Tunnel Diode – Working, Characteristics, Applications

What is a Tunnel Diode?

A Tunnel Diode is a heavily doped p-n junction diode. The tunnel diode shows negative resistance. When voltage value increases, current flow decreases. Tunnel diode works based on Tunnel Effect.

The following image shows the symbol of a Tunnel Diode.

Leo Esaki invented Tunnel diode in August 1957. Therefore, it is also called as Esaki diode. The materials used for this diode are Germanium, Gallium arsenide and other silicon materials. Tunnel diode shows a negative resistance in their operating range. So, it can be used as amplifier, oscillators and in any switching circuits.

Width of the Depletion Region in Tunnel Diode

When mobile charge carriers both free electrons and holes are missing, the region in a p-n junction has a region called Depletion region. To stop the flow of electrons from the n-type semiconductor and holes from the p-type semiconductor, depletion region acts as a barrier.

Depending on the number of impurities added, width of depletion region varies. To increase electrical conductivity of the p-type and n-type semiconductor impurities are added. A wide and big depletion region is formed when a smaller number of impurities is added to p-n junction diode. At the same time, when a greater number of impurities is added, narrow depletion region occurs.

The p-type and n-type semiconductor is heavily doped in a tunnel diode due to a greater number of impurities. Heavy doping results in a narrow depletion region. When compared to a normal p-n junction diode, tunnel diode has a narrow depletion width. Therefore, when small amount of voltage is applied, it produces enough electric current in the tunnel diode.

Tunneling Effect

In electronics, Tunneling is known as a direct flow of electrons across the small depletion region from n-side conduction band into the p-side valence band. In a p-n junction diode, both positive and negative ions form the depletion region. Due to these ions, in-built electric potential or electric field is present in the depletion region. This electric field gives an electric force to the opposite direction of externally applied voltage.

As the width of the depletion layer reduces, charge carriers can easily cross the junction. Charge carriers do not need any form of kinetic energy to move across the junction. Instead, carriers punch through junction. This effect is called Tunneling and hence the diode is called Tunnel Diode.

Due to Tunneling, when the value of forward voltage is low value of forward current generated will be high. It can operate in forward biased as well as in reverse biased. Due to high doping, it can operate in reverse biased. Due to the reduction in barrier potential, the value of reverse breakdown voltage also reduces. It reaches a value of zero. Due to this small reverse voltage leads to diode breakdown. Hence, this creates negative resistance region.

Tunnel Diode Working Phenomenon

Unbiased Tunnel Diode

In an unbiased tunnel diode, no voltage will be applied to the tunnel diode. Here, due to heavy doping conduction band of n – type semiconductor overlaps with valence band of p – type material. Electrons from n side and holes from p side overlap with each other and they will be at same energy level.

Some electrons tunnel from the conduction band of n-region to the valence band of p-region when temperature increases. Similarly, holes will move from valence band of p-region to the conduction band of n-region. Finally, the net current will be zero since equal numbers of electrons are holes flow in opposite direction.

P α e (-A *E *b *W)

P – Probability that the particle crosses the barrier

W – Width of the barrier

E – Energy of the barrier

Small Voltage Applied to the Tunnel Diode

When a small voltage, that has lesser value than the built-in voltage of the depletion layer, is applied to the tunnel diode, there is no flow of forward current through the junction. Nevertheless, a minimal number of electrons from the conduction band of n region will start tunneling to valence band in p region.

Therefore, this movement creates a small forward biased tunnel current. When a small voltage is applied, tunnel current starts to flow.

Increased Voltage Applied to the Tunnel Diode

When the amount of voltage applied is increased, the number of free electrons generated at n side and holes at p side is also increased. Due to voltage increase, overlapping between the bands are also increased.

Maximum tunnel current flows when the energy level of n-side conduction band and the energy level of a p-side valence band becomes equal.

Further Increased Voltage Applied to the Tunnel Diode

A further increase in the applied voltage will cause a slight misalignment of the conduction band and valence band. Still there will be an overlap between conduction band and valence band. The electrons move from conduction band to valence band of p region. Therefore, this causes small current to flow. Hence, tunnel current starts decreasing.

Largely Increased Voltage Applied to the Tunnel Diode

The tunneling current will be zero when applied voltage is increased more to the maximum. At this voltage levels, the valence band and the conduction band does not overlap. This makes tunnel diode to operate same as a PN junction diode.

When applied voltage is more than the built-in potential of the depletion layer the forward current starts flowing through the tunnel diode. In this condition, current portion in the curve decreases when the voltage increases and this is the negative resistance of tunnel diode. Such diodes operating in negative resistance region is used as amplifier or oscillator.

V-I Characteristics of Tunnel Diode

Due to forward biasing, because of heavy doping conduction happens in the diode. The maximum current that a diode reaches is Ip and voltage applied is Vp. The current value decreases, when more amount of voltage is applied. Current keeps decreasing until it reaches a minimal value.

The small minimal value of current is Iv. From the above graph, it is seen that from point A to B current reduces when voltage increases. That is the negative resistance region of diode. In this region, tunnel diode produces power instead of absorbing it.

