WIP: Turning Fake Chips into Learning Opportunities
Abstract
This work-in-progress paper presents a case study in which counterfeit TL074 operational amplifiers, discovered in a junior level electronics course, became the basis for a hands on learning experience. Counterfeit integrated circuits (IC) are increasingly common, posing a significant threat to the integrity of undergraduate electronics laboratories. Instead of simply replacing the counterfeit components, we turned the issue into a teaching moment. Students engaged in hands-on diagnostics measuring current, analyzing waveforms, and troubleshooting. By working with fake chip components, they gained deeper insight into analog circuits, supply chain security, and practical engineering.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2507.13281,
title = {WIP: Turning Fake Chips into Learning Opportunities},
author = {Haniye Mehraban and Saad Azmeen-ur-Rahman and John Hu},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2507.13281},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
This is the accepted version of a paper accepted for presentation at the 2025 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE). The final version will be available via IEEE Xplore at:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/home.jsp