located anywhere … Read more
The Universal Synchronous/Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (USART) is a type of integrated circuit used for serial communication. It can be used in synchronous or asynchronous mode. In synchronous mode, the USART uses a clock signal to synchronize data transmission. In asynchronous mode, the USART does not use a clock signal. The USART can be used for a … Read more
A substrate is a material used as the foundation or base for creating a circuit or other electronic component. The substrate material must have certain properties in order to be suitable for circuit fabrication, including high electrical insulation, high mechanical strength, and high thermal conductivity. Common substrate materials include glass, ceramic, and plastic. What is … Read more
Bit slicing is the process of breaking down a computer instruction into individual bits so that it can be executed by a microprocessor. The advantage of bit slicing is that it allows for more parallelism and therefore higher performance. The downside is that it can be more complex to design and implement. Which one is … Read more
A ZIF socket is a type of socket used for microprocessors and other integrated circuits. It is designed to allow easy insertion and removal of the chip without the need for soldering. The socket has a lever which when raised, holds the chip in place and makes contact with the pins on the chip. When … Read more
The Intel 80386, also known as the i386 or just 386, is a 32-bit microprocessor introduced in 1985. The first versions had 275,000 transistors and were the first Pentium-compatible CPUs. The 32-bit386 can generate both real-mode and protected-mode instructions. Protected mode allows for multitasking, paging and other features that are not available in real mode. … Read more
A voltage reference is a device that produces a fixed voltage output. Voltage references are used in electronic circuits to provide a known voltage level for other components in the circuit to reference. Voltage references can be used to set the operating voltage of a circuit, to calibrate sensors, or to provide a stable voltage … Read more
The Intel 80486, also known as the i486 or 486, is a microprocessor that was produced by Intel from 1989 to 1993. It was the successor to the Intel 80386 and was the first microprocessor to use the 32-bit x86 instruction set. The 80486 was introduced in 1989 and was the first Intel chip to … Read more
