Steady state (electronics)

In electronics, steady state is an equilibrium condition of a circuit or network that occurs as the effects of transients are no longer important. Steady state is reached (attained) after transient (initial, oscillating or turbulent) state has subsided. During steady state, a system is in relative stability. The term sinusoidal steady state emphasizes that sine waves of essentially-infinite duration may exist, as long as their amplitude and frequency remain constant.

Steady state determination is an important topic, because many design specifications of electronic systems are given in terms of the steady-state characteristics. Periodic steady-state solution is also a prerequisite for small signal dynamic modeling. Steady-state analysis is therefore an indispensable component of the design process.