Board-level best practice: A small 0.01 µF capacitor is typically recommended by TTL manufacturers for what purpose on the power rails near each IC?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: decoupling

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Every digital IC switches current in short bursts, creating supply transients. Local bypass capacitors (for example 0.01 µF or 0.1 µF ceramics) provide a nearby charge reservoir to keep VCC stable at the IC pins. This practice is especially common in TTL-era designs and remains standard in modern digital boards.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • TTL logic, 5 V supply.
  • Capacitor value: approximately 0.01 µF per IC (sometimes used in combination with 0.1 µF).
  • Goal: suppress local supply noise and prevent ground bounce.


Concept / Approach:
Decoupling (also called bypassing) places a small capacitor between VCC and GND as close as possible to the IC power pins. The capacitor provides a low-impedance path for high-frequency transients, mitigating voltage dips and ringing caused by fast edges and package lead inductance.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Recognize the role: stabilize the local supply by sourcing transient current.Choose correct term: “decoupling” is the standard terminology.Implement near each IC, short traces to minimize ESL/ESR.


Verification / Alternative check:
Oscilloscope measurements of VCC near the IC with and without bypassing clearly show reduced noise and fewer spurious resets or timing errors when decoupling is present.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Filtering is a broader term; here the specific function is local supply decoupling.Rectifying and grounding are unrelated to small ceramic capacitors across VCC-GND.Timing integration refers to RC time constants, not supply stabilization.


Common Pitfalls:
Placing capacitors far from the IC or using long vias undermines the decoupling effect due to added inductance.


Final Answer:
decoupling

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