Learn how to create professional electronic circuit diagrams and schematics in LaTeX.

​
Essential Circuit Packages

\usepackage{circuitikz}     % Complete circuit diagrams
\usepackage{tikz}           % TikZ graphics
\usepackage{siunitx}        % SI units for electronics
\usepackage{steinmetz}      % Phasor notation
\usepackage{units}          % Unit formatting
\usepackage{amsmath}        % Math expressions

​
Basic Circuit Elements

​
Passive Components

\begin{circuitikz}
% Resistor
\draw (0,0) to[R, l=$R_1$] (2,0);

% Capacitor
\draw (0,0) to[C, l=$C_1$] (2,0);

% Inductor
\draw (0,0) to[L, l=$L_1$] (2,0);

% Variable resistor
\draw (0,0) to[vR, l=$R_{var}$] (2,0);

% Potentiometer
\draw (0,0) to[pR, l=$P_1$] (2,0);
\end{circuitikz}

​
Active Components

\begin{circuitikz}
% Voltage source
\draw (0,0) to[V, l=$V_s$] (2,0);

% Current source
\draw (0,0) to[I, l=$I_s$] (2,0);

% Battery
\draw (0,0) to[battery, l=$E$] (2,0);

% AC source
\draw (0,0) to[sV, l=$V_{ac}$] (2,0);

% Dependent sources
\draw (0,0) to[cV, l=$k V_x$] (2,0);  % Voltage controlled
\draw (0,0) to[cI, l=$g V_x$] (2,0);  % Current controlled
\end{circuitikz}
Rendered output:
to[R, l=R1R_1]→Resistor with label R₁
to[C, l=C1C_1]→Capacitor with label C₁
to[V, l=VsV_s]→Voltage source with label Vs

​
Semiconductor Devices

​
Diodes and Transistors

\begin{circuitikz}
% Diode
\draw (0,0) to[D, l=$D_1$] (2,0);

% LED
\draw (0,0) to[leDo, l=LED] (2,0);

% Zener diode
\draw (0,0) to[zD, l=$D_z$] (2,0);

% Bipolar transistors
\draw (0,0) node[npn](npn1){Q1};
\draw (0,-2) node[pnp](pnp1){Q2};

% MOSFET
\draw (4,0) node[nmos](mos1){M1};
\draw (4,-2) node[pmos](mos2){M2};

% JFET
\draw (8,0) node[njfet](jfet1){J1};
\end{circuitikz}

​
Operational Amplifiers

\begin{circuitikz}
% Basic op-amp
\draw (0,0) node[op amp](opamp1){};

% With power supplies
\draw (0,-3) node[op amp, yscale=-1](opamp2){}
  (opamp2.up) node[above] {$+V_{CC}$}
  (opamp2.down) node[below] {$-V_{EE}$};

% Inverting amplifier circuit
\draw (0,0) node[op amp](opamp){}
  (opamp.+) to[R, l=$R_2$] ++(0,-2) node[ground]{}
  (opamp.-) to[R, l=$R_1$] ++(-3,0) to[sV, l=$V_{in}$] ++(0,-2) 
    node[ground]{}
  (opamp.-) to[R, l=$R_f$] ++(0,2) -| (opamp.out)
  (opamp.out) to[R, l=$R_L$] ++(2,0) node[ocirc, label=right:$V_{out}$]{};
\end{circuitikz}

​
Complex Circuits

​
Complete Circuit Example

\begin{circuitikz}[scale=1.2]
% Power supply
\draw (0,4) to[V, l=$12V$] (0,0)
  (0,4) to[short] (2,4)
  (0,0) node[ground]{};

% Voltage divider
\draw (2,4) to[R, l=$R_1=\SI{10}{k\ohm}$] (2,2)
  to[R, l=$R_2=\SI{5}{k\ohm}$] (2,0)
  (2,0) to[short] (0,0);

% Transistor amplifier
\draw (2,2) to[short] (3,2)
  (3,2) to[R, l=$R_B=\SI{47}{k\ohm}$] (5,2)
  (5,2) node[npn, anchor=base](Q1){Q1}
  (Q1.collector) to[R, l=$R_C=\SI{2.2}{k\ohm}$] (5,4)
  (5,4) to[short] (2,4)
  (Q1.emitter) to[R, l=$R_E=\SI{1}{k\ohm}$] (5,0)
  (5,0) to[short] (2,0);

