The recently announced curve tracer? Nothing new, really... Create your own! :-)

[THDplusN_bad]

Good Day to the forum members,

please do not get this posting wrong, as I do not want to come across as arrogant.

My intention is to encourage and inspire other users to be creative with their Digilent hardware.

So, please forgive me as I had to smile when I read the announcement of the new Transistor Tester Adapter and Curve Tracer Instrument a few days ago. Introducing-the-transistor-tester-adapter-and-curve-tracer-instrument
As it is fairly easy to configure your Digilent hardware to work as a curve tracer, assuming you have a good understanding of how a curve tracer actually works. I have done this for my EExplorer board several years ago - screenshots attached.

• Setup details for a curve tracer for three-terminal devices such as BJT-transistors:
  • You simply attach a current sensing resistor (such as 10k Ohms or 100k Ohms) for I base, a source-limiting resistor for I collector (such as 10 Ohm or 100 Ohm) to your device under test/DUT.
  • Configure the dual-channel arbitrary generator to generate a voltage ramp signal and a step signal as illustrated below. (Side note: The screenshots below indicate Demo Mode as I do not have access to the hardware at this point).
  • Connect the current sensing and voltage sweep signals to the oscilloscope and define some simple math channels.
  • Connect the DUT
• Done. ? Happy curve tracing.
• Admittedly, this measurement setup does not include the relais switching and comfort of the ready-out-of-the-box curve tracer adapter. Again, try to be creative with the equipment you already have available...

Side note:
I will try out the new "curve tracer" function as provided in the most recent WaveForms update (3.16.3).
Thanks to the Digilent support team for your hard work, regular updates and support for API programming and 3rd party drivers. Your dedication and support is what makes your products useful for us, your customers.

Cheers,

THDplusN_bad

[attila]

Hi @THDplusN_bad

You are right. The measurements can also be done with a custom setup on a breadboard using Wavegen and Scope XY view.

The Curve Tracer instrument highly simplifies the software setup. You don't have to worry about the configuration of Wavegen channels, synchronization and triggering of Scope. The Tracer also takes in account the current sink of the probes, skips the samples at the step transitions, shows voltage drop, currents, hFE, Rds, offers cursors, export, 3D view...
It can be use with and without adapter. In later case the circuit diagram shows the necessary wiring.

The Transistor Tester Adapter for Analog Discovery can perform various setups/measurements using the onboard relays, lets you do up to 10V swing.

[THDplusN_bad]

Good Day Attila,

thank you for your reply.
As expressed earlier, my posting was primarily intended to inspire other users.

For those interested in creating their own configuration for curve-tracing, I have also provided some step-by-step instructions.
This shall help with a self-paced learning of the principles in curve-tracing. In that sense, I trust my write-up is useful for other users.

Cheers,

THDplusN_bad