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Electronic circuit
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<p>An electronic circuit is composed of individual <a href="/facts/Electronic_component/F3NBVv4Q">electronic components</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Resistor/JrsGReM6">resistors</a>, <a href="/facts/Transistor/Bmr8zwL0">transistors</a>, <a href="/facts/Capacitor/hyowqv7n">capacitors</a>, <a href="/facts/Inductor/YnfAXB3x">inductors</a> and <a href="/facts/Diode/JyaoyGnk">diodes</a>, connected by conductive <a href="/facts/Wire/yyy05H1S">wires</a> or <a href="/facts/Conductive_trace/muSR2p43">traces</a> through which <a href="/facts/Electric_current/Dc1xdnUX">electric current</a> can flow. It is a type of electrical circuit. For a circuit to be referred to as <i>electronic</i>, rather than <i>electrical</i>, generally at least one active component must be present. The combination of components and wires allows various simple and complex operations to be performed: signals can be amplified, computations can be performed, and data can be moved from one place to another. </p><p>Circuits can be constructed of discrete components connected by individual pieces of wire, but today it is much more common to create interconnections by photolithographic techniques on a laminated <a href="/facts/Substrate_(semiconductor)/lCBJAoUL">substrate</a> (a <a href="/facts/Printed_circuit_board/muSR2p43">printed circuit board</a> or PCB) and <a href="/facts/Solder/GBvJH75t">solder</a> the components to these interconnections to create a finished circuit. In an <a href="/facts/Integrated_circuit/fjn6vg7C">integrated circuit</a> or IC, the components and interconnections are formed on the same substrate, typically a <a href="/facts/Semiconductor/zFf3mGTE">semiconductor</a> such as doped <a href="/facts/Silicon/cgWx0hdr">silicon</a> or (less commonly) <a href="/facts/Gallium_arsenide/BakLFjpp">gallium arsenide</a>. </p><p>An electronic circuit can usually be categorized as an <a href="/facts/Analog_circuit/Bnlnfwwv">analog circuit</a>, a <a href="/facts/Digital_circuit/vWgfC29C">digital circuit</a>, or a mixed-signal circuit (a combination of analog circuits and digital circuits). The most widely used <a href="/facts/Semiconductor_device/6W3ryr50">semiconductor device</a> in electronic circuits is the <a href="/facts/MOSFET/eTDJT2Km">MOSFET</a> (metal–oxide–semiconductor <a href="/facts/Field-effect_transistor/TerYC6Nz">field-effect transistor</a>). </p>