Applications of Tunnel Diode

• Tunnel diode can be used as a switch, amplifier, and oscillator.
• Since it shows a fast response, it is used as high frequency component.
• Tunnel diode acts as logic memory storage device.
• They are used in oscillator circuits, and in FM receivers. Since it is a low current device, it is not used more.

The post Tunnel Diode – Working, Characteristics, Applications appeared first on Electronics Hub.

Making a transparent flexible material of silk and nanotubes

The silk fibers produced by Bombyx mori, the domestic silkworm, has been prized for millennia as a strong yet lightweight and luxurious material. Although synthetic polymers like nylon and polyester are less costly, they do not compare to silk's natural qualities and mechanical properties. And according to new research, silk combined with carbon nanotubes may lead to a new generation of biomedical devices and so-called transient, biodegradable electronics.

What is a Photodiode? Working, Characteristics, Applications

What is a Photodiode?

It is a form of light-weight sensor that converts light energy into electrical voltage or current. Photodiode is a type of semi conducting device with PN junction. Between the p (positive) and n (negative) layers, an intrinsic layer is present. The photo diode accepts light energy as input to generate electric current.

It is also called as Photodetector, photo sensor or light detector. Photo diode operates in reverse bias condition i.e. the p – side of the photodiode is connected with negative terminal of battery (or the power supply) and n – side to the positive terminal of battery.

Typical photodiode materials are Silicon, Germanium, Indium Gallium Arsenide Phosphide and Indium gallium arsenide.

Internally, a photodiode has optical filters, built in lens and a surface area. When surface area of photodiode increases, it results in more response time. Few photo diodes will look like Light Emitting Diode (LED). It has two terminals as shown below. The smaller terminal acts as cathode and longer terminal acts as anode.

The symbol of the photodiode is similar to that of an LED but the arrows point inwards as opposed to outwards in the LED. The following image shows the symbol of a photodiode.

Working of a Photodiode

Generally, when a light is made to illuminate the PN junction, covalent bonds are ionized. This generates hole and electron pairs. Photocurrents are produced due to generation of electron-hole pairs. Electron hole pairs are formed when photons of energy more than 1.1eV hits the diode. When the photon enters the depletion region of diode, it hits the atom with high energy. This results in release of electron from atom structure. After the electron release, free electrons and hole are produced.

In general, an electron will have negative charge and holes will have a positive charge. The depletion energy will have built in electric filed. Due to that electric filed, electron hole pairs moves away from the junction. Hence, holes move to anode and electrons move to cathode to produce photo current.   The photon absorption intensity and photon energy are directly proportional to each other. When energy of photos is less, the absorption will be more. This entire process is known as Inner Photoelectric Effect.

Intrinsic Excitations and Extrinsic Excitations are the two methods via which the photon excitation happens. The process of intrinsic excitation happens, when an electron in the valence band is excited by photon to conduction band.

Also read “Different Types of Sensors“

Modes of operation of a Photo Diode

Photodiode operates in three different modes namely Photovoltaic mode, Photoconductive mode and Avalanche diode mode.

Photovoltaic Mode

This is otherwise called as Zero Bias mode. When a photodiode operates low frequency applications and ultra-level light applications, this mode is preferred. When photodiode is irradiated by flash of light, voltage is produced. The voltage produced will be in very small dynamic range and it has a non-linear characteristic. When photodiode is configured with OP-AMP in this mode, there will be a very less variation with temperature.

Photoconductive Mode

In this mode, photodiode will act in reverse biased condition. Cathode will be positive and anode will be negative. When the reverse voltage increases, the width of the depletion layer also increases. Due to this the response time and junction capacitance will be reduced. Comparatively this mode of operation is fast and produces electronic noise.

Transimpedance amplifiers are used as preamplifiers for photodiodes. Modes of Such amplifiers keep the voltage maintains to be constant to make photo diode operate in the photoconductive mode.

Avalanche Diode Mode

In this mode, avalanche diode operates at a high reverse bias condition. It allows multiplication of an avalanche breakdown to each photo-produced electron-hole pair. Hence, this produces internal gain within photodiode. The internal gain increases the device response.

Connecting a Photodiode in an External Circuit

A photodiode operates in a circuit in reverse bias. Anode is connected to circuit ground and cathode to positive supply voltage of the circuit. When illuminated by light, current flows from cathode to anode.

When photodiodes are used with external circuits, they are connected to a power source in the circuit. The amount of current produced by a photodiode will be very small. This value of current will not be enough to drive an electronic device. So when they are connected to an external power source, it delivers more current to the circuit. So, battery is used as a power source. The battery source helps to increase the current value, which helps the external devices to have a better performance

V-I Characteristics of Photodiode

Photodiode operates in reverse bias condition. Reverse voltages are plotted along X axis in volts and reverse current are plotted along Y-axis in microampere. Reverse current does not depend on reverse voltage. When there is no light illumination, reverse current will be almost zero. The minimum amount of current present is called as Dark Current. Once when the light illumination increases, reverse current also increases linearly.

