P channel fet matcher

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I am no semiconductor expert but, in the best Dr. Who tradition, if you take an N-channel circuit and reverse the polarity of the energy source. it should work for P-channel. :cool:

Cheers

Ian
 
Hi All,

Trying to match a few p channel fets and wanted to make a simple circuit to match them.

Has anyone got a link please to a good circuit, I seem to only find n channel fet matchers?
If your concern is matching Vgs and Gm, you can use such a thing:
https://www.amazon.com/Longruner-Po...d=1626602700&sprefix=transisto,aps,232&sr=8-5I use it everyday for appairing transistors and capacitors. Very good $25 investment.
Of course it depends what degree of matching you need.
My view on the subject is that a good design should not need superlative matching; it should be tolerant or provide means of adjusting to tolerances.
 
The last time I matched JFETs was for a phono preamp kit back in 1980(?). Despite being used in the Cohen (cough) topology that should hold the device current relatively stable I measured a distortion difference from using unmatched JFETs with different Vgs pinch off voltages. A bit of a surprise to me.

What I did (not saying its the only or best way) was to try to mimic the actual circuit the devices would be used in for measurement accuracy. For my case a phono preamp front end (basically common source but with a couple k resistor in series with the source to ground. I purchased something like 1k of JFETs and then tested them with gates grounded (0v), 2k resistor in series with source to ground, and drain to appropriate PS rail. I was testing Nch so for Pch test with drain to opposite rail. I basically let them all stabilize at room temperature and wrote down the Vgs on the paper envelopes I put them in. When it came time to sell the kits I sorted through all the envelopes for pairs with the closest Vgs voltages and stapled those bags together in pairs. The preamp used 2 JFETs per side.

I still have some of these JFETs in my back lab, but that's life in the kit business. :unsure: Not very remarkable JFETs but OK for a circa 1980 phono preamp (4.5nV/rt HZ IIRC).

JR

PS; I used a zero insertion force socket so I wouldn't heat the JFETs with my hand's heat while measuring.
 
Question based on that there's no such thing as a stupid question. I use a peak dca transistor tester. It measures a bunch of parameters: Vgs (off), Vgs(on), gfs, Idss, Rds. Which of these parameters should I be matching for using fets in a compressor ?
 
It kind of depends on the circuit design, but I will ASSume gate pinch-off voltage (Vgs off?, not sure what Vgs on is). For left and right channel tracking similar Vgs characteristics could be useful. Some designs are looking for a ballpark Vgs range.

Some of those metrics don't seem that germane to compressor design.
-Rds (on) is the on resistance when turned hard on. Useful perhaps for mutes.
-Idss is current with 0V Vgs. High Idss generally correlates with lower noise.
-Gfs (i had to look that one up) I didn't find a clear definition but it seems related to forward transconductance.

JR
 
Question based on that there's no such thing as a stupid question. I use a peak dca transistor tester. It measures a bunch of parameters: Vgs (off), Vgs(on), gfs, Idss, Rds. Which of these parameters should I be matching for using fets in a compressor ?
Do you have the regular model or the Pro?

Cheers

ian
 
I have the pro model. I can get it to curve trace if I hook it up to my laptop, but the software doesn't seem to have an obvious way to make comparisons. I emailed PEAK about it but they didn't respond.
The two key parameters for FET matching are IDSS and the pinch off voltage both of which the pro model will measure so you should be good to go. I have been toying with buying one myself for some time. Do you think it is worth the money?

Cheers

Ian
 
The two key parameters for FET matching are IDSS and the pinch off voltage both of which the pro model will measure so you should be good to go. I have been toying with buying one myself for some time. Do you think it is worth the money?

Cheers

Ian
It's quick & easy to use. In the main I just use it for testing transistors when repairing stuff for people. It does this well, but has a whole load more to it that generally I don't use, like the curve tracing for example. I guess there are probably cheaper boxes that would do what I mainly use it for. I wish they would make the software so that you could curve trace a bunch of devices & it would log the parameters maybe in spreadsheet format to make matching easier.
 
Well using a simple fet tester circuit I seem to have 4 matches quads from 21 fets, 2n3820.
When I say matched I mean with 10% of each other.
Just needed to reverse polarity for p channel as Ian said.
2 resistors 100R and 1meg and a 47uf cap with 3 way switch.
 
Well using a simple fet tester circuit I seem to have 4 matches quads from 21 fets, 2n3820.
When I say matched I mean with 10% of each other.
Just needed to reverse polarity for p channel as Ian said.
2 resistors 100R and 1meg and a 47uf cap with 3 way switch.
Don't forget if you have an electrolytic cap in there you will need to reverse its polarity also.

Cheers

IAn
 
I've been hunting some of 2N3820 and I got an offer for what seems to be a fair price. I would get al they got, Those are from Central Semi - I want to know if anyone else is interested - the price is $0.165/pcs
 
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