% Output coupling
\draw (Q1.collector) to[C, l=$C_{out}=\SI{10}{\mu F}$] (7,3)
  to[R, l=$R_L=\SI{8}{\ohm}$] (7,0)
  (7,0) to[short] (5,0)
  (7,3) node[ocirc, label=right:Output]{};

% Input coupling
\draw (3,2) to[C, l=$C_{in}=\SI{1}{\mu F}$] (1,2)
  node[ocirc, label=left:Input]{};
\end{circuitikz}

​
Digital Logic Circuits

​
Logic Gates

\begin{circuitikz}
% Basic gates
\draw (0,0) node[and port](and1){};
\draw (0,-2) node[or port](or1){};
\draw (0,-4) node[not port](not1){};
\draw (4,0) node[xor port](xor1){};
\draw (4,-2) node[nand port](nand1){};
\draw (4,-4) node[nor port](nor1){};

% Labels
\draw (and1.out) node[right=5mm] {AND};
\draw (or1.out) node[right=5mm] {OR};
\draw (not1.out) node[right=5mm] {NOT};
\draw (xor1.out) node[right=5mm] {XOR};
\draw (nand1.out) node[right=5mm] {NAND};
\draw (nor1.out) node[right=5mm] {NOR};
\end{circuitikz}

​
Flip-Flops and Counters

\begin{circuitikz}
% D Flip-flop
\draw (0,0) node[flipflop D](ff1){}
  (ff1.bpin 1) node[left] {D}
  (ff1.bpin 2) node[left] {CLK}
  (ff1.bpin 6) node[right] {Q}
  (ff1.bpin 7) node[right] {$\overline{Q}$};

% JK Flip-flop
\draw (0,-4) node[flipflop JK](ff2){}
  (ff2.bpin 1) node[left] {J}
  (ff2.bpin 2) node[left] {CLK}
  (ff2.bpin 3) node[left] {K}
  (ff2.bpin 6) node[right] {Q}
  (ff2.bpin 7) node[right] {$\overline{Q}$};

% Clock signal
\draw (ff1.bpin 2) to[short] ++(-1,0)
  to[square voltage source, l=CLK] ++(0,-1.5)
  to[short] ++(1,0) to (ff2.bpin 2);
\end{circuitikz}

​
AC Circuit Analysis

​
Phasor Diagrams

\begin{circuitikz}
% AC source and impedances
\draw (0,0) to[sV, l=$V_s \angle 0°$] (0,3)
  to[R, l=$R=\SI{50}{\ohm}$] (3,3)
  to[L, l=$L=\SI{10}{mH}$] (6,3)
  to[C, l=$C=\SI{100}{\mu F}$] (6,0)
  to[short] (0,0);

% Phasor diagram
\begin{scope}[shift={(8,1.5)}, scale=1.5]
\draw[->] (0,0) -- (2,0) node[right] {Re};
\draw[->] (0,0) -- (0,2) node[above] {Im};
\draw[->, thick, red] (0,0) -- (1.5,0.8) 
  node[above right] {$V_R$};
\draw[->, thick, blue] (0,0) -- (0.5,1.5) 
  node[above left] {$V_L$};
\draw[->, thick, green] (0,0) -- (0.8,-0.6) 
  node[below right] {$V_C$};
\end{scope}
\end{circuitikz}

​
Specialized Components

​
Transformers and Coupled Circuits

\begin{circuitikz}
% Ideal transformer
\draw (0,0) to[L, l=$L_1$] (0,2)
  to[sV, l=$V_1$] (2,2)
  to[short] (2,0)
  to[short] (0,0);
\draw (3,0) to[L, l=$L_2$] (3,2)
  to[R, l=$R_L$] (5,2)
  to[short] (5,0)
  to[short] (3,0);
  
% Coupling
\draw[dashed] (0.5,1) -- (2.5,1);
\node at (1.5,1.2) {$k$};

% Center-tapped transformer
\draw (0,-4) to[L, l=$L_1$] (0,-2)
  to[sV, l=$V_{ac}$] (2,-2)
  to[short] (2,-4)
  to[short] (0,-4);
\draw (3,-4) to[L, l=$L_{2a}$] (3,-3)
  (3,-3) to[L, l=$L_{2b}$] (3,-2)
  to[short] (5,-2)
  to[D] (5,-3)
  to[D] (5,-4)
  to[short] (3,-4);
\draw (3,-3) to[short] (6,-3) node[ground]{};
\end{circuitikz}

