GB55-7 |
Peak Atlas DCA |
Semiconductor Component Analyser |
Model DCA55 |
User Guide |
© Peak Electronic Design Limited 2000/2007 |
In the interests of development, information in this guide is subject to change without notice - E&OE |
electronic design ltd |
Atlas DCA User Guide |
October 2007 – Rev 7 |
Want to use it now?
We understand that you want to use your ATLAS DCA right now. The unit is ready to go and you should have little need to refer to this user guide, but please make sure that you do at least take a look at the notices on page 4!
Contents |
Page |
Introduction.................................................................................... |
3 |
Important Considerations............................................................... |
4 |
Analysing semiconductors ............................................................. |
5 |
Diodes...................................................................................... |
7 |
Diode Networks....................................................................... |
8 |
LEDs........................................................................................ |
9 |
Bicolour LEDs....................................................................... |
10 |
Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs)....................................... |
11 |
Enhancement Mode MOSFETs ............................................. |
18 |
Depletion Mode MOSFETs................................................... |
19 |
Junction FETs (JFETs) .......................................................... |
20 |
Thyristors (SCRs) and Triacs................................................. |
21 |
Taking care of your ATLAS DCA.................................................... |
22 |
Battery replacement............................................................... |
22 |
Self Tests ............................................................................... |
23 |
Appendix A - Technical Specifications........................................ |
24 |
Appendix B - Warranty Information............................................ |
25 |
Appendix C - Disposal information ............................................. |
26 |
Page 2
Atlas DCA User Guide |
October 2007 – Rev 7 |
Introduction
The PEAK ATLAS DCA is an intelligent semiconductor analyser that offers great features together with refreshing simplicity. The ATLAS DCA brings a world of component data to your fingertips.
Summary Features:
•Automatic component type identification
Bipolar transistors
Darlington transistors
Enhancement Mode MOSFETs
Depletion Mode MOSFETs
Junction FETs
Low power sensitive Triacs
Low power sensitive Thyristors
Light Emitting Diodes
Bicolour LEDs
Diodes
Diode networks
•Automatic pinout identification, just connect any way round.
•Special feature identification such as diode protection and resistor shunts.
•Gain measurement for bipolar transistors.
•Leakage current measurement for bipolar transistors.
•Silicon and Germanium detection for bipolar transistors.
•Gate threshold measurement for Enhancement Mode MOSFETs.
•Semiconductor forward voltage measurement for diodes, LEDs and transistor Base-Emitter junctions.
•Automatic and manual power-off.
Page 3
Atlas DCA User Guide |
October 2007 – Rev 7 |
Important Considerations
Please observe the following guidelines:
•This instrument must NEVER be connected to powered equipment/components or equipment/components with any stored energy (e.g. charged capacitors). Failure to comply with this warning may result in personal injury, damage to the equipment under test, damage to the ATLAS DCA and invalidation of the manufacturer’s warranty.
•The ATLAS DCA is designed to analyse semiconductors that are not in-circuit, otherwise complex circuit effects will result in erroneous measurements.
•Avoid rough treatment or hard knocks.
•This unit is not waterproof.
•Only use a good quality Alkaline battery.
Page 4
Atlas DCA User Guide |
October 2007 – Rev 7 |
Analysing Components |
|
The ATLAS DCA is designed to analyse discrete, |
|
unconnected, unpowered components. |
This |
ensures that external connections don’t influence
the measured parameters. The three test probes can be
connected to the component any way round. If the component has only two terminals, then any pair of the three test probes can be used.
Peak Atlas DCA
is analysing....
The ATLAS DCA will start component analysis when the on-test button is pressed.
Depending on the component type, analysis may take a few seconds to complete, after which, the results of the analysis are displayed. Information is displayed a “page” at a time, each page can be displayed by briefly pressing the scroll-off button.
The arrow symbol on the display indicates that more pages are available to be viewed.
Although the ATLAS DCA will switch itself off if left unattended, you can manually switch the unit off by holding down the scroll-off button for a couple of seconds.
Page 5
Atlas DCA User Guide
If the ATLAS DCA cannot detect any component between any of the test probes, the following message will be displayed:
If the component is not a supported component type, a faulty component or a component that is being tested incircuit, the analysis may result in the following message being displayed:
Some components may be faulty due to a shorted junction between a pair of the probes. If this is the case, the following message (or similar) will be displayed:
If all three probes are shorted (or very low resistance) then the following message will be displayed:
October 2007 – Rev 7
No component detected
Unknown/Faulty component
Short circuit on Green Blue
Short circuit on Red Green Blue
It is possible that the ATLAS DCA may detect one or more diode junctions or other component type within an unknown or faulty part. This is because many semiconductors comprise of PN (diode) junctions. Please refer to the section on diodes and diode networks for more information.
Page 6
Atlas DCA User Guide |
October 2007 – Rev 7 |
Diodes
The ATLAS DCA will analyse almost any type of diode. Any pair of the three test clips can be connected to the diode, any way round. If the unit detects a single diode, the following message will be displayed:
Diode or diode junction(s)
RED GREEN BLUE
Anod Cath
Forward voltage Vf=0.67V
Test current If=4.62mA
Pressing the scroll-off
button will then display the pinout for the diode. In this example, the Anode of the diode is connected to the Red test clip and the Cathode is connected to the Green test clip, additionally, the Blue test clip is unconnected. The forward voltage drop is then displayed, this gives an indication of the diode technology. In this example, it is likely that the diode is a silicon diode. A germanium or Schottky diode may yield a forward voltage of about 0.25V. The current at which the diode was tested is also displayed.
Note that the ATLAS DCA will detect only one diode even if two diodes are connected in series when the third test clip is not connected to the junction between the diodes. The forward voltage drop displayed however will be the voltage across the whole series combination.
The ATLAS DCA will determine that the diode(s) under test is an LED if the measured forward voltage drop exceeds 1.50V. Please refer to the section on LED analysis for more information.
Page 7
Atlas DCA User Guide |
October 2007 – Rev 7 |
Diode Networks
The ATLAS DCA will intelligently identify popular types of three terminal diode networks. For three terminal devices such as SOT-23 diode networks, the three test clips must all
be connected, any way round. The instrument will identify the type of diode network and then display information regarding each detected diode in sequence. The following types of diode networks are automatically recognised by the ATLAS DCA:
Common cathode diode network
Common anode diode network
Series
diode network
Following the component identification, the details of each diode in the network will be displayed.
Firstly, the pinout for the diode is displayed, followed by the electrical information, forward voltage drop and the current at which the diode was tested. The value of the test current depends on the measured forward voltage drop of the diode.
Both cathodes connected together, such as the BAV70 device.
Anodes of each diode are connected together, the BAW56W is an example.
Here, each diode is connected in series. An example is the BAV99.
Pinout for D1...
RED GREEN BLUE
Cath Anod
Forward voltage D1 Vf=0.64V
Following the display of all the details for the first diode, the details of the second diode will then be displayed.
Page 8
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