Applications of Photodiode

• In a simple day to day applications, photodiodes are used. The reason for their use is their linear response of photodiode to a light illumination. When more amount of light falls on the sensor, it produces high amount of current. The increase in current will be displayed on a galvanometer connected to the circuit.
• Photodiodes helps to provide an electric isolation with help of optocouplers. When two isolated circuits are illuminated by light, optocouplers is used to couple the circuit optically. But the circuits will be isolated electrically. Compared to conventional devices, optocouplers are fast.
• Photodiodes are applied in safety electronics like fire and smoke detectors. It is also used in TV units.
• When utilized in cameras, they act as photo sensors. It is used in scintillators charge-coupled devices, photoconductors, and photomultiplier tubes.
• Photodiodes are also widely used in numerous medical applications  like instruments to analyze samples, detectors for computed tomography and also used in blood gas monitors.

 

 

The post What is a Photodiode? Working, Characteristics, Applications appeared first on Electronics Hub.

Nanotubes may give the world better batteries

Scientists use thin films of multiwalled carbon nanotubes to keep lithium metal from sprouting dendrites, tentacle-like growths that can cause batteries to fail. The strategy could be key to developing batteries that hold more energy and charge faster than current, ubiquitous lithium-ion batteries.

Discovery of new superconducting materials using materials informatics

Scientists have succeeded in discovering new materials that exhibit superconductivity under high pressures using materials informatics (MI) approaches (data science-based material search techniques). This study experimentally demonstrated that MI enables efficient exploration of new superconducting materials. MI approaches may be applicable to the development of various functional materials, including superconductors.

Mussel-inspired defect engineering enhances the mechanical strength of graphene fibers

Researchers demonstrated the mussel-inspired reinforcement of graphene fibers for the improvement of different material properties. A research group applied polydopamine as an effective infiltrate binder to achieve high mechanical and electrical properties for graphene-based liquid crystalline fibers.

How to mass produce cell-sized robots

Researchers have discovered a way to mass produce tiny, cell-sized robots that could be used for industrial or biomedical monitoring.

Scientists make new 'green' electronic polymer-based films with protein nanowires

A team has produced a new class of electronic materials that may lead to a 'green,' more sustainable future in biomedical and environmental sensing. Scientists say the work shows it is possible to combine protein nanowires with a polymer to produce a flexible electronic composite material that retains the electrical conductivity and unique sensing capabilities of protein nanowires.

Understanding the building blocks for an electronic brain

Computer bits are binary, with a value of 0 or one. By contrast, neurons in the brain can have all kinds of different internal states, depending on the input that they received. This allows the brain to process information in a more energy-efficient manner than a computer. Physicists are working on memristors, resistors with a memory, made from niobium-doped strontium titanate, which mimic how neurons work.

Molecular memory can be used to increase the memory capacity of hard disks

Scientists have taken part in research where the first molecule capable of remembering the direction of a magnetic above liquid nitrogen temperatures has been prepared and characterized. The results may be used in the future to massively increase the storage capacity of hard disks without increasing their physical size.

How did the “pros” get started in electronics?

Have you ever heard experts in electronics talk about a project?

Often it sounds like they were born an expert.

They talk about reactance, EMI filters, and what-not as it were as simple as tying your shoes.

When I did an interview with Elias Bakken – who’s a real wizard in electronics – I wanted to know how he got started.

So I asked him to tell the story of how he got started.

And as I suspected – it was NOT by studying theory.

He jumped right into the practical stuff and started building things from the start.

But of course, now he also has a strong theoretical knowledge.

You can check out the entire interview here:

https://www.build-electronic-circuits.com/interview-with-elias-bakken/

Everyone I’ve talked to who has built something cool – guess what?

They all recommend the same thing:

Start building things.

Learning theory is important…

…but boring if you don’t build things.

If you are building things, you’ll eventually get curious.

And you’ll start to WANT to learn the theory.

At Ohmify you’ll learn electronics in a practical way.

And you’ll get to build things right from the start.

The point is to have fun while learning.

Check it out here:
https://ohmify.com/join/

Keep On Soldering!
Oyvind @ build-electronic-circuits.com

Copyright Build Electronic Circuits

Scientists find unusual behavior in topological material

Scientists have identified a new class of topological materials made by inserting transition metal atoms into the atomic lattice of a well-known two-dimensional material.

Failures in electronics

Yesterday I was hosting a meetup on designing circuit boards in Oslo.

We designed a really cool display using 90 LEDs!

But, one of the first things that happened was:

…almost everybody got different errors in the software we were using; Kicad.

The thing with Kicad right now is that it is undergoing major changes.

Version 5 was just released.

I created the circuit a week ago, with the newest version.

So I told everybody to download the latest version of Kicad before coming.

A couple of days ago KiCad released a new version…

So most people downloaded this new version, which was different from mine.

And lots of things had changed, especially with the libraries.

Which of course created lots of issues.

And we had to fix lots of errors.

Sounds terrible?

Actually – it was great!

People learned how to fix errors with libraries, which made them understand Kicad even better!

And together, we found some new interesting features.

One of the participants exclaimed at the end:

“This was awesome! I used to be afraid of designing PCBs, but now I see that it’s actually quite easy.”

Errors and failures aren’t bad – they help you learn.

Especially if you’re part of a group where you can ask for help.

