Constructing Circuit Schematics Using MS Word
Prepared by: P. David Fisher and John A. Kelley
Department of Electrical Engineering
Michigan State University
File: circut_symbols_3.doc
Revised: 8/30/99
Overview
Students and faculty often need to document electric, electronic, and digital-logic circuits
by incorporating schematics into documents. To assist individuals in constructing
circuits, we have consulted the appropriate IEEE standards for graphic symbols and then
generated symbol sets that can be rapidly assembled to construct both simple and
complex circuits.
To construct circuit schematics using these symbols, one needs to know a little about how
to copy, move, group, and rotate objects using MS Word. A good exercise for a beginner
would be to copy the sample circuit given on page 7 of this report and paste this copy on
the workspace provided on page 8. Select the object, ungroup it and then take apart the
circuit. Once it has been taken apart, then re-assemble it in the workspace. Finally, group
the individual elements (icons) to form a single object—i.e., the original circuit
schematic. Finally, copy this object and paste it into a frame in a sample document.
Once these skills have been acquired, the quality of the document will be enhanced
significantly. It is recommended that circuit schematics drawn for one document be saved
in a “circuit-template file.” By following this practice, one leverages writing projects off
one another, and this saves time. This is so because future reports are much easier to
generate since existing circuits can be reused. For example, search the template file for
similar circuit architectures and components, and then cut and paste to obtain the new
circuit.
Please send comments and suggestions to P. David Fisher at fisher@egr.msu.edu.
Table of Contents
Circuit symbols and useful schematic icons ............................................................... Page 1
Discrete semiconductor devices .................................................................................. Page 2
Integrated semiconductor devices ............................................................................... Page 3
Logic gates .................................................................................................................. Page 4
Flip flops ..................................................................................................................... Page 5
Miscellaneous icons .................................................................................................... Page 6
Sample circuit ............................................................................................................. Page 7
Workspace to practice and create circuit schematics .................................................. Page 8
Circuit Symbols
R, L, C & Switches
Special Symbols
Voltage and Current Sources
Units
V
kV
mV
V
A
kA
mA
A

k
m

H
mH
H
nH
F
mF
F
nF
v11
V11
i11
I11
Example: V11 = 2.23 mV
Example: V11 = 2.23 mV
Note: Set your snap to 0.05” for these icons
1
Discrete Semiconductor Devices
PNP BJT
NPN BJT
N-channel
JFET
P-channel
JFET
N-channel insulated-gate,
depletion-type, internallyterminated MOSFET
N-channel insulated-gate,
enhancement-type, four
terminal MOSFET
P-channel insulated-gate,
depletion-type, four-terminal
MOSFET
P-channel insulated-gate,
enhancement-type, fourterminal MOSFET
PN Junction Diode
Zaner Diode
Photo-detector
Diode
Light-emitting
Diode
Note: Set your snap to 0.05” for these icons
2
Integrated Semiconductor Devices
PNP BJT
NPN BJT
N-channel
JFET
P-channel
JFET
N-channel insulated-gate,
depletion-type, internally
terminated MOSFET
N-channel insulated-gate,
enhancement-type, fourterminal MOSFET
P-channel insulated-gate,
depletion-type, four-terminal
MOSFET
P-channel insulated-gate,
enhancement-type, fourMOSFET
PN Junction Diode
Zaner Diode
Photo-detector
Diode
Light-emitting
Diode
Note: Set your snap to 0.05” for these icons
3
Logic Gates
Note: Set your snap to 0.05” for these icons
4
Flip Flops
1-LEVEL
SR
JK
D
T
0-LEVEL
RISING
FALLING
S
S
S
Clk
S
S
S
R
R
R
R
J
J
J
J
Clk
Clk
Clk
S
Clk
Clk
Clk
K
K
K
D
D
D
D
Clk
Clk
T
Clk
Clk
Clk
S
1S
Clk
1R
R
S
J
S
J
Clk
T
Clk
K
R
S
D
S
D
Clk
S
SR Flip
Flop
R
Clk
R
R
S
T
S
T
Clk
Clk
R
Unclocked
Clk
K
R
Clk
T
FALLING/
ASYNCH
S
1S
Clk
1R
R
Clk
K
T
RISING/
ASYNCH
Clk
R
S
R
Note: Set your snap to 0.05” for these icons
5
Miscellaneous

Load
load
6
Coil unit
Example Circuit
For practice, you might want to try replacing circuit components with other
components, or adding on to this circuit.
Note: the individual icons have been grouped to form a simple “object”. The
object has been grouped with an invisible “framing” rectangle that then allows you to
move the object and wrap text with increased ease. The figure caption has been
constructed using a “text frame”.
t=0
R1 = 1.2 k
R2 = 2.2 k
VS = 4 V
L1 = 3.8 mH
C1 = 4.8 F
Figure 1. A simple RLC circuit schematic demonstrating the application of the
circuit symbols to construct a circuit. This figure caption also serves as a
model.
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8