bistableadj.
/bʌɪˈsteɪb(ə)l/ Having two stable states.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electronics > electronic phenomena > electronic circuit > [adjective]
coupledc1440
inductive-coupled1913
closed circuit1941
printed1946
bistable1949
astable1951
busy-idle1951
monolithic1963
optocoupled1976
the world > matter > physics > electromagnetic radiation > electronics > electronic devices or components > [adjective] > having one, two, or no stable state(s)
bistable1949
astable1951
monostable1952
1949 D. Sayre in B. Chance et al. Waveforms v. 164 The basic plate-to-grid-coupled bistable multivibrator is illustrated.
1949 D. Sayre in B. Chance et al. Waveforms v. 164 Bistable circuits have also been called ‘scaling’ circuits, ‘scale-of-two’ circuits, and in England ‘lockover’ circuits.
1951 Wireless Engineer XXVIII. 101/2 Two-position (bistable) trigger circuits.
1952 Proc. IRE 40 1531/2 The operation of this circuit may be monostable, bistable, or astable (oscillatory), depending on the nature of the emitter load.
1962 Gloss. Automatic Data Processing (B.S.I.) 58 Toggle, bistable trigger circuit, a trigger circuit which has two quasi-stable or stable states and which requires an appropriate excitation in each state to cause a transition to the other.
1970 Nature 24 Oct. 319/2 It is, however, possible to obtain bistable switching action in which the device remains indefinitely in the desired ‘on’ or ‘off’ state until specifically switched out of it.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1972; most recently modified version published online March 2018).
<
adj.1949