A NOT gate, also known as an inverter, is a fundamental digital logic gate in electronics and computer engineering. Its function is to invert the input signal, which means it takes an input and produces the opposite output. In other words, if the input is a logical 1 (HIGH), the NOT gate will output a logical 0 (LOW), and vice versa.
The symbol used to represent a NOT gate is a triangle with a small circle at its input, like this:
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--| |
| NOT |
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Here's the truth table for a NOT gate:
Input Output
0 1
1 0
NOT gates play a crucial role in digital circuits, as they can be used to change the logical state of a signal or perform various operations in combination with other logic gates. They are the building blocks for more complex logic circuits and are essential in modern digital electronics.