​
Measurement and Test Equipment

​
Meters and Instruments

\begin{circuitikz}
% Voltmeter
\draw (0,0) to[V, l=V] (2,0);

% Ammeter
\draw (0,-1) to[A, l=A] (2,-1);

% Oscilloscope
\draw (4,0) node[oscilloscope](scope){}
  (scope.in 1) node[left] {CH1}
  (scope.in 2) node[left] {CH2};

% Function generator
\draw (0,-4) node[generator](gen){}
  (gen.out 1) node[right] {OUT}
  (gen.out 2) node[right] {GND};

% Multimeter
\draw (4,-4) node[multimeter](mm){MM}
  (mm.north) node[above] {Digital}
  (mm.south) node[below] {Multimeter};
\end{circuitikz}

​
Circuit Analysis Techniques

​
Node Voltage Analysis

% Circuit with node labels
\begin{circuitikz}
\draw (0,0) node[ground]{} 
  to[I, l=$I_s$] (0,2) 
  to[short] (2,2) coordinate(n1)
  to[R, l=$R_1$] (4,2) coordinate(n2)
  to[R, l=$R_2$] (4,0)
  to[short] (0,0);
\draw (n1) to[R, l=$R_3$] ++(0,-2) node[ground]{};
\draw (n2) to[I, l_=$I_o$, i_=$i_o$] ++(2,0) coordinate(n3)
  to[R, l=$R_L$] ++(0,-2) node[ground]{};

% Node labels
\node at (n1) [above] {$v_1$};
\node at (n2) [above] {$v_2$};
\node at (n3) [above] {$v_3$};

% Equations
\node at (2,-3) [align=left] {
Node 1: $\frac{v_1}{R_3} + \frac{v_1-v_2}{R_1} = I_s$ \\
Node 2: $\frac{v_2-v_1}{R_1} + \frac{v_2}{R_2} + \frac{v_2-v_3}{R_L} = 0$
};
\end{circuitikz}

​
Units and Measurements

​
Electronic Units with siunitx

% Basic electrical units
\SI{12}{V}                  % Voltage
\SI{2.5}{A}                 % Current
\SI{100}{\ohm}              % Resistance
\SI{10}{k\ohm}              % Kiloohms
\SI{1}{M\ohm}               % Megohms

% Capacitance and inductance
\SI{100}{\mu F}             % Microfarads
\SI{22}{pF}                 % Picofarads
\SI{10}{mH}                 % Millihenries
\SI{1}{\mu H}               % Microhenries

% Power and energy
\SI{25}{W}                  % Watts
\SI{100}{mW}                % Milliwatts
\SI{3.6}{kW.h}              % Kilowatt-hours

% Frequency
\SI{60}{Hz}                 % Hertz
\SI{1}{kHz}                 % Kilohertz
\SI{2.4}{GHz}               % Gigahertz

​
Component Values and Tolerances

​
Standard Component Values

% Resistor with tolerance
$R_1 = \SI{4.7}{k\ohm} \pm 5\%$

% Capacitor specifications
$C_1 = \SI{100}{\mu F}, \SI{25}{V}$

% Inductor with core material
$L_1 = \SI{1}{mH}$ (ferrite core)

% Transistor specifications
$\beta = 100$, $V_{CE(sat)} = \SI{0.2}{V}$

% Power ratings
$P_{max} = \SI{1/4}{W}$ at $\SI{25}{°C}$

​
Best Practices

Clear Component Labels

Always label components with both reference designators and values

Consistent Symbol Style

Use consistent symbols throughout your document

Proper Scaling

Scale circuits appropriately for readability

Ground References

Clearly indicate ground and reference points

​
Troubleshooting

Common issues:
  • Component overlap: Adjust node spacing for complex circuits
  • Label positioning: Use l=, l_=, l^= for different positions
  • Line thickness: Use thick or very thick for emphasis
  • Grid alignment: Use coordinates for precise component placement

​
Further Reading

Physics Notation

Physics equations and symbols

Creating Diagrams

Advanced TikZ diagrams

Tables Reference

Component specification tables

Mathematics

Mathematical analysis