Tri Flop A 30-Year-Old Circuit (Ternary)

The Tri Flop circuit operates as a discrete ternary memory cell built using diode-transistor logic (DTL) principles, operating entirely within the analog domain without a clock signal or refresh cycle. Powered by a B+ direct current power supply, the core of the system relies on interconnected discrete transistors, such as the 2N3904 NPN type, working alongside an arrangement of diodes and biasing resistors. Unlike standard binary memory elements that settle into only two distinct states (high or low, corresponding to 0 and 1), this configuration utilizes specific voltage thresholds and current routing to maintain three stable states. The diodes direct current flow and logic levels through the resistor networks, while the transistors act as active switching elements that reinforce the chosen discrete voltage levels across the nodes. Because the circuit topology maintains these states statically through continuous DC biasing, the stored ternary value remains latched indefinitely as long as power is applied from the B+ supply, eliminating the dynamic refresh requirements of capacitive memory cells.