Using Real Inductors in Chua's Circuit

FIGURE A:
Coilcraft PCH Series

FIGURE B:
Coilcraft PCH inductors

FIGURE C:
Newark 53k4801

FIGURE D:
Mouser inductors A-D

FIGURE E:
Mouser inductors E-H

USING AN INDUCTOR

Although this site recommends using a gyrator circuit, there may be some people who insist on using a real inductor. The circuit we use here requires around 18mH inductance, but the internal resistance should be less than 30Ω. This type of inductor may be difficult to find and purchase. There are only a few 'one-stop shop' electronics parts suppliers (including: Digi-Key , Jameco , Mouser , and Newark ) but only two of them supply the inductors we need. I have also found suitable inductors on Coilcraft.

There are only 2 Coilcraft inductors that I have found to work so far: the PCH-45X-186KLT and the PCH-45X-226KLT.

Coilcraft Part #	Inductance	Internal Resistance
PCH-45X-186_LT	18mH	13.2 Ω
PCH-45X-226_LT	22mH	15.2 Ω

The PCH series is shