Introduction

Today, we will build a transistor curve tracer using Box0.
We will give current in Base, and read the current throught collector to emitter At a given voltage on collector.

Connection

Code

import box0
import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

# some constant
RESISTANCE_BASE = 100e3
RESISTANCE_COLLECTOR = 330

# allocate the appropriate resources
dev = box0.usb.open_supported()
ain0 = dev.ain(0)
aout0 = dev.aout(0)

# prepare the resources

ain0.static_prepare()
ain0.chan_seq.current = [0, 1, 2, 3]
ain0.speed.current = 100000 # 100KSPS
ain0.bitsize.current = 12

aout0.static_prepare()
aout0.chan_seq.current = [0, 1]
aout0.speed.current = 100000 # 100KSPS
aout0.bitsize.current = 12

def set_voltage(ch0, ch1):
    """Set voltage on AOUT0 pin"""
    global aout0

    # try to stop aout0 (from previous start)
    try: aout0.static_stop()
    except: pass

    data = np.array([ch0, ch1])
    aout0.static_start(data)

def get_voltage():
    """Get voltage on AIN0 pin"""
    global ain0

    data = np.empty(1000)
    ain0.static_start(data)

    ch0 = np.mean(data[0::4])
    ch1 = np.mean(data[1::4])
    ch2 = np.mean(data[2::4])
    ch3 = np.mean(data[3::4])

    return ch0, ch1, ch2, ch3

def pretty_title_from_base_current(value):
    """return a pretty title using base input current"""
    prefix = ""
    if value < 1e-3:
        prefix = "$\mu$"
        value *= 1e6
    elif base_current < 1:
        prefix = "m"
        value *= 1e3
    return r&apos;$I_{b}$ = %.3f%sA&apos; % (value, prefix)

colors = [&apos;#ff7f0e&apos;, &apos;#2ca02c&apos;, &apos;#d62728&apos;, &apos;#7f7f7f&apos;, &apos;#9467bd&apos;, &apos;#8c564b&apos;]
for aout0_ch0 in [0.4, 0.7, 0.9, 1.1, 1.3, 1.5]:
    arr_current_base = []
    arr_curent_collector = []
    arr_voltage_collector_emitter = []

    for aout0_ch1 in np.arange(0, 3, 0.05):
        # set the values
        set_voltage(aout0_ch0, aout0_ch1)

        # get the values
        ain0_ch0, ain0_ch1, ain0_ch2, ain0_ch3 = get_voltage()

        # do the calculation
        current_base = (ain0_ch0 - ain0_ch2) / RESISTANCE_BASE
        curent_collector = (ain0_ch1 - ain0_ch3) / RESISTANCE_COLLECTOR
        voltage_collector_emitter = ain0_ch3

        # append to list
        arr_current_base.append(current_base)
        arr_curent_collector.append(curent_collector)
        arr_voltage_collector_emitter.append(voltage_collector_emitter)

    # plot it
    title = pretty_title_from_base_current(np.mean(arr_current_base))
    color = colors.pop(0)
    arr_curent_collector = [x * 1e3 for x in arr_curent_collector] # to mA
    line = plt.plot(arr_voltage_collector_emitter, arr_curent_collector, label=title, color=color, linewidth=2)
    plt.text(arr_voltage_collector_emitter[-1], arr_curent_collector[-1], title, fontsize=13, color=color)

# try to stop aout0 (from previous start)
try: aout0.static_stop()
except: pass

# close the resources
ain0.close()
aout0.close()
dev.close()

#plt.legend()
plt.grid(True)
plt.xlabel(r"$V_{ce}$ (V)")
plt.ylabel(r"$I_{c}$ (mA)")
plt.show()

Output