CD4026

The CD4026 is a CMOS integrated circuit in the CD4000 family that functions as a decade counter with a built-in 7-segment display driver. It counts from 0 to 9 and drives the seven-segment outputs (labeled a through g) to form the corresponding numeral on a display. The device includes a clock input (CP) that advances the count on a rising edge and a master reset input (MR) that asynchronously clears the count to zero. A carry-out output (CO) is provided to cascade multiple devices for multi-digit displays.

On the output side, the seven segment lines are designed to directly drive standard LED displays with appropriate current-limiting resistors. The CD4026 can therefore be used as a compact, single-chip solution for displaying digits without a separate decoder for basic operation. It is typically powered from a supply in the CD4000 CMOS range, commonly 3 to 18 volts, and accepts CMOS-compatible input signals.

Applications for the CD4026 include digital clocks, numeric counters, timers, and other display-driven electronics where a counted value needs to be visibly shown. Its integrated decoding simplifies designs by combining counting and display-driving functions in one part, reducing component count for simple LED displays.

The device is widely used in hobbyist and professional projects due to its straightforward operation, low power draw, and compatibility with standard 7-segment displays. Related components in the CD4000 family offer alternative counting and display-driving configurations for more complex displays or cascaded digits.