At Ohmify, you can learn electronics from scratch.

…and lots of helpful skills for when you want to build your own ideas with electronics.

And of course, you can ask for help if you get stuck.

Learn more here:
https://ohmify.com/join/

Keep On Soldering!
Oyvind @ build-electronic-circuits.com

PS! Of course, these major changes in each release of KiCad is making my job of developing the new Kicad course for Ohmify harder. But I’m working several hours every day to finish it, and I’m getting close.

Copyright Build Electronic Circuits

3D-printed lithium-ion batteries

Electric vehicles and most electronic devices, such as cell phones and laptop computers, are powered by lithium-ion batteries. Until now, manufacturers have had to design their devices around the size and shape of commercially available batteries. But researchers have developed a new method to 3D print lithium-ion batteries in virtually any shape.

Electrical enhancement: Engineers speed up electrons in semiconductors

Researchers have sped up the movement of electrons in organic semiconductor films by two to three orders of magnitude. The speedier electronics could lead to improved solar power and transistor use across the world, according to the scientists.

Controlling organic semiconductor band gaps by electron-acceptor fluorination

Researchers synthesized a fluorinated electron-acceptor for use in organic semiconductors. The high electronegativity of the fluorine substituents enhanced the electron-accepting properties of the widely used electron-acceptor. The power conversion efficiency of a thin film solar cell based on the fluorinated product was shown to be significantly higher than that of a cell containing an unmodified analogue. The synthesized material could be applied in thin film organic solar cell devices.

10 Best Soldering Stations

Being a DIY aspirant or an engineer it’s quite difficult to solder the small components like resistors, capacitors, and transistors on a circuit board. So, the best affordable solution to tackle all these complex tasks is by having Soldering Station with you.

Soldering iron station is a hand-held device used to ensemble the hardware components like TV, refrigerators, mobiles, watches, jewelry, etc. This will be a great add on for those who show interest in crafting new designs on circuit boards.

When it comes to choosing the right one for your requirement, you may come across different brands and models available in the market. We have spent 64-hours on researching the soldering stations, reviewing products online and interacting with the customers. Check out the Top 10 Best Soldering Stations that are in great demand now!

1. New & Improved X-Tronic MODEL 5040-XR3 A Soldering Iron Station

Soldering stations are the one that handles the complex tasks like connecting the peripherals and holds the temperature accurately. The one we’re discussing is about X-Tronic soldering iron station that comes at affordable prices.

It comes with 9 soldering tips that are designed in different sizes and styles. They’re actually made of high quality copper, nickel materials for strengthening the tips and are absolutely SGS, Rohs certified.

The hot air gun nozzles are available in 2.5mm, 4.4mm, 7mm, and 12mm and a temperature of range 100°C-480°C (or 212°F-896°F/) along with the auto cool down safety feature.

IC popper, anti static pinpoint tweezers helps to pick the IC components while fabricating the circuit and a roll of got wick desoldering easily.

To perform the heating process, the device utilizes 1270 watts power of which 70 watt by soldering iron, 500 watt by hot air gun and the remaining 700 watt by preheating station. 

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63 Reviews

New & Improved X-Tronic MODEL 5040-XR3 All In One Hot Air Rework Soldering Iron Station With Preheater. Now Includes Plug & Play Hot Air Gun With Iron Holder & Sponge Cleaner

• Samsung Microcontroller with PID Technology Giving You Complete Digital Control of your Temperature
• 1270W Total Power Consumption - 70W Soldering Iron - 500W Hot Air Gun - 700W Preheating Station
• All In One Soldering, Hot Air & Preheat Station with C/F Conversion and Magic Temp Technology

$398.90 - $149.10 $249.80

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This complete new XR3 model soldering iron station kit includes the following components:

• IC Popper (1)
• Hot Air Nozzles (4)
• Roll of Gootwick (1)
• Main Unit 5040-XR3 (1)
• Anti-Static Tweezers (1)
• Assorted Soldering Tips (10)
• Gooseneck Magnifying Lamp 5X (1)
• Programmable Soldering Iron – 60 Watt (1)
• Programmable Hot Air Gun – 500 Watt (1)
• Deluxe Soldering Iron Holder with Solder Roll Holder (1) 

Winding up, this is an all in one soldering station kit that is best for multipurpose. Also, the product is backed with 1year of manufacturing warranty to fix or rebuild the damaged parts.

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2. Yihua Soldering Iron Station

This Yiuha soldering station comes at inexpensive prices and offers outstanding performance with the presence of multiple accessories.

Compared to other branded soldering stations, it has a space saving design and also makes less noise. For this reason, we’ve given the top priority in the list of top 10 best soldering stations in India 2018.

The manufacturer offers warranty card of worth 1 year and a user-friendly manual for the convenience of customers. If you do not like the product or come with a damaged piece, you’ll get full refund within 30-days.

Read the manual carefully and follow the guidelines before you start using the soldering station for connecting the components or handling other complicated tasks.

