Glossary

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IC: (abbreviation) See integrated circuit.
IDC: Insulation Displacement Contact. A type of wire terminating connection in which the insulating jacket is cut by the connector when the wire is inserted.
identifier: (computer/system) A symbol whose purpose is to identify, indicate, or name a body of data.
IEC: (abbreviation) International Electrotechnical Commission.
IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. An international professional society that issues its own standard, and is a member of ANSI and ISO.
IEEE: 488 (standard) An interface for interconnecting programmable digital instruments.
IEEE 802.3: is a physical layer standard for 10 Base T, 100 Base T, Ethernet, and 1000 Base CX (Gigabit Ethernet).
IEEE 802.5: is a physical layer standard for Token Ring.
IGFET: (component) Insulated-gate field-effect transistor. A general term lumping together all field-effect transistors having insulated gates regardless of fabrication process.
IIL: (I2L) (abbreviation/component) Integrated-injection logic. A logic family in which gates consist essentially of only one transistor. Offers speeds comparable to TTL and packaging density and power consumption comparable to MOS.
impedance: (Z) (property) The total opposition offered by a component or circuit to the flow of alternating or varying current. Impedance is expressed in ohms and is similar to the actual resistance in a direct current circuit. In computations, impedance is handled as a complex ratio of voltage to current.
impedance match: (circuit) The condition in which the impedance of a component or circuit is equal to the internal impedance of the source, or the surge impedance of a transmission line, thereby giving maximum transfer of energy from source to load, minimum reflection, and minimum distortion.
Imperial Wire Gauge: (measurement) See British Standard Wire Gauge.
impregnate: (process) To fill the voids and interstices of a material with a compound. This does not imply complete fill or complete coating of the surfaces by a hole-free film.
inductance: (electrical) One cause of reactance. An electromagnetic phenomenon in which the expanding and collapsing of a magnetic field surrounding a conductor or device tends to impede changes in current. The effects of inductance become greater as frequencies increase. The basic unit of measurement for inductance is the henry.
Inductive Coupling: Crosstalk resulting from the action of the electromagnetic field of one conductor on the other.
induction generator: (device) An induction generator is an induction machine, driven above synchronous speed by an external source of mechanical power.
induction motor: (device) An induction machine which converts electric power, delivered to the primary circuit, into mechanical power.
inductive coupling: (electrical) The coupling of energy from one circuit to another that results from the magnetic field generated by the source conductor.
inductor: (component) A circuit component designed so that inductance is its most important property. Also called a coil.
information channel: (computer/circuit) The transmission and intervening equipment involved in the transfer of information in a given direction between two terminals. An information channel includes the modulator and demodulator, and any error-control equipment irrespective of its location, as well as the backward channel when provided.
inhibiting input: (circuit/computer) A gate input that blocks an output which might otherwise occur in a computer.
inhibitor, corrosion: (material) A material which prevents or delays oxidation and galvanic action.
initialize: (computer) A program or hardware circuit which will return a program, a system, or a hardware device to an original state.
input bias current: (circuit) The dc current that must be present at the amplifier input in order for the amplifier to be functional. It is measured with no signal applied.
input impedance: (circuit) The impedance that exists between the input terminals of an amplifier or transmission line when the source is disconnected. The circuit, signal level, and frequency must be specified.
input offset current: (circuit) The difference in the currents into the two input terminals of an operational amplifier when the output is at zero.
input offset voltage: (circuit) The voltage that must be applied between the two input terminals of an operational amplifier to obtain zero output voltage.
insert: (connector) In ARINC, “D” series, “W” series, and AMPLIMITE connectors, the insert is that part which holds the contacts in their proper arrangement and electrically insulates them from each other. It will accept contacts, or it may be preloaded with contacts or posts. It is NOT functional by itself, and must be inserted into a shell.
insertion force: (measurement) The effort, usually measured in ounces, required to engage mating components.
insertion loss: (circuit) The loss in load power due to the insertion of a component, connector, or device at some point in a transmission system. Generally expressed as the ratio – in decibels – of the power received at the load before insertion of the apparatus, to the power received at the load after insertion.
insertion tool: (connector) A tool used to insert contacts into a housing, insert, or module, or to insert connectors into panels or pc boards.
insert molding: (process) Two-step process wherein material is injection molded to form a part, which is then moved to a new mold as an insert, with another component molded against the first.
insulation: (material) A material having high electric resistance making it suitable for covering components, terminals, and wires, to prevent the possible future contact of adjacent conductors resulting in a short circuit.
Insulation Resistance: The electrical resistance between two conductors separated by an insulating material.
insulation barrel: (terminal) See barrel.
insulation crimp: (terminal) The area of a terminal, splice, or contact that has been formed around the insulation of the wire.
