gate

gate

(1) An open/closed switch.

(2) A pattern of transistors that makes up an AND, OR or NOT Boolean logic gate. See gate array.

(3) In a field effect transistor (FET), the element that acts as a trigger to cause the transistor to switch. In a bipolar transistor, the gate is called the "base." See transistor, FET and MOSFET.

The Gate in an NMOS Transistor

The gate is the trigger line. When pulsed, an electromagnetic field causes the switch to close.

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gate¹

1. a mountain pass or gap, esp one providing entry into another country or region

2. (in a large airport) any of the numbered exits leading to the airfield or aircraft

3. Horse racing short for starting gate

4. Electronics

a. a logic circuit having one or more input terminals and one output terminal, the output being switched between two voltage levels determined by the combination of input signals

b. a circuit used in radar that allows only a fraction of the input signal to pass

5. the electrode region or regions in a field-effect transistor that is biased to control the conductivity of the channel between the source and drain

6. a component in a motion-picture camera or projector that holds each frame flat and momentarily stationary behind the lens

7. a slotted metal frame that controls the positions of the gear lever in a motor vehicle

8. Rowing a hinged clasp to prevent the oar from jumping out of a rowlock

9. a frame surrounding the blade or blades of a saw

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gate² Dialect

1. the channels by which molten metal is poured into a mould

2. the metal that solidifies in such channels

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1.		GATE - GAT Extended? Based on IT. [Sammet 1969, p. 139].
2.	(hardware)	gate - A low-level digital logic component. Gates perform Boolean functions (e.g. AND, NOT), store bits of data (e.g. a flip-flop), and connect and disconnect various parts of the overall circuit to control the flow of data (tri-state buffer). In a CPU, the term applies particularly to the buffers that route data between the various functional units. Each gate allows data to flow from one unit to another or enables data from one output onto a certain bus.