"A"
"B",
"C",
"D",
"E",
"F",
"G",
"H",
"I",
"J",
"K",
"L",
"M",
"N",
"O",
"P",
"Q",
"R",
"S",
"T",
"U",
"V",
"W",
"X",
"Y",
"Z"
Previous;
"B" Terms and definitions
BOLOMETER. A loading device that undergoes changes in resistance as changes in dissipated power
occur.
BOND. The permanent joining of metallic parts or circuits assuring electrical
continuity and capacity to safely conduct any current likely to be imposed..
BONDING WIRES. Fine wires connecting the bonding pads of the chip to the external leads of the
package.
BOOLEAN. Pertaining to the operations of formal logic.
BOOLEAN ALGEBRA. A system of logic dealing with on-off circuit elements associated by such
operators as the AND, OR, NAND, NOR, and NOT functions.
BOOLEAN LOGIC. See BOOLEAN ALGEBRA.
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS. The two conditions that the E-field and H-field within a waveguide must
meet before energy will travel down the waveguide. The E-field must be perpendicular to the walls and
the H-field must be in closed loops, parallel to the walls, and perpendicular to the E-field.
BRANCH. An individual current path in a parallel circuit.
BREAK. In a switch, the number of breaks refers to the number of points at which the switch opens the circuit; for example, single break and double break.
BREAKDOWN. The phenomenon occurring in a reverse-biased semiconductor diode. The start of the
phenomenon is observed as a transition from a high dynamic resistance to one of substantially lower
dynamic resistance. This is done to boost the reverse current.
BRIGHTNESS CONTROL. The name given to the potentiometer used to vary the potential applied to the
control grid of a CRT.
BROADSIDE ARRAY. An array in which the direction of maximum radiation is perpendicular to the
plane containing the elements.
BRUSHES. Sliding contacts, usually carbon, that make electrical connection to the rotating part of a motor or generator.
BUFFER. A voltage amplifier used between the oscillator and power amplifier.
BUFFER AMPLIFIER. An amplifier that isolates one circuit from another. It decreases the loading effect on an oscillator by reducing the interaction between the load and the oscillator.
BUILT-IN TEST EQUIPMENT (BITE). A permanently mounted device that is used expressly for
testing an equipment or system.
BUNCHER CAVITY. The input resonant cavity in a conventional klystron oscillator.
BUNCHER GRID. In a velocity-modulated tube, the grid that concentrates the electrons in the electron
beam into bunches.
BURNISHING TOOL. A tool used to clean and polish contacts on a relay.
BUS. One or more conductors or optical fibers that
serve as a common connection for a group of related
devices.
BUS BAR. A heavy copper strap or bar used to connect several circuits together when a large current carrying capacity is required.
BYPASS CAPACITOR. A capacitor used to transfer unwanted signals out of a circuit; for example, coupling an unwanted signal to ground. Also called a Decoupling Capacitor
BYTE. A sequence of adjacent bits (usually 8) considered as a unit.
"C" definitions and terms
