pin diode tester

1: PIN Diode Tester Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering ABSTRACT: PIN diodes are used in solid state transmit-receive (TR) switches that allow either the transmitter or the receiver to communicate with the antenna while protecting the device not in use. In some devices, e.g. radar and radios, PIN diodes are required to handle powers on the order of 1 kW at radio frequencies (RF). The problem that a designer of solid state switches faces is testing the diodes and the switch circuit with stresses of high power. Test equipment that provides power of 1 kW is expensive to purchase or rent. One method to limit the need of a high power RF transmitter is to create resonant circuits that can provide either the high voltage or high current that would be seen from a high power source. High voltage can be achieved through series resonating circuits while high current can be produced with parallel resonating circuits. The circuits will be designed to resonate at several frequencies ranging between 10 MHz and 300 MHz. The PIN diode can be stressed with these tuned circuits and a designer would have the ability to find faults in the solid state TR switch being designed without the costs and dangers associated with a high power transmitter. The resonating circuits will provide solid state TR switch designers a low power and low cost method of testing PIN diodes. Authors: Philip Chan ESE ’05 Michael Chakardjian ESE ’05 Thomas Leonard ESE ’05 Advisor: Philip Farnum Demo Times: Thursday April 21st 10:00AM, 10:30AM, 11:00AM, 1:00PM Group number 17