105 Reviews

2-in-1 SMD Hot Air Rework Station & Soldering Iron w/ 11 Tips, 3 Nozzles LED Screen Professional 898D Yihua

• Brand markings Mark Ethan or Yihua on product Includes hot air gun and soldering iron - very fast heating process.
• Suitable for manual mounting & reworking of SMD components; heating shrink, and much more!
• Comes with 11- tips (interchangeable with hakko brand), 3 nozzles sponge, stand, wrench and pick.

$72.28

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This amazing product incorporates 3 nozzles, extractor, wrench, 11 tips, sponge, plastic stand, and a dual LED digital display for easy accessing and assembling the hardware parts to built interesting projects.

PID technology enhances the temperature stability and you can adjust the airflow, temperature using arrows on the device. When the temperature is below 70˚C, it will automatically stop the rotation while performing a task.

The presence of handle sensor makes the hot air gun turns off when set back and also turns back when picked up. Cooling function protects the hot air gun and thereby prolongs the heaters life.

Moreover, this device comes in an ESD design to protect sensitive components. On the whole, this soldering station is best to use for repairing the cell phones, laptops, circuit boards etc. It also helps to manually mounting of SMD components, and heating shrinks.

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3. Hakko FX888D Soldering Station

If you are an electronic enthusiast and willing to craft multiple circuit boards, then Hakko soldering station is a must have appliance with you.

This soldering iron heats up the things incredibly fast i.e. about 10-seconds, preserves the temperature and improves the efficiency while working. Hence, it is the one among the best performing and long-lasting items.

Coming to the product, it has all the necessary accessories that you look in a basic soldering station kit and use it whenever you want to assemble the components.

The display unit looks pretty cool, generates accurate results and is very easy to read. It has got excellent thermal recovery to reduce the heat on peripherals.

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109 Reviews

Hakko FX888D,T18-B,BL,I,D24,D32,C05,S7,599-029 Soldering Station with T18-B/BL/I/D24/D32/C05/S7/599-029

• Digital Soldering Station ESD Safe version with 7 extra tips - T18-B/BL/I/D24/D32/C05/S7/599-029 tips
• FX-888D KIT version with 7 extra tips - T18-B/BL/I/D24/D32/C05/S7/599-029 tips ( 8 total with the iron )
• Adjustable temperature control

$154.23 - $9.28 $144.95

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You can adjust the temperature within the range 50˚C-480˚C and a digital display makes easy to check the temperature at a glance. The sturdy stand does not allow the components like 7 tips to move around while working.

The iron holder comes with fully loaded functionalities and brings a sense of visual consistency to work in a friendly environment.

It has got only 2-operation buttons i.e. 1 for “up” and the other is “enter” at the center to conveniently handle the tasks. Even though, if you do not know much about the product, you can operate without any hassle.

Overall, this Hakko soldering station is simple and easy to use. They are positioned as such that they’re in contact with the floor where the outer body enhances the device stability and makes the station difficult to fall over.

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4. Mark Ethan Soldering Station

Most of the tech-aspirants love this Mark Ethan soldering station because it is simple to use, produces quality heat, and comes with a user-friendly design.

In contrast with other soldering stations, the components in the kit are made of high quality materials to sustain longer and enhances the performance without damaging the circuit boards.

What is included?

• Nozzles (3)
• Tips (6)
• IC picker
• Hot air gun
• LED display unit
• Soldering microcomputer

158 Reviews

2 in 1 SMD Soldering Hot Air Rework Station + Stand 3 Nozzle 5 Tips 852d+ Iron Mark Ethan

• Mark Ethan- Samsung Chip Microcomputer Control- Very Fast Heat Up process & Stable Temperature
• Sensitive Components Protected by ESD Design Of Soldering Iron. Simple To remove and replace tips
• Adjustable air flow and temperature control for stop rotation. 6 Tips + 3 Nozzle + IC pick included

$100.00

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The sensitive parts in the kit are protected with the ESD design of the soldering iron. You can simply remove and replace the tips at time for crafting the wonderful design on a circuit board. And a quality control processor maintains the accurate temperature without disturbing the airflow.

The large LED display gives the exact temperature of hot air gun and iron. You can adjust the airflow rate and a temperature control as per the project requirements. Though it is available in affordable price range, the manufacturer didn’t mention about the warranty details.

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5.X-TRONIC XTR-4040-XTS Soldering Iron Station

Next one in the list is X-TRONIC soldering iron station. We’re discussing it because it is very much beneficial for electrical and electronic students, engineers, and professionals.

What is included?

• IC popper
• Hot air gun
• Iron holder
• Nozzles (4)
• Tweezers
• Soldering iron
• Roll of gootwick
• Soldering tips (10)
• Heating elements (2-extra)
• Magnifying gooseneck lamp (5X)

 Newly added features include brushed aluminum front with LED tube and a temperature switch (C/F) to easily access the settings with a flip.

PID (proportional integral derivative) technology comes with a magic temperature compensation technology to perform the self-test function with fully intelligence during the overloads, over-temperature, and short circuits.

