The question is whether or not you want to replace the sweep and step voltages with DACs.? Digitizing the existing display drivers is more of a "clip on" approach while putting DACs in would (to me) require more rework.
Harvey
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On 11/2/2021 12:57 PM, SCMenasian wrote:
If I were undertaking a project of this sort, I would not attempt to digitize the analog display.
Instead, I would use a DAC to program the collector (drain) voltage and another to program the base (gate) current/(voltage) and an ADC to digitize the resulting collector (drain) current.
An arduino (or other embedded processor) would drive the DACs and acquire the data
(possibly using its internal analog-digital circuitry) and send the result via USB (or other) to an external PC for display, storage and further processing.
The whole thing could be quite simple and small - the most difficult part being the replacement of the
mains driven Collector voltage supply with a DAC controlled high voltage regulated supply.
Basically, I am thinking of a modern curve tracer as a multiparameter data acquisition system. It wouldn't
need blazing speed; so a flash ADC wouldn't be necessary to keep up with the legacy CRT display.
Stephen Menasian
