Progress:
This week, the team focused on final-stage oscillator testing for V2, V3 fabrication, PCB assembly, and final demo preparation. During testing, the circuit was able to turn on the LEDs, which was an encouraging sign that the chip and external setup were producing meaningful output behavior. However, confirming actual oscillation remained difficult because the setup required six delicate probe connections routed into a breadboard. Even very small wire or probe movement could disrupt the contacts, which made it hard to reliably connect the oscilloscope or additional inspection circuitry. The team also observed some unexpected test point voltages, but because of the instability of the probing setup, it was difficult to determine whether those came from the device, the circuit, or the measurement setup. Jim worked on PCB soldering and integration preparation, with the main remaining dependency being final confirmation of the off-chip capacitor values. Ethan focused on V3 fabrication and the updated wirebonding path after the V2 aluminum adhesion issue. Charlie supported the circuit side by providing schematic revisions, design ideas, and value calculations to guide the final testing and V3 approach.
Schedule/Updates:
The team is still progressing toward the final demo, but the schedule is tight because V3 fabrication, wire-bonding, characterization, and integration all need to happen quickly. Compared to last week, the main update is that V2 showed promising LED behavior, but we still cannot confidently claim stable oscillation without reliable oscilloscope confirmation. The current limitation is not only circuit behavior, but also the practical difficulty of testing a six-pad device through manual probing and breadboard wiring. Because of that, V3 is now the main path for improving final validation. Once V3 is fabricated and wirebonded, testing should become much easier because the team can avoid delicate manual probing and instead use the chip holder and breadboard adapter for more stable circuit connections. This should make oscilloscope testing, voltage inspection, and overall demo integration much more practical.
Upcoming Deliverables:
For next week, the team’s main priorities are to complete V3 fabrication and wire-bonding, test the device using the chip holder and breadboard adapter, finish PCB integration, and prepare all final demo materials. Ethan will focus on completing V3 fabrication and supporting wire-bonding so the chip can be tested in a more reliable integrated setup. Jim will finish the remaining PCB soldering and integration work once the off-chip capacitor values are confirmed, while also supporting V3 characterization and final demo setup. Charlie will continue supporting schematic refinement, circuit value calculations, and testing strategy based on the results from V2 and V3. In parallel, the full team will work on the final handout/writeup, poster board, and video.