Basic logic gates using discrete components
The basic elements that make up a digital system are 'OR', 'AND' and 'NOT'
gates. These three gates are called basic logic gates. All the possible inputs
and outputs of a logic circuit are represented in a table called TRUTH TABLE.
The function of the basic gates are explained below with circuits and truth
tables.
Logic gates
Circuits which are used to process digital signals are called logic gates. They
are binary in nature. Gate is a digital circuit with one or more inputs but with
only one output. The output appears only for certain combination of input logic
levels. Logic gates are the basic building blocks from which most of the digital
systems are built up. The numbers 0 and 1 represent the two possible states
of a logic circuit. The two states can also be referred to as 'ON and OFF' or
'HIGH and LOW' or 'TRUE and FALSE'.
Basic logic gates using discrete components
The basic elements that make up a digital system are 'OR', 'AND' and 'NOT'
gates. These three gates are called basic logic gates. All the possible inputs
and outputs of a logic circuit are represented in a table called TRUTH TABLE.
The function of the basic gates are explained below with circuits and truth
tables.
(i) OR gate
An OR gate has two or more inputs but only one output. It is known as OR
gate, because the output is high if any one or all of the inputs are high. The
logic symbol of a two input OR gate is shown in Fig a.
The Boolean expression to represent OR gate is given by Y= A+B (+ symbol
should be read as OR)
The OR gate can be thought of like an electrical circuit shown in Fig b, in
which switches are connected in parallel with each other. The lamp will glow
if both the inputs are closed or any one of them is closed.
Diode OR gate
Fig shows a simple circuit using diodes to build a two input OR gate. The
working of this circuit can be explained as follows.
Case (i) A = 0 and B = 0
When both A and B are at zero level, (i.e.) low, the output voltage will be low,
because the diodes are non-conducting.
Case (ii) A = 0 and B = 1
When A is low and B is high, diode D2 is forward biased so that current flows
through RL and output is high.
Case (iii) A = 1 and B = 0
When A is high and B is low, diode D1 conducts and the output is high.
Case (iv) A = 1 and B = 1
When A and B both are high, both diodes D1 and D2 are conducting and the
output is high. Therefore Y is high. The OR gate operations are shown in Table
(ii) AND gate
An AND gate has two or more inputs but only one output. It is known as AND
gate because the output is high only when all the inputs are high. The logic
symbol of a two input AND gate is shown in Fig a.
Y = A⋅B ( ⋅ should be read as AND)
AND gate may be thought of an electrical circuit as shown in Fig b, in which
the switches are connected in series. Only if A and B are closed, the lamp will
glow, and the output is high.
Diode AND gate
Fig shows a simple circuit using diodes to build a two-input AND gate. The
working of the circuit can be explained as follows :
Case (i) A = 0 and B = 0
When A and B are zero, both diodes are in forward bias condition and they
conduct and hence the output will be zero, because the supply voltage VCC will
be dropped across RL only. Therefore Y = 0.
Case (ii) A = 0 and B = 1
When A = 0 and B is high, diode D1 is forward biased and diode D2 is reverse
biased. The diode D1 will now conduct due to forward biasing. Therefore,
output Y = 0.
Case (iii) A = 1 and B = 0
In this case, diode D2 will be conducting and hence the output Y = 0.
Case (iv) A = 1 and B = 1
In this case, both the diodes are not conducting. Since D1 and D2 are in OFF
condition, no current flows through RL. The output is equal to the supply
voltage. Therefore Y = 1.
Thus the output will be high only when the inputs A and B are high. The Table
9.2 summarises the function of an AND gate.
(iii) NOT gate (Inverter)
The NOT gate is a gate with only one input and one output. It is so called,
because its output is complement to the input. It is also known as inverter. Fig
a shows the logic symbol for NOT gate.
The Boolean expression to represent NOT operation is Y = A .
The NOT gate can be thought of like an electrical circuit as shown in Fig b.
When switch A is closed, input is high and the bulb will not glow (i.e) the
output is low and vice versa.
Fig is a transistor in CE mode, which is used as NOT gate. When the input A is
high, the transistor is driven into saturation and hence the output Y is low. If A
is low, the transistor is in cutoff and hence the output Y is high. Hence, it is
seen that whenever input is high, the output is low and vice versa. The
operation of NOT gate is shown in Table 9.3.
Exclusive OR gate (EXOR gate)
The logic symbol for exclusive OR (EXOR) gate is shown in
The Boolean expression to represent EXOR operation is
Y=A⊕B
EXOR gate has an output 1, only when the inputs are complement to each
other.
The equivalent switching circuit is shown in Fig b.
Switch positions A and B will individually make the lamp to be ON. But the
combination of A and B is not possible.
The EXOR operation is represented in Table.
NAND gate
This is a NOT-AND gate. It can be obtained by connecting a NOT gate at the
output of an AND gate (Fig a).
The logic symbol for NAND gate is shown in Fig b.
NAND gate function is reverse of AND gate function. A NAND gate will have an
output,
only if both inputs are not 1. In other words, it gives an output 1, if either A or B
or both are 0. The
operation of a NAND gate is represented in Table.
NOR gate
This is a NOT-OR gate. It can be made out of an OR gate by connecting an
inverter at its output (Fig a).
The logic symbol for NOR gate is given in Fig b
The NOR gate function is the reverse of OR gate function. A NOR gate will have
an output, only when all inputs are 0. In a NOR gate, output is high, only when
all inputs are low. The NOR operation is represented in Table.
