Student review: Electronics: Basic, Analog, and Digital with PSpice

November 4, 2010

Author: Nassir H. Sabah

Edition: First

Publisher: CRC Press/Taylor and Francis

Pages: 766

Price: £44.99

ISBN 9781420087079

For undergraduate electronics students who need a textbook to serve as a reference from first year to beyond graduation, Electronics: Basic, Analog, and Digital with PSpice will fulfil their requirements.

Nassir Sabah begins by outlining basic diode circuits along with underlying semiconductor theory and fabrication, allowing for a more thorough and in-depth understanding of the circuits and devices that are presented in later chapters. Field effect transistors and bipolar junction transistors are introduced before ever-more complicated amplifier circuits are methodically and concisely explained. Single-stage amplifiers are featured before multi-stage, and feedback amplifiers are presented along with differential and operational amplifiers. The final section is on the basic elements of digital circuits and digital logic including digital system memories.

A real strength of the textbook is that the author does not assume any prior knowledge beyond A-level physics, enabling a student of any ability to pick up the book and build upon his or her particular level of knowledge. It is presented in a no-nonsense black-and-white style, with essential circuit diagrams, graphs and device structures illustrated clearly. Good use is made of example questions throughout the text to explain various calculations, and at the end of each chapter a summary of the main concepts and results is given along with the learning outcomes. Each chapter offers a selection of problems and exercises to allow readers to test their progress; accessing answers to the problems is done via the book's website - a task that is problem-free.

A well-deployed feature is its presentation of PSpice simulations. The reader is encouraged to work through the simulation exercises, leading to a firmer grasp of how different circuits and devices perform. As a result, the book is a great deal more engaging and interactive. The text places emphasis on understanding the underlying semiconductor theory, and the PSpice simulations are used to this end very effectively.

The book does not feature any sections on digital signal processing or radio-frequency engineering, choosing instead to maintain its focus on electronic devices and circuits, both analogue and digital. This has created a thorough and complete text that explains the subject to newcomers and serves as an excellent reference for more experienced students and even graduates.

Who is it for? Electronics undergraduates and graduates.

Presentation: Clear and logical.

Would you recommend it? Yes. This book would be an invaluable reference for anybody studying electronics at any level.

Register to continue

Why register?

  • Registration is free and only takes a moment
  • Once registered, you can read 3 articles a month
  • Sign up for our newsletter
Register
Please Login or Register to read this article.

Sponsored