This Curve Tracer is an add-on board.

No SMD soldering is required.

The board is only intended to be used with a genuine Analog Discovery 2™ hardware, WaveForms software and accompanying WaveForms workspace.

Update: KS Curve Tracer software (Option B) is now recommended.

Update: (no longer) Experimental KS Curve Tracer software.

Just follow the "Option B: KS Curve Tracer app" section down below.

What is it?

According to Wikipedia, > A semiconductor curve tracer is a specialized piece of electronic test equipment used to analyze the characteristics of discrete semiconductor devices such as diodes, transistors, and thyristors.

This one is implemented as an add-on module for Digilent's awesome Analog Discovery 2™.

How to use

Plug in the add-on board

Plug in the add-on into Analog Discovery 2™ as shown in the product photos.

Option A (not recommended anymore): WaveForms™ workspace

Download the ".dwf3work" workspace file from WaveForms workspace.

Open it with WaveForms software.

I'm assuming here that you're using Tabbed Interface in WaveForms: Settings -> Options -> General -> Instrument windows: Tabbed.

Insert the device under test, according to pinout given below.

Click "Play" button on the "Script" tab in WaveForms.

Switch to the "Scope" tab.

Option B (recommended): KS Curve Tracer app

Download the latest release.

Follow the KS Curve Tracer installation instructions

Select the device type. Use PN for diodes, NPN or PNP for BJTs, NFET or PFET for MOSFETs and JFETs.

Insert the device under test, according to pinout shown on the right pane.

Click the Trace button.

Pinout

The IC socket has 2 rows: one for diodes and one for transistors.

Diodes

Use the row closest to the board-to-board connection header. The pin closer to the centre of the board is anode, the rest are cathode.

Transistors

Use the row furthest from the board-to-board connection header and closest to the edge of the board.

From the middle of the board to the edge:

1. Collector / Drain
2. Base / Gate
3. Emitter / Source
4. Collector / Drain
5. Base / Gate
6. Emitter / Source
7. Collector / Drain

Collector / Drain and Emitter / Source are specified for NPN BJTs and N-channel FETs. Swap Collector and Emitter For PNPs, Drain and Source P-channel FETs.

Disclaimers

Analog Discovery 2™ is not included!

Up-to-date documentation

The most up-to-date documentation is always available on Product page.