Electronic Engineering Dictionary

Mica. A mineral used as an insulator in semiconductors or a dielectric in capacitors. Refer to the Dictionary of Capacitor Terms; Mica Capacitor.

Micro. A prefix meaning one-millionth, 10^-6.

Microcircuit. A circuit having high equivalent-circuit-element density, considered as a single part composed of interconnected elements on or within a single substrate to perform an electronic-circuit function.

Microcircuit Module. An assembly of microcircuits or a combination of microcircuits and discrete components that perform one or more distinct functions.

Microelectronics. The solid-state concept of electronics in which compact semiconductor materials are designed to function as an entire circuit or sub-assembly rather than as circuit components [ICs]. That area of electronic technology associated with or applied to the realization of electronic systems from extremely small electronic parts or elements.

Microphone. An energy converter that changes sound energy into electrical energy. [Microphone Manufacturers].

Microprocessor. A central processing unit produced on an integrated circuit. Also refer to Companies producing uP ICs.

Microstrip. Traces that are adjacent to a continuous reference plane. In a Printed Circuit Board [PCB] stackup, the microstrips are on the primary and secondary layers [Top and Bottom layers]. [Related definition see Stripline]

Microwave Region. The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum from 1,000 MHz to 100,000 MHz. However depending on the source a wavelength from 300 mm to 10 mm (1 GHz to 30 GHz) which is the definition from the United States Government.

Midrange Speaker. A speaker designed to reproduce sound in the ranges of 500Hz to 5kHz.

Midrange Adjustment. An audio control used to adjust frequencies in the middle of the audio range [not found on modern audio gear]. Also refer to an example Midrange Adjustment Circuit.

MIL. The diameter of a conductor equal to 1/1000 (.001) inch.

MIL Foot. A unit of measurement for conductors (diameter of 1 mil, 1 foot in length).

Military Specifications. [MIL-Spec] Technical requirements and standards adopted by the Department of Defense that must be met by vendors selling materials to DOD.

Military Standards. [MIL-STD] Standards of performance for components or equipment that must be met to be acceptable for military systems.

Military Temperature Range. -55 to 125 degrees Celsius. The operational temperature range components or equipment is designed for to meet full military operation. [Military Temperature Range]

Miller Oscillator. A crystal-controlled oscillator in which the crystal oscillates at its parallel resonant frequency. [Crystal Oscillator Manufacturers].

Milli. A prefix meaning one-thousandth, 10^-3.

milliampere. [milliamp or mA] 1/1,000 of an ampere.

Millimeter Wave. An electromagnetic wave having a wavelength from 1 mm to 0.1 mm (300 GHz to 3000 GHz).

Miniature Electronics. Modules, packages, pcbs, and so forth, composed exclusively of discrete components.

Minimum Annular Ring. The minimum distance between the edge of a PCB pad and its via. Refer to this page for Minimum Annular Ring Graphics.

Minimum Discernible Signal. [MDS] The weakest input signal that produces a usable signal at the output of a receiver. The weaker the input signal, the more sensitive the receiver.

Minority Carriers. Either electrons or holes, whichever is the less dominant carrier in a semiconductor device. In P-type semiconductors, electrons are the minority carriers; in N-type semiconductors, the holes are the minority carriers.

Minority Current. A very small current that passes through the base-to-collector junction when this junction is reverse biased.

Minor Lobe. The lobe in which the radiation intensity is less than that of a major lobe. Refer to the Dictionary of Antenna Terms.

Minterm. A product term containing every variable once and only once. Also see the test on K-Map, in a different section of the site.

Mismatch. A combination when the load impedance does not match the source impedance.

Mixer. A circuit that combines the outputs of two or more circuits into a common output. An Audio Mixer. A nonlinear circuit or device that accepts as its input two different frequencies and presents at its output (a) a signal equal in frequency to the sum of the frequencies of the input signals, (b) a signal equal in frequency to the difference between the frequencies of the input signals, (c) the original input frequencies, although the original frequencies may be filtered out. An RF Mixer Circuit.

Mixing. See Mixer. Refer to RF Mixer Manufacturers.

Mixing Amplifier. An amplifier that performs the Mixer function.

MLC. [MultiLevel Cell] involves storing multiple bits of information on a single memory transistor. Storing two bits per memory cell instantly doubles the density in the same space and lowers the cost-per-Mbyte. MLC technology enables storage of multiple bits per memory cell by charging the polysilicon floating gate of a transistor to different levels. This technology takes advantage of the analog nature of a traditional flash cell by assigning a bit pattern to a specific voltage range.

Mnemonic. A descriptive term used to describe something to aid in memory, as in Mnemonic code.