Re: Curve Tracers

On 11/20/2024 3:30 PM, john larkin wrote:

On Wed, 20 Nov 2024 10:43:34 -0500, bitrex <user@example.net> wrote:
 

On 11/20/2024 6:32 AM, Cursitor Doom wrote:

Gentlemen,
>
Curve tracers reveal useful info about the dynamic characteristics of
semiconductors and make designing for same much more predictable and
dependable than relying on spice models and simulation alone. But they're
typically rare beasts and expensive to come by and boat anchor varieties
are seriously heavy and bulky.
   I think therefore that a curve tracer would make an excellent project,
using the X&Y inputs of a scope as the display. Has anyone here attempted
this? I'd be interested to know what the main challenges are likely to be.
>
-CD

>
>
A bit more modern way to do this is get one of those HP data acquisition
units like a 34970A with a multiplexer card, and a multi-output PSU that
can both be controlled over GP-IB

 GPIB ain't modern! It's 50 years old.

I said "a bit" more modern! I like my plots on a PC screen not on an analog scope!

Ever read the actual spec? The state diagrams will give you nightmares
for weeks.

I haven't had to thankfully. I have a few pieces of HP-IB gear (Agilent E3631 bench supply, frequency counter, couple of bench multimeters) and they all connect to a Linux PC via a USB dongle, and I can use them in Python scripts with PyVisa:
<https://pyvisa.readthedocs.io/en/latest/>
All works very well considering. And there's a surplus dealer south of Boston where I can get nice ex-MIT Belkin cables at $10 a piece 8-)