insulation displacement: (terminal) A terminating technique whereby an insulated wire is forced into a restrictive slot in a terminal, during which time the wire insulation is displaced, and the bare wire engages the sides of the slot.
insulation grip: (terminal) Certain crimp contacts have extended cylinders at the rear designed to accept the bared wire and a small length of its insulation. When crimped, both the wire and insulation are held firmly in place. This prevents the wire from being exposed due to insulation receding from the terminal.
insulation piercing: (terminal) A method of crimping whereby lances cut through the insulation of the wire and enter into the strands and make electrical contact thus eliminating stripping of the wire.
insulation resistance: (property) The electric resistance between two conductors separated by an insulating material.
insulation support: (terminal) An extended barrel or additional barrel at the rear of a terminal or contact which is crimped around the wire insulation to give additional support against wire flexing and reduce the possibility of wire breakage immediately behind the wire barrel. This crimp is not considered “grip” and offers little protection against longitudinal tension when exerted on the wire insulation.
integrated circuit: (component/circuit) An interconnected array of active and passive elements integrated with a single semiconductor substrate or deposited on the substrate by a continuous series of compatible processes, and capable of performing at least one complete electronic circuit function. Normally, only the input, output, and supply terminations are accessible. Also called monolithic circuit and monolithic integrated circuit. When transistors or other discrete components are separately mounted and connected, it is a hybrid integrated circuit.
integrated circuitry: (component/circuit) A fabricated part which serves all or a portion of a function and which is constructed by etching, diffusing, doping, etc of a single piece of material. Sections of this material may be joined by the use of jumper wires or printed circuitry.
interaction: (general) The effects of two or more elements, parts, assemblies, or equipments on each other – where each is performing a function.
interchangeable: (connector) A connector of one manufacturer can be replaced with a connector of another manufacturer, and will provide the same function in the same panel space as the connector it is replacing.
interface: (computer) – A concept involving the specification of the interconnection between two equipments having different functions, or similar functions but manufactured by different companies. (connector) – The two surfaces of a multiple-contact connector which face each other when the connector is assembled. (physical/chemical) – The junction or boundary between two different types of materials.
interfacial compression: (connector) The compression of the resilient material (face of mating inserts) that provides positive sealing and insulation when plug and receptacle are locked together.
interfacial connection: (circuit) A conductor which connects conductive patterns on opposite sides of a printed circuit board or other base. May be accomplished with a platedthru hole. Also a feed-thru connection.
interfacial gap: (connector) Any gap between the interface of mated connectors.
interfacial junction: (connector) The junction that is formed by the interface of two mating connectors. This junction can be tightly compressed or loose, depending upon the requirements of the application.
interfacial seal: (connector) Sealing of a multiple contact connector over the whole area of the interface to provide sealing around each contact. This is usually done by providing a soft insert material on one or both of the connectors which are in compression when mated. This provides an environmental seal between the interface of the plug and the interface of the receptacle and also increases the dielectric between contacts.
Interference: An electrical or electromagnetic disturbance that causes undesirable response in electronic equipment.
interference protection: (electrical) Those measures which shield or immunize sensitive areas of an equipment from electrical interference.
intermateable: (connector) When a connector manufactured by one company will mate directly with a connector manufactured by a different company. For example when an AMP 50-position “M” series block loaded with AMP Type III(+) pin contacts is mated with a 50-position Winchester “MRA” series block loaded with Winchester sockets.
internal storage: (computer) See memory on-line.
inverter: (circuit) In logic, a digital circuit which inverts the input signal, as for example, changing a 1 to a 0. This is equivalent logically to the NOT function. An inverter may also serve as a buffer amplifier.
I/O: (input-output) (computer) Pertaining to the equipment used to communicate with a computer and the data involved.
I/O limited: (computer) Pertaining to a computer in which the speed of computer processing is limited by the speed of the input and/or output equipment.
ion implantation: (process/component) Silicon can be doped by bombarding it with ionized dopant molecules. Because the ions can be deposited selectively to form junctions the technique can be used to make monolithic integrated circuits.
ionomer: (material) A thermoplastic with polyethylene as a major component and containing covalent and ionic bonds.
ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Networking. A CCIT defined standard for a public-switched service that allows the digital transmission of voice, data, and video over one network. Being touted as “the next big thing” in voice, data and video integration.
isolation diffusion: (process/component) The first diffusion of a monolithic integrated circuit. Its purpose is to generate the back-to-back junctions which isolate all active devices from one another.
Irradiation: In insulations, the exposure of the material to high energy emissions for the purpose of favorably altering the molecular structure by crosslinking.
I.R.: Insulation resistance.

Glossary

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