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204 Reviews

X-TRONIC XTR-4040-XTS Digital Hot Air Rework & Soldering Iron Station Bundle (5 Items)

• "CELCIUS & FAHRENHEIT" TOGGLE SWITCH - INCLUDES 5X GOOSENECK MAGNIFYING LAMP "FREE" ($39.80 VALUE)
• 700 WATTS TOTAL POWER CONSUMPTION - 500 WATT HOT AIR GUN - 60 WATT SOLDERING SOLDERING IRON
• HOT AIR GUN: 212°F ~ 896°F/100°C ~ 480°C - SOLDERING IRON: 392°F ~ 896°F/200°C ~ 480°C

$269.90 - $121.10 $148.80

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The hot air gun utilizes 500-watt and 60-watts power by soldering iron with a silicon cord (no virtual memory) which works efficiently at a temperature (100˚C-480˚C). Heavy duty soldering iron holder comes with a sponge, side mount roll holder for fabricating the small components like resistors, capacitors, transistors on a bread board.

If any of the electronic device or circuit gets overheated, the auto cool down safety feature settle down by bringing temperature to the optimum level.

Overall, this is one of the best ways to start getting into the electronics using this soldering station kit. You can use this kit effortlessly even if you have no prior knowledge in electronics. The product manufacturer offers 1-year warranty scheme to fix and repair the damaged parts and 30-days money guarantee scheme.

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6. UY CHAN Portable Soldering Iron Station Kit

What’re you waiting for, when you got the latest soldering station from the UY CHAN brand. This is a newly established company that designs first-class products in the electronic industry.

This is one of the best ways to dive into electronics as you get all the essential components in a single pack that are required to start working (soldering/assembling) on basic concepts to high level projects.

When you look at the kit, you may come across soldering iron, controller, tip, power supply, hex key and a user-friendly manual that helps for smooth functioning of the device.

The high quality heating element heats up the small components quickly so as to solder on their respective positions.

Temperature reading is displayed on the screen, which is accurate and can easily be adjusted on a scale of 100°C to 400°C. There is an option for you to connect to the computer and rest the temperature rising curves and custom functions.

222 Reviews

UY CHAN Upgraded Original TS100 Digital OLED Programmable Pocket-size Smart Mini Outdoor Portable Soldering Iron Station Kit Embedded Interface DC5525 Acceleration Sensors STM32 Chip Fast Heat (B2)

• 【Fast Heating】This portable soldering iron heats up in seconds. The temperature is displayed on OLED screen, which can be accurately and easily adjusted from 212°F to 752°F (100°C to 400°C)
• 【Smart & Safe】It has dual-temperature sensors and accelerated sensors with STM32 chip. And it also has sleep mode and automatic over-heating warning.
• 【External power supply】DC5525 power port is compatible with DC 12-24V AC adapter/power bank.It's convenient for both home repairing and filed repairing.

$65.98

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The temperature and accelerated sensors within the chip monitor the readings. It also features sleep mode and automatic over-heating options to warn you when the device is fed with excess heat.

This portable soldering iron heats up in seconds due to the compatibility options and is very convenient for both home and filed repairs like unmanned aerial vehicle, FPV multi-rotor.

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7. Weller WESD51 Digital Soldering Station

If you fed up with the cheap quality models, then it’s time to upgrade to Weller digital soldering station. Weller is one of the famous brands that offer variety of products from TV to washing machines, with its awesome quality along with a standard customer support services.

This wonderful device solves all the soldering issues as it includes soldering pencil, power unit, ETA tip, and a stand with sponge. It even allows the user to reset the soldering temperature to match with tip sizes & styles.

This digital soldering station is a great combination of heater and sensor that gives you a quick heat-up and rapid temperature recovery. The temperature controller prevents the increase in temperature levels than the standard readings.

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381 Reviews

Weller WESD51 Digital Soldering Station

• Station includes WESD51PU power unit, PES51 soldering pencil, ETA tip and PH50 stand with sponge. Add distilled water to the sponge for it expand to the size of the opening in the stand.
• Microprocessor controlled temperature: 350F-850F (175C-450C)
• Digital LED display provides temperature setting and actual tip temperature readout in degrees F or C. Iron is fitted with a non-burnable silicon rubber cord for safety

$199.99 - $70.99 $129.00

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With this Weller soldering station, you can handle a variety of tasks by adjusting the temperature ranging from 100˚ C to 450˚C.

Moreover, the adjustable temperature settings allow you to pick the right amount of heat and ergonomic handle provide easy accessing of the device. This wonderful soldering iron station is easy to use and well-suited for beginners, electronic enthusiasts and engineers.

Although it comes at affordable prices, best suits for handling a variety of items like working on crafts, toys, mobile devices, watch, electronics, jewelry item, computers, trinkets, and much more.

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8. Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station

Yet another decent quality model in the list is Hakko digital soldering station. This digital soldering station is best for those who want to craft designs in less time in this modern world.

What made us to list in the best soldering stations 2018 is the presence of exceptional accessories like soldering iron, tip, iron holder, sponge, cleaning wire and an instruction manual that help the customer in handling the projects effortlessly.

This plug and play type device comes without any wiring issues and can be operated at anytime you want. Hence, it has been one of the favorites for most of the customers.

Compared to other convectional soldering station models, this device has excellent thermal recovery. It even allows you to set the temperature as low as possible and thereby reduces the thermal impact on the components.

