1/27/2024

Computer Architecture
Digital Logic Gates and
Boolean Algebra
By Thilina Wanshathilaka

Lesson Plan Introduction

01 • What is Computing Abstraction Hierarchy
• What is Semiconductor and N and P type semiconductor
• What is Transistor

Logic Gates and Boolean Operations

02 • Basic Logic Gates AND ,OR, NOT,XOR
• NAND ,NOR and XNOR gates

Implementing Logic Gates

03 • Basic Logic Gates AND ,OR, NOT,XOR
• NAND ,NOR and XNOR gates

Closing Todays Lecture

04 • Summary Of Todays lecture
• Q &A
• Next Lecture

Computing Abstraction Hierarchy

• The Computing Abstraction Hierarchy is a conceptual framework that

represents the various levels of abstraction within a computing system.
It provides a structured and organized way to understand the
relationships and interactions between different components of a
computer, from the most fundamental physical elements to the user-
facing applications.
• This hierarchy is essential for designing and developing complex
computing systems. It allows engineers, programmers, and designers to
work on specific aspects of the system without needing an in-depth
understanding of every layer. Each level of abstraction builds upon the
one beneath it, providing a more user-friendly and manageable
interface.

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Computing Abstraction Hierarchy

Application

Programming Language

Assembly Code

Machine Code

Instruction Set Architecture

Microarchitecture

Execution Units

Function Units

Logic Gate

Transistors

Physics

Computing Abstraction Hierarchy

• Physics:
• This layer deals with the physical properties of hardware components, such as electrical signals, voltage,
and current. At this level, we consider the behavior of physical devices like semiconductors and
conductors.
• Transistors:
• Transistors are the fundamental building blocks of digital electronic circuits. They are used to amplify or
switch electronic signals. The behavior of transistors forms the basis for building more complex
components in the computing stack.
• Logic Gates:
• Logic gates are composed of transistors and are the basic building blocks of digital circuits. They perform
logical operations (AND, OR, NOT) and are used to construct more complex digital circuits.
• Function Units:
• Function units are components that perform specific mathematical or logical operations and store values
using combinations of logic gates. These can include circuits like half adder, full adders ,laches

Computing Abstraction Hierarchy

• Execution Units:
• Execution units are responsible for carrying out instructions from a program. This involves fetching
instructions from memory, decoding them, and executing the appropriate operations.
• Microarchitecture:
• Microarchitecture refers to the organization and design of the processor at a low level. It includes details
like the instruction pipeline, cache architecture, and how different components are interconnected.
• Instruction Set Architecture (ISA):
• ISA defines the set of instructions that a processor understands. It acts as an interface between the
hardware (microarchitecture) and the software. Different processors can have different ISAs.
• Machine Code:
• Machine code is a low-level representation of a program that is directly executed by the computer's
central processing unit (CPU). It consists of binary code corresponding to the instructions in the ISA.

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Computing Abstraction Hierarchy

• Assembly Language/Bytecode
• Assembly language is a low-level programming language that is closely tied to
the architecture's machine code. It uses mnemonics and symbols to represent
the machine instructions, making it more readable for humans compared to raw
machine code.
• Programming Language:
• Programming languages provide higher-level abstractions, allowing developers to
write code using more human-readable syntax. These languages are translated
into machine code or executed by an interpreter, enabling the creation of more
complex software.
• Application:
• At the top of the stack, applications are the end-user software that performs
specific tasks or functions. Examples include word processors, web browsers,
games, and other software that users interact with directly.

Semi Conductor

• A semiconductor is a material that has electrical conductivity

between that of a conductor and an insulator.
• The conductivity of a semiconductor can be controlled and
modified by varying factors such as temperature, voltage, or
impurities in a process called doping.
• Semiconductors are a crucial class of materials in electronics and
form the foundation for the development of electronic devices.

Semi Conductor

• Conductivity: Semiconductors have conductivity levels between that of conductors

(which have high conductivity) and insulators (which have low conductivity). They
can conduct electricity under certain conditions but also act as insulators under
other conditions.
• Band Structure: The behavior of semiconductors is often explained using the
concept of the energy band structure. Semiconductors have a band gap—a range of
energy levels where no electron states exist. The size of this band gap determines
the electrical properties of the material.
• Doping: Semiconductors can be intentionally doped with impurities to modify their
electrical properties. The two main types of doping are n-type (introducing electron-
donor impurities) and p-type (introducing electron-acceptor impurities).
• Temperature Sensitivity: The conductivity of semiconductors is sensitive to
temperature changes. As temperature increases, the conductivity generally also
increases.

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Semi Conductor Doping

Transistors

• A transistor is a semiconductor device that can be used as an amplifier,

a switch, or for signal modulation.
• It is a fundamental building block in modern electronic devices and
forms the basis of digital circuits.
• Transistors are crucial components in integrated circuits (ICs), which are
used in computers, smartphones, and many other electronic devices.
• There are two main types of transistors: bipolar junction transistors
(BJTs) and field-effect transistors (FETs). Both types control the flow of
electric current between two terminals by varying the voltage applied
to a third terminal.

Bipolar Junction Transistors

Characteristic NPN Transistor PNP Transistor

Charge Carrier Electrons Holes

Current flow C to E E to C

Voltage Polarity - Voltage to E - Voltage to C

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Bipolar Junction Transistors

Bipolar Junction Transistors

AND Gate
A B Q

0 0 0

0 1 0

1 0 0

1 1 1

Boolean Expression
Q=A.B

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AND Gate

OR Gate
A B Q

0 0 0

0 1 1

1 0 1

1 1 1

Boolean Expression
Q=A+B

OR Gate

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NOT Gate
A Q

0 1

1 0

Boolean Expression
Q= A

NOT Gate

XOR Gate
A B Q

0 0 0

0 1 1

1 0 1

1 1 0

Boolean Expression
Q=A B =A.B+A.B=(A+B).(A.B)

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XOR Gate

NAND Gate
A B Q

0 0 1

0 1 1

1 0 1

1 1 0

Boolean Expression
Q=A.B

NAND Gate

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NOR Gate
A B Q

0 0 1

0 1 0

1 0 0

1 1 0

Boolean Expression
Q=A+B

NOR Gate

XNOR Gate
A B Q

0 0 1

0 1 0

1 0 0

1 1 1

Boolean Expression
Q=A B =(A.B)+(A.B)=(A+B).(A.B)

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XNOR Gate

Any Questions ?

THANK YOU
End Of Session 1

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