(symbol) – Mutual inductance. (abbreviation) – See mega.
mm2
Metric cross-sectional area of conductor.
Macroinstruction
(system/circuit) A short source-language statement, intelligible to a computer, that produces a variable number of instructions in machine language. Used to simplify and speed up the work of programmers.
Mask
(process/component) A patterned medium placed between a substrate and a process source in order to confine the effects of the process to selected portions of the substrate.
Mass Termination
(connector) A means of terminating multiple conductors to an identical number of contacts through one complete cycle of applicator tooling. The contacts are an insulation displacement type and the conductors may be discrete wires, round conductor ribbon cable, or flat cable. Special application tooling is required.
Matched Impedance
(circuit) The coupling of two circuits in such a way that the impedance of one circuit equals the impedance of the other.
Mate
(connector) To join two connectors in a normal engaging mode.
Mating Face
(connector) See interface (connector).
Mbps
Megabits per second.
MCM
(symbol) Thousand circular mils. Above 4/0 AWG wire, circular mil areas (CMA) are used rather than AWG wire size. See kcmil.
Mechanized Assembly
(process) The joining together of parts and/or subassemblies with the aid of operators and semiautomatic equipment.
Mega (M)
A prefix meaning one million (106)or one million
Melt Index
(process) Extrusion rate of thermoplastic material through an orifice of specified diameter and length under specified conditions of time, temperature, and pressure.
Metallization
(process/IC) A metal film selectively deposited on a substrate to serve as conductive interconnections between the elements of the integrated circuit, and as points (pads) for external connections.
Metric Prefixes
(general) A series of prefixes used in the metric system to modify a unit of measure. The most commonly used in electronics are as follows:
giga (G) 109
mega (M) 106
kilo (k) 103
centi (c) 10-2
milli (m) 10-3
micro (m) 10-6
nano (n) 10-9
pico (p) 10-12
mho
(measurement) Unit of conductance. Reciprocal of an ohm. One ampere of current passing through a material under a potential difference of one volt provides one mho of conductance. Also called Siemens.
Microelectronics
(packaging) The art of electronic equipment design and its construction, which utilizes any of the micro-miniaturization schemes. This art of electronics deals with micro-miniature parts, subassemblies, and assemblies.
Microminiature Circuitry
(circuit) Circuitry fabricated in accordance with micro-miniaturization techniques.
Micro-Miniaturization
(packaging) The technique of packaging a microminiature part or assembly composed of elements radically different in shape and form factor. Electronic parts are replaced by active and passive elements, through the use of fabrication processes such as screening, vapor deposition, diffusion, and photo etching.
Microwave
That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum lying between the far infrared and conventional radio frequency range. The microwave frequency range extends from 1 GHz to 300 GHz. Microwaves are usually used in point-to-point communications because they are easily concentrated into a beam.
Migration
(metals/plating) The movement of some metals from one location to another, notably through pores in a metal surface plating. This can be either the movement of the intermediate plating or the base metal to the surface – which in turn produces insulating films.
Military Specification
Military requirements. The demand imposed upon a system to meet a military operational need.
milli
(prefix) A prefix meaning 10-3, or one thousandth. One millivolt would be 0.001 volt.
Millisecond
(measurement) One thousandth of a second.
Miniaturization
(packaging) The technique of packaging by reducing size and weight of electronic parts in step with the change from vacuum tubes to transistors and diodes.
Mismatch
(circuit) The condition in which the impedance of a source does not match or equal the impedance of the connected load. This reduces power transfer by causing reflection.
Modal Dispersion
(fiber optic) The spreading of a light signal in a fiber as a result of the rays following different paths (or modes) down the fiber. This limits the number of pulses that can be sent per second.
In multimode fiber (larger core than single mode) rays take many different zigzag paths along the fiber, requiring more time for some signals to arrive at the other end, which causes a running together of on-off digital pulses.
Mode
(fiber optic) The path that a light pulse component can take to travel down a fiber.
Modem
(system) A unit that transmits signals over a telephone line.
Modifier
(material) Additive to a resin compound which changes the compound’s properties or processing characteristics.
Modular
(connector) – A modular connector is one in which similar or identical sections can be assembled together to provide the best connector type or size for the application.
(packaging) – Being composed of modules dimensioned in accordance with a set of prescribed size increments.
Modulate
(circuit) To vary the amplitude, frequency, or phase of an oscillation rate – usually at a signal frequency.
Modulation
(circuit/system) Process by which certain characteristics of a wave are modified in accord with a characteristic of another wave or signal.
Module
(connector) – A family of inserts which are uniform in external dimension, but may accept different types of contacts, or have different contact densities or configurations. In “G” series connectors, modules are interchangeable within the shells of that line. See also insert and shell.
(packaging) – A subassembly in a packaging scheme displaying regularity and separable repetition. May or may not be separable after initial assembly.
Mold
(general) A hollow form which imparts to the material within a final shape as a finished piece. Various types are used in compression molding, injection molding, transfer molding, and other processes.
Moisture Absorption
The amount of moisture, in percentage, that a material will absorb under specified conditions.
Moisture Resistance
Ability of a material to resist moisture absorption.
Monomer
(material) The simple, un-polymerized form of a compound which is the building block of a polymer.
MTW
Thermoplastic insulated machine tool wire.
Multiconductor
More than one conductor within a single cable complex.
Multilayer Board
(electrical) A printed circuit board having traces not only on both sides but sandwiched between board layers.
Multimate
(standardization/connector) The standardization of given characteristics in several different contacts and a variety of connectors. By this means, contacts from varying price ranges and with differing performance characteristics (power, signal, optic, and coaxial) can be used interchangeably in a number of different connectors.
Multimode
A device that emits or a fiber that carries multiple modes of light.
Multimode Fiber
(fiber optic) A fiber that allows a light signal to take various paths to arrive at the end of the fiber causing some light rays to arrive later than others.
Multiplex
(circuit/system) The simultaneous transmission of two or more signals using a common carrier wave or a single path in a transmission system. Examples include the transmission of stereophonic fm broadcasts or multiple voices over a single telephone line.
Multiplexer
(circuit/system) An electronic device normally used to scan a number of input terminals and receive data from, or send data to, the same. Multiplexers are normally one of two types:
The cyclic type which continually and sequentially looks at each input for a request to send or receive data.
The random type which waits in a “rest” position until other circuitry notifies it of a request to receive or send data.
Mylar®
A synthetic compound with high dielectric qualities made by DuPont and used extensively in the wire and cable industry in tape form.
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