Sale

440 Reviews

Hakko FX888D-23BY Digital Soldering Station FX-888D FX-888 (blue & yellow)

• Digital soldering station end safe
• Comes with fx-888d, fx-8801 soldering iron, t18-d16 tip, Fh800 iron holder, A1559 sponge, A1561 cleaning wire, manual
• Adjustable temperature control

$107.47 - $10.75 $96.72

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You can handle the time-taking projects effortlessly with the fast processing nature due to the presence of lightweight pencil and ergonomic handle.

The soldering iron heats up in just 10-seconds and is ready to use now. It offers temperature adjustment, a digital display, cleaning sponge, sturdy stand and 7 extra tips for better functioning of the device.

It uses digital technology to deliver a substantial amount of heat and have longer lifespan because the components are made of durable materials.

To conclude, the performance of Hakko digital soldering station is good as it comes with every basic component that you look in a soldering station. It heats up the components in just a matter of 20-seconds and making more efficient to use at home and other premises.

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9. X-Tronic Model #3020 Soldering Iron Station

Next one in the list is X-Tronic soldering station. Though it comes at cheap rates, offers exceptional performance by enabling smart accessories present in the kit.

When you purchase this kit, you’ll the components for crafting the wonderful designs. Have a look!

• Soldering iron
• Iron holder
• Soldering tips
• Side roll holder
• Brass sponge tip
• Soldering iron station

This X-Tronic kit includes an LED tube temperature display with C/F standard functions. You can easily change the temperature settings from CF with a flip on the switch.

Sale

754 Reviews

X-Tronic Model #3020-75 Watt - Soldering Iron Station with 10 Minute Sleep Function, Auto Cool Down, C/F Switch, Ergonomic Soldering Iron Plus More (Soldering Station - Complete with 5 Extra Tips)

• 75 Watt Soldering Iron with Ergonomic Grip - Temperature Range of 392°F ~ 896°F/200°C ~ 480°C
• Also Includes 5 Extra Asst. Soldering Tips, Stainless Iron Holder, Solder Roll Holder, Brass Sponge Tip Cleaner & Cleaning Flux
• Features "Magic Temp Technology", 10 Minutes Sleep Timer with Blue LED Display and C/F Function

$89.80 - $20.00 $69.80

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Wet sponge, brass tip cleaner and a cleaning flux is provided at the bottom of the tin for easy cleaning and maintaining properly. The soldering tips are made of high quality copper and nickel alloy for hardening the tips.

To perform the welding process, the soldering iron uses 60-watts of power within the temperature ranging from 200˚C – 480˚C.

Unlike other brands, this X-Tronic soldering station comes in ultra-stylish and modern look to grab the customer’s attention. Also, the soldering station reviews and ratings are too good. We also liked the 3-years of manufacturing warranty services which help the users in minimizing the repairing costs on a long run.

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10)  Weller WES51 Analog Soldering Station

Finally, we end up with the Weller Analog Soldering Station. Enjoy crafting your dream project using this Weller station which comes at reasonable prices. You’ll definitely love and buy this product without any thought after knowing the wide variety of applications.

The sleek and slim design keeps things ergonomic so you won’t suffer from hand-strain after using it for a long-time. It contains a wireless temperature lockout that prevents you from raising the temperature. Further, it eliminates the possibility of damaging the components when the temperature is set too high.

862 Reviews

Weller WES51 Analog Soldering Station and SE MZ101B Helping Hand with Magnifying Glass

• Receptacle For Easy Iron Replacement
• Designed For Continuous Production Soldering
• Slim, Comfortable Pencil With Eta Tip Reduces Operator Fatigue

$98.26

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The soldering iron has a comfortable foam grip which makes easy to handle without any hassle. The temperature settings are accurate and sensitive. And the iron pencil is well-weighted, which allows you to make more precise movements.

 Winding up, this Weller analog soldering iron is a high quality product that is suitable for hobbyists and professionals. We’re disappointed with the build quality which is not upto the mark. Other than that, its totally a good one to purchase.

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Conclusion:

The above given information is all about the best soldering stations that are in great demand on the market. When it comes to choosing the best one, we’ve picked X-Tronic Soldering Iron Station that comes at affordable price range.

It comes with 9 soldering tips, hot air gun, nozzles, IC popper, and tweezers for smooth and better functioning of the device. They’re made of durable copper, nickel materials and are SGS, Rohs certified. It best suits for those who’ve zeal in making circuit boards, new projects, etc by giving them a strong support, user-friendly nature, durability and comfort.

Which one you’ve decided? The best price or quality? If you have any doubts share with us in the comment section given below. We’ll clarify them as soon as possible…

The post 10 Best Soldering Stations appeared first on Electronics Hub.

Will this power supply work?

I know this confused me in the beginning.

And so it does for John:

[QUESTION FROM JOHN]:

“I have a Raspberry Pi that needs 5V and 120 mA, will my 5V 500mA power supply fry it?”

[ANSWER FROM OYVIND]:

Nope.

That power supply will work nicely.

If a power supply says 5V 500 mA – it will give a voltage of 5V and a current of *maximum* 500 mA.

