Which of the following statements is/are correct? I. RTL is a saturated…
2021
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
I. RTL is a saturated bipolar logic family.
II. ECL is a non-saturated bipolar logic family.
- A.
Only I
- B.
Only II
- C.
Both I and II
- D.
Neither I nor II
Attempted by 183 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Concept: In bipolar-transistor logic families, a gate is called “saturated” when its transistor is driven fully into the saturation region while ON, and “non-saturated” when the circuit topology (such as clamping or a differential current-steering pair) keeps every transistor in the active region, avoiding the storage-time delay that saturation causes and allowing much faster switching.
RTL (Resistor-Transistor Logic) uses simple resistor-biased BJT switches that are driven hard into saturation when ON, so RTL is classified as a saturated bipolar logic family, confirming Statement I.
ECL (Emitter-Coupled Logic) uses a differential amplifier pair biased so that the conducting transistor never enters saturation; this non-saturating operation is exactly what gives ECL its characteristic high speed, confirming Statement II.
Cross-check against each combination:
“Only I” would require ECL to also be a saturated family, but ECL's differential switching design specifically avoids saturation.
“Only II” would require RTL to be non-saturated, but RTL's resistor-biased transistors do saturate when ON.
“Neither I nor II” would require both classifications to be false, but both are standard, well-documented properties of RTL and ECL.
Since both statements correctly describe RTL and ECL, the combination “Both I and II” is the correct answer.