This paper describes a novel miniature microcontroller based curve tracing circuit, which was designed to monitor the environmental effects on Silicon Carbide Junction Field Effect Transistor (SiC JFET) device performance, while exposed to the low earth orbit environment onboard the International Space Station (ISS) as a resident experiment on the 7th Materials on the International Space Station Experiment (MISSE7). Specifically, the microcontroller circuit was designed to operate autonomously and was flown on the external structure of the ISS for over a year. This curve tracing circuit is capable of measuring current vs. voltage (I-V) characteristics of transistors and diodes. The circuit is current limited for low current devices and is specifically designed to test high temperature, high drain-to-source resistance SiC JFETs. The results of each I-V data set are transmitted serially to an external telemetered communication interface. This paper discusses the circuit architecture, its design, and presents example results.
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February 2015
Research Article|
February 19 2015
A miniature microcontroller curve tracing circuit for space flight testing transistors
N. Prokop;
N. Prokop
1
NASA John H. Glenn Research Center
, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44135, USA
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L. Greer;
L. Greer
1
NASA John H. Glenn Research Center
, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44135, USA
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M. Krasowski
;
M. Krasowski
1
NASA John H. Glenn Research Center
, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44135, USA
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J. Flatico;
J. Flatico
2
Ohio Aerospace Institute, NASA Glenn Research Center
, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44135, USA
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D. Spina
D. Spina
3Jacobs Technology,
NASA Glenn Research Center
, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44135, USA
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N. Prokop
1
L. Greer
1
M. Krasowski
1
J. Flatico
2
D. Spina
3
1
NASA John H. Glenn Research Center
, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44135, USA
2
Ohio Aerospace Institute, NASA Glenn Research Center
, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44135, USA
3Jacobs Technology,
NASA Glenn Research Center
, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, Ohio 44135, USA
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 86, 024707 (2015)
Article history
Received:
July 21 2014
Accepted:
February 02 2015
Citation
N. Prokop, L. Greer, M. Krasowski, J. Flatico, D. Spina; A miniature microcontroller curve tracing circuit for space flight testing transistors. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1 February 2015; 86 (2): 024707. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4908163
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