But it doesn’t necessarily give 500 mA:

It’s your device that decides how much current that will actually flow.

So if your Raspberry Pi needs 120 mA, then a 500 mA power supply will work perfectly.

It will supply 120 mA to your Raspberry Pi.

On the other hand, if your power supply says 5V 100mA you will have a problem.

Because your Raspberry Pi will still try to get 120 mA.

But the power supply is not made to supply more than 100 mA, so it will either fail completely or behave in unexpected ways.

[QUESTION FROM JOHN]:

“I have another power supply that says 5V 1W – will this work?”

[ANSWER FROM OYVIND]:

W stands for Watt.

It’s the energy that the circuit uses.

And you find how much watt your gadget uses by multiplying the voltage with the current.

So, 5V at 120 mA is:

5V * 0.12A = 0.6W

Your Raspberry Pi uses 0.6W.

Which means the 5V 1W power supply is enough to power your device.

If you want to learn to build things with electronics, starting from the basics – then check out Ohmify:
https://ohmify.com/join/

Keep On Soldering!
Oyvind @ build-electronic-circuits.com

Copyright Build Electronic Circuits

Bluetooth Controlled Servo Motor using Arduino, HC-05 Bluetooth Module

In this project, I will show you how to implement a Bluetooth Controlled Servo Motor using Arduino. Using this project, you can control a servo motor like TowerPro SG90 or MG90S with the help of an App in an Android Smartphone over Bluetooth connection.

Introduction

I have used servo motors in several projects like the DIY Arduino & Bluetooth Robotic Arm, Web Controlled Servo using ESP8266, Arduino Joystick Interface to name a few. In fact, servo motors are one of the important components is projects where precise positioning is required.

In this project, as mentioned earlier, I will show you how to control a Servo Motor using Bluetooth. But before proceeding further into the details of Bluetooth Controlled Servo Motor using Arduino, there are a few important things to know like how a servo motor works and how can you control the position of the servo motor.

A Brief Note on Servo Motor and its Control

Servo Motors are basically DC Motors with additional circuitry that aid in achieving accurate positioning of the servo motor. In order to control the rotation of the servo motor’s shaft, you need a special signal called Pulse Width Modulation or PWM signal.

Based on the width of the pulse, the position of the servo motor varies. There are several ways in which you can generate the PWM Signal to control a Servo Motor. The traditional way is to use fully analog circuits like the 555 Timer IC and using a potentiometer to control the width of the pulse.

But with the help of microcontrollers like Arduino (ATmega328 to be precise), you can generate PWM Signals without any external components.

NOTE: If you want to test whether your Servo Motor is working or not, you can implement a simple design similar to the one I have used in the How to make a Simple Servo Motor Tester Circuit, where you don’t need any microcontrollers and programming to test the servo motor.

Concept of Bluetooth Controlled Servo Motor using Arduino

The main concept of the Bluetooth Controlled Servo Motor using Arduino project is very simple. Control the Servo Motor using PWM Signals generated by Arduino. The inputs to the Arduino are given from an Android Smart Phone over Bluetooth Communication.

Circuit Diagram

The circuit diagram of the project Bluetooth Controlled Servo Motor using Arduino is given below.

Components Required

• Arduino UNO
• HC-05 Bluetooth Module
• TowerPro SG90 Servo Motor
• Connecting Wires
• 5V Power Supply
• Breadboard

Circuit Design

The design of the circuit for controlling a Servo Motor using Arduino and Bluetooth is very easy. Connect the Control Pin of the Servo Motor to Pin 11 of Arduino. It is important that you connect the control pin to a PWM enabled pin of Arduino.

I will be using a Software Serial option of Arduino and hence Pins 2 and 3 of Arduino are fixed as RX and TX. So, connect the TX of the Bluetooth Module to RX (Pin 2) of Arduino.

Since the job of Bluetooth Module is to transfer data received from Phone and transmit it to Arduino, I have used only its TX Pin.

For more information on HC-05 Bluetooth Module and how to interface it with Arduino, please refer “Arduino HC-05 Bluetooth Module”.

Servo Motor Control App

I have used an App called “Servo Motor Kontrol” developed by “YSRGGS”. The layout of the app after connecting it to the Bluetooth Module is shown below.

As you can see, the app provides two ways in which you can control the servo motor: using dedicated buttons or using the slider.

To download this app, visit this link: “Servo Motor Kontrol”.

Code

The code for the project Bluetooth Controlled Servo Motor using Arduino is given below.

Working

The working of this project is very simple. Make the connections as per the circuit diagram and upload the code to Arduino. Then open the Servo Motor Kontrol App (assuming it is already installed in your Android Phone) and connect to the Bluetooth Module.

Once the connection is successful, you can control the servo motor either by adjusting the slider or by pressing any of the preset buttons.

Conclusion

A simple way to control your servo motor is demonstrated in this project. Using this project, you can control any servo motor using Arduino and a Bluetooth Module.

If you are a beginner, this project can be a beginning step towards implementing several complex Robotic Projects involving Servo Motors.

The post Bluetooth Controlled Servo Motor using Arduino, HC-05 Bluetooth Module appeared first on Electronics Hub.