I found a new type of mechanical switch that might work well for the diode experiments, a Knife switch --> This particular switch is sold by Radio Shack, but is also sold by a store in UK. Although I have not tested this switch yet, it should have ultra high off resistance far above 10 ...
2009-08-13 15:55:25
[continued from New diode testing design] Each latched reed relays will be powered by a battery that is controlled by a phototransistor, which is controlled by a beam of light shining through a pin hole in the hammond shield. The phototransistor will be inside the Hammond shield. The LED that shines light on the ...
2009-07-05 23:11:55
The present design for the new diode testing setup is same as previously outlined with one exception. There will be *NO* electrical wires entering or exiting the Hammond shield. I will go back to my original fiber optic cable method. A fiber optic cable consists of the fiber, which is usually coated with a resin ...
2009-07-05 17:16:15
My goal is to complete the stage 4b diode testing phase by the end of November, 2009. Hopefully within two to three weeks stages 4a and 4b will begin. Stage 4a will consist of testing dozens of unique diodes. Stage 4b is about taking a gamble that a specific diode will meet my minimum requirements that the specific ...
2009-07-03 17:43:17
After looking at two major manufactures, it appears the metalized mylar bags is not such a good idea after all. The metal layer is sandwiched between two layers of insulation, so there's no way of properly sealing the bag. I'm certain the DMM will not need shielding if the following method is used --> New diode ...
2009-07-02 23:16:02
Edit: This is not such a good idea after. Please read why. A EE sent me an email with a great idea! Put the DMM or just everything inside an Aluminum metalized bag --> http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=SCP162-ND These bag have a thin metal layer that makes the mage semitraspent. ...
2009-07-02 21:46:15
Here's the hot setup. Outline --> Electrometer, batteries, and diodes to be tested are inside metal chassis. Electrometer is always off except for while measuring diode DC voltages. Electrometer output goes to *very* thin twisted copper enamel coated wire, which goes through a very small chassis pin hole. ...
2009-07-02 20:11:01
Building a simple inexpensive 1N4148WS diode array to prove for yourself that diodes produce a DC voltage: It should not take that many 1N4148WS diodes in-series to produce 1 mV. By my calculations, it would take ~ just 17 of the 1N4148WS undisturbed diodes connected in-series to produce 1 mV. The price of the ...
2009-07-01 16:34:11
Todays IR Photodiode test might be the last for awhile. From Hawaii, Charles M. Brown mailed me a THz diode array chip to test, made by Virginia Diodes. It just arrived a few minutes ago. I have already dismantled part of the IR Photodiode setup, and hope to start building the new multi diode testing setup today. A ...
2009-06-18 19:39:17
Edit: Note, this design is now out of date, and has been replaced with New diode testing design. One nice diode testing methods uses mechanical tilt switches (do not use Mercury switches, as their resistance is too low), that offers no measurable effect on the diode and the measured DC voltage. Such switches are $1.89 ...
2009-06-16 16:44:16