Is a curve tracer beneficial for devices in the FW/PASS amps we build?

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kilohertz

kilohertz

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Joined 2006
#1
I'm getting ready to build a new workbench for the winter silly season of building madness and am in the process of digging out all of my test gear etc.. One item I restored and calibrated a few years ago is a really nice Tektronix 575 curve tracer, but it's approximately the size of a house and I would have to make a rather large space to accommodate it. I know we can static match Idss and such with a simple DVM and test jig, just wondering if a curve tracer would be of benefit for matching JFETS, MOSFETS and SITs (if I ever find any) .

Thanks all,

Cheers

DSC_7507.JPG
 
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#3
mordikai said:
Dude, that is so cool you should make room whether you use it or not. Turn it on have a cup of tea and get to work, sounds awesome.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately I would have to run it with the covers on so as to keep my cat alive, the glowing cool factor would be lost. Maybe the cat would like to live outside this winter. 😱

Between the test gear and FW amps running, I would probably not need to light the wood stove.

Cheers
 
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#6
Seriously, we curve-tracer-match all our devices to <<1% for all our projects,
This gives you the best chance of distortion cancellation in balanced / push-pull circuitry.
But this can only be done if you have a large pool of devices to match from.
AND your equipment is more much accurate than 0.5% and allows you to download the measurement data.

Probably not possible with your Tektronics ?


Patrick
 
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#9
EUVL said:
But this can only be done if you have a large pool of devices to match from.
AND your equipment is more much accurate than 0.5% and allows you to download the measurement data.

Probably not possible with your Tektronics ?
Click to expand...

I don't recall seeing a USB port on the old Tek 🤣 and I have no idea what the accuracy is. I think the only way to download data from it would be to take a picture of the scope screen. 🙂

Well, it sounds like it is something I should have available, maybe not in prime real estate, but in the room available when needed.

Cheers
 
#15
I looked into this and couldn’t find a solution that could do both tubes and SS and especially that intermediate region of 50V-150V at >1A of current. The uTracer6 gets close.

My solution is Mike’s Frankentracer. With the ubiquitous Rigol DS1054Z, you can get this type of output, which is fine for what I need but may not be enough for you:
64BFFAD2-ABE5-4BC4-9C73-952C70F2985E.png
 
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#16
ra7 said:
I looked into this and couldn’t find a solution that could do both tubes and SS and especially that intermediate region of 50V-150V at >1A of current. The uTracer6 gets close.

My solution is Mike’s Frankentracer. With the ubiquitous Rigol DS1054Z, you can get this type of output, which is fine for what I need but may not be enough for you:
View attachment 1102886
Click to expand...
Any chance that image is for K2087?
 
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