Dialog between Technicians Jorge Cidades, Mario Gordon and Fernando Figoli
-Molotron s Creators-


Jorge Cidades:
-Mario set the input frequency back to 1 kHz and now with R1in place, removes C2. You should not see any impact. Start increasing the frequency. At some frequency, you MAY see that the differentiator will not work well. If this happens, sketch the output.-

Mario Gordon:
Explain what?

Fernando Figoli:
-Setting the frequency back to 1 kHz, apply a sin wave with an amplitude of 0.5 V to the differentiator. What do you expect the output to be?

Mario Gordon:
-I dont know maybe 3002 V?

Jorge Cidades:
-No impossible!! Function generators do not generate a sin wave as it is difficult to make a stable, constant amplitude sin wave over a wide range of frequencies. Rather the function generator uses a circuit with several diodes to round the corners of a Triangular wave and make it look like a sin wave! (See Hayes & Horowitz, p 203).

Mario Gordon:
-To get a basic understanding of how these devices work, we will need to consider some of the physics and chemistry involved, since the workings of solid-state devices are very much dependent on the properties of atoms.

Fernando Figoli:
-The electrons in an atom are bound to the central nucleus by electromagnetic force. Classical physics considers them like planets orbiting a star, but this model does not give sufficient explanation of semiconductor properties, and therefore it is also necessary to include concepts obtained from quantum-mechanics, in that electron orbits are associated with discrete energy levels, catas o no catas !!

Mario Gordon:
-Do you mean heating can increase their electrical conductivity significantly, as the thermal energy is sufficient to raise the energy of some electrons to the conduction band?

Jorge Cidades:
-I dont mean anything!! If an electron gains energy (for example, by absorbing an X-ray photon) it can move to a higher energy level. If it gains enough energy that it can escape the attraction of the nucleus, the atom has become ionised, that is, split into a separate positively charged atom and negatively charged electron.

Fernando Figoli:
-No ,I dont think so, the electrons are allowed to occupy only certain special orbits and this fundamental concept is known as the "band generator theory".

Jorge Cidades:
-The problem is that Molotron band electrons can not travel freely and can not conduct an electric current...and...eh...ese cable no boludo!!..ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!