A datasheet, data sheet, or spec sheet is a document summarizing the performance and other technical characteristics of a component (e.g. an electronic component), a subsystem (e.g. a power supply) or software in sufficient detail to be used by a design engineer to integrate the component into a system. Typically, a datasheet is created by the componet/subsystem/software manufacturer and begins with an introductory page describing the rest of the document, followed by listings of specific characteristics, with further information on the connectivity of the devices. In cases where there is relevant source code to include, it is usually attached near the end of the document or separated into another file.
A data sheet is usually used for technical communication to describe technical characteristics of an item or product. It can be published by the manufacturer to help people choose products or to help use the products. By contrast, a technical specification is an explicit set of requirements to be satisfied by a material, product, or service.
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Typical datasheet information
Examples include:
Electronics component
A typical datasheet for an electronic component contains most of the following information:
- manufacturer's name
- product number and name
- list of available package formats (with images) and ordering codes
- notable device properties
- short functional description
- pin connection diagram
- absolute minimum, maximum ratings (supply voltage, power consumption, input currents, temperatures for storage, operating, soldering, etc)
- recommended operating conditions (as absolute minimum, maximum ratings)
- DC specifications (various temperatures, supply voltages, input currents, etc.)
- AC specifications (various temperatures, supply voltages, frequencies, etc.)
- input/output wave shape diagram
- timing diagram
- physical details showing minimum/typical/maximum dimensions, contact locations and sizes
- test circuit
- ordering codes for differing packages and performance criteria
- liability disclaimer regarding device use in certain environments such as nuclear power stations and life-support systems
- application recommendations, such as required filter capacitors, circuit board layout, etc.
- errata, often published prior to subsequent correction and relevant datasheet revision
Personal computer
- Number of ports
- Expansion bays
- 5.25 inch bays
- 3.5 inch bays
- Mainboard
- CPU socket
- Front-side bus (FSB)
- Back-side bus (BSB)
- Chipset
- Random access memory (RAM) slots
- Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) and PCI Express (PCIe) buses and slots
- Floppy, ATA (IDE) and SATA interfaces
- Fans and temperature monitoring
- Integrated graphics controllers
- Integrated LAN interfaces
- BIOS
- Form factor
- CPU socket
- Graphics card
- AGP type
- Memory
- Audio card
- Hardware compatibility requirements and basic setup details for computer device drivers
- operating system and other installed Software (if included)
A datasheet may include a "typical use" circuit diagram, as well as programming examples in the case of programmable devices. However, this sort of information is often published in a separate application note, with a high level of detail.
Historically, datasheets were typically available in a databook containing many data sheets, usually grouped by manufacturer or general type. Today, they are also available through the Internet in table form or via downloadable (usually PDF) documents.
Application notes
An application note is a document that gives more specific details on using a component in a specific application, or relating to a particular process, e.g. the physical assembly of a product containing the component. Application notes are especially useful for giving guidance on more unusual uses of a particular component, which would be irrelevant to many readers of the more widely read datasheet.
Application notes may either be appended to a datasheet, or presented as a separate document.
See also
- Personal computer
- DatasheetArchive
- Tube Data Archive
- Specification (technical standard)
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
