PHYSICS AND RADIO ELECTRONICS: FROM FUNDAMENTAL LAWS TO MODERN TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

The article traces the close interconnection between physics as a fundamental science and radio electronics as its applied continuation. Physics, by studying the properties of matter, energy, space, and time, forms the theoretical foundation for understanding natural processes, while radio electronics applies this knowledge (particularly the principles of electrodynamics and electronics) to the creation, optimization, and practical implementation of electronic systems designed for the transmission, reception, and processing of information. Today, radio electronics encompasses almost all areas of human life – from household devices (smartphones, laptops, tablets) and wireless communication technologies (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile standards 3G–5G) to the Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous transport, medical diagnostic systems, and security technologies. Special attention is paid to its role in space technologies, particularly in the functioning of satellite navigation systems such as GPS and Galileo, as well as interplanetary communication systems. The paper provides a detailed analysis of the physical laws on which radio electronics is based. It emphasizes the fundamental importance of Ohm’s law, which serves as the foundation for calculating electrical circuits, and Kirchhoff’s laws, which describe the conservation of electric current at junctions and voltage in closed loops. These principles underpin the analysis and modeling of complex electronic circuits containing components such as transistors, resistors, diodes, and integrated microchips. A separate section is devoted to the historical development of radio electronics. The discovery of electromagnetic waves by James C. Maxwell and their experimental confirmation by Heinrich Hertz marked the starting point of wireless technology. Major contributions to the further advancement of the field were made by discoveries in quantum physics – the works of M. Planck, A. Einstein, and N. Bohr’s atomic model. Their findings led to an understanding of the band structure of solids and the creation of semiconductor devices – diodes, transistors, microchips, and processors – that formed the basis of modern digital electronics. The historical overview also covers the first wireless signal transmission experiments conducted by G. Marconi and A. Popov, as well as the development of vacuum tubes – J. Fleming’s diode and L. de Forest’s triode – which became the first active elements of electronics. A turning point came in 1947 with the invention of the transistor by J. Bardeen, W. Brattain, and W. Shockley, which launched the era of semiconductor technology and paved the way for microprocessor engineering and the information age. The modern stage of radio electronics is characterized by the miniaturization of components, the improvement of microprocessors, and the evolution of mobile communications (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 5G), which ensure high data transmission speeds and minimal signal delays. The paper also highlights the strategic role of radio electronic systems in navigation and satellite technologies used in civilian, scientific, and defense applications.