IC Basics

The function of a transistor used in any of the ICs is to perform SWITCHING action and not AMPLIFICATION.
Then why DIODES are not used instead of TRANSISTORS as diodes also exhibit the same switching action?

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Bill_O

  • May 7th, 2010
 

I agree Digital ICs use transistors as switches.  But Analog (Linear) ICs Do Use transistors as Amplifiers. Consider the differential pair of transistors that form the front end of an op amp.  The advantage of transistors over diodes, is that transistors have a control input and diodes do not. You can use the bipolar transistor's base input (or the gate input of a CMOS transistor) to control a larger current with amplification, or overdrive to turn On/Off.

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