Variable voltage supply uses Zener dioxide as reference
Using a zener diode as the reference element, a simple transistorized circuit provides a stable variable reference voltage.
Kleinberg, L. L.↗
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Low-cost voltage-level detector
Integrated circuit senses when the voltage level has exceeded or is below a given reference level. The circuit, consisting of a differential amplifier, an SCR, and a pair of zener diodes, is useful for overload detection and monitoring power supplies.
Sturman, J. C.↗
Constant current source for converting absolute temperatures to analog voltages
Circuit configuration consisting of matched differential amplifier, temperature compensated zener diode, and low pinchoff-voltage field effect transistor provides accurate and stable current supply for temperature sensor devices.
Padilla, J. R.↗
Universal interface enables one recorder to serve numerous measuring instruments
Circuit handles data, regardless of polarity and amplitude, in 10-line decimal form or in any form of binary coded decimal. When measuring instruments have common chassis grounds, Zener diodes prevent low-leak circulating currents from unbalancing the circuit.
Donlin, N. E.↗
Photomultiplier blanking circuit
Circuit for protecting photomultiplier equipment from current surges which occur when exposed to brilliant illumination is discussed. Components of circuit and details of operation are provided. Circuit diagram to show action of blanking pulse on zener diode is included.
Mcclenahan, J. O.↗
Oven temperature controller for electronic components
Simple, inexpensive circuit has been developed which provides active temperature control to certain precision electronic components such as crystal oscillators and Zener diodes.
Billingsley, S. W.↗
Reliable low-cost battery voltage indicator for light aircraft and automobiles
Voltage indicator fits into cigarette lighter socket and utilizes light emitting and Zener diodes to display three levels of battery voltage. Indicator is superior to typical conventional electrical system indicators in that it gives a positive discrete indication of battery voltage. It is simple, inexpensive, and rugged.
Miller, R. L.↗
Inertial subsystem warnings and coupling data unit failure indicators: Apollo 16 mission
The indicated failures of the inertial coupling unit were investigated. The coupling data unit assembly failure detection circuits and the diagnostic tests are described. It is concluded that conductive contamination in a zener diode in the failure-detect circuit of the coupling data unit assembly most likely caused the problem.
Source record↗
Zener-regulated solar array/battery power system
Zener diode limits solar cell voltage used to charge battery. System improves life and reliability of solar cells.
Eliason, J. T.↗
Deflection amplifier for image dissectors
Balanced symmetrical y-axis amplifier uses zener-diode level shifting to interface operational amplifiers to high voltage bipolar output stages. Nominal voltage transfer characteristic is 40 differential output volts per input volt; bandwidth, between -3-dB points, is approximately 8 kHz; loop gain is nominally 89 dB with closed loop gain of 26 dB.
Salomon, P. M.↗
Hardening of MJS77 spacecraft against the Jupiter radiation belts
Results of the device characterization program to identify components of the Mariner Jupiter/Saturn spacecraft in need of radiation hardening to meet a total dose requirement of 5 trillion e/sq cm are presented. The parts to be tested, including bipolar transistors, JFETs, SCRs, CMOS devices, linear integrated circuits, Zener diodes and other radiation-sensitive parts, were identified by a worst case circuit analysis of the 20 major subsystems. The test samples were exposed to several levels of irradiation from a Dynamitron electron accelerator capable of producing a steady stream of electrons at energies up to 2.5 eV. The electrical parameters of the devices were measured immediately following irradiation to prevent annealing. CMOS devices and linear devices showed the most severe degradation in a moderate radiation environment, and significant degradation was produced at low current in bipolar transistors. Three methods used for screening a number of devices determined by circuit and shielding analyses to be unacceptable radiation-sensitive are described: diffusion and metallization lot screening; wafer lot screening; and irradiation-anneal screening.
W E Price↗
Low-noise current regulator
Modification of conventional regulator minimizes current drift. Current to be regulated flows through sensing resistor in series with load, producing voltage that is fed into operational amplifier. Other input into amplifier is reference voltage from Zener diode network.
Bunn, J.↗
Low-resistance continuity tester
IC printed-circuit board tester measures resistance as low as 0.1 ohm but uses little power. Two 4.7 kilohm resistors and connected transistors prevent current flow through operational amplifier until probe circuit is complete, eliminating need for on/off switch. Zener diode in series with amplifier output prevents audio oscillator operation until output has sufficient amplitude. Circuit utilizes 741 operational amplifier on 11.2 volt battery or lower voltage amplifiers.
Reasoner, R. B.↗
Automatic level control circuit
An automatic level control circuit for an operational amplifier for minimizing spikes or instantaneous gain of the amplifier at a low period wherein no signal is received on the input is provided. The apparatus includes a multibranch circuit which is connected between an output terminal and a feedback terminal. A pair of zener diodes are connected back to back in series with a capacitor provided in one of the branches. A pair of voltage dividing resistors are connected in another of the branches and a second capacitor is provided in the remaining branch of controlling the high frequency oscillations of the operational amplifier.
Toole, P. C.↗
Tuned analog network
A noninverting, direct current amplifier stage is cascaded into an integrator stage to form a two stage tuned network with a single input junction common to both stages. The network provides independent adjustment of center frequency, bandwidth and voltage gain. The insertion of a positive feedback loop between the stages provides a very narrow bandwidth network. The addition of back to back zener diodes between the common input node and ground converts the network into an oscillator.
Kleinberg, L. L.↗
Gain control of photomultiplier tubes used in detecting differential absorption lidar returns
A technique for controlling the gain of a photomultiplier tube (PMT) 20. A voltage divider (resistors 45-49 in FIG. 1 and zener diodes 60-65 in FIG. 3) is used to control the potentials on dynodes 5, 7, and 9 of PMT 20. Transistor switches 53 and 58 provide the control of the voltage divider in FIG. 1 and photodiodes 66, 67 and 70 provide the control in FIG. 3. The gain control of PMT 20 is in the range from 100% to less than 0.001% (100,000 to 1).
Allen, Robert J.↗
Inferring fusion nuclear burnwidths with low gain photomultiplier impulse response functions
When an inertial confinement fusion implosion is compressed, it maintains thermonuclear density and temperatures for a very short time scale, about 100 ps. The Gamma Reaction History diagnostic measures the time evolution of the fusion burn, but its temporal resolution is limited by the use of a photomultiplier tube (PMT) to amplify the photon signal. Multichannel plate-based PMTs have a fast (~120 ps) full-width at half-max impulse response function (IRF), but the time scale is similar to the incoming physics signal. An analysis routine is used to remove the effect of the PMT IRF and infer the incident fusion burnwidth. With the National Ignition Facility achieving ignition and creating much brighter signals, the PMTs are run at gains three orders of magnitude lower than nominal operation. Calibration at these settings shows the PMT IRFs get ~15% wider. Taking the gain-dependent IRF can affect the inferred nuclear burnwidths by up to ~15%.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
Precision calibration and reference voltage source for data acquisition systems
Hybrid integrated circuit operational amplifiers, which have inherent characteristics of low quiescent power dissipation and extended operational lifetime with high reliability, are source for digital systems. Amplifiers are coupled to Zener reference diode in current control and buffer configuration.
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