Standby current and quiescent current are closely related but refer to slightly different conditions of operation in electronic circuits, especially in ICs like and microcontrollers.
| Parameter | Standby Current (ISTBY) | Quiescent Current (IQ) |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | The current drawn when the device is in standby mode (partially powered, minimal functions active). | The current drawn when the device is powered on but not switching or doing any active work (no load). |
| Operating Mode | Device is in a low-power state (e.g., sleep, standby, waiting for wake-up). | Device is in normal operation, but idle — not processing, not driving load. |
| Purpose | Indicates power consumption during low-power or sleep states. | Indicates internal biasing and leakage current of active circuits when idle. |
| Typical Value | Much lower (nanoamps to microamps range). | Higher than standby current but still small (microamps to milliamps, depending on IC). |
| Example | A microcontroller in deep-sleep mode drawing 2 µA. | A voltage regulator outputting no current but consuming 50 µA internally. |
| Usage Context | Used to define battery drain during sleep or inactive time. | Used to define efficiency of regulators, op-amps, or logic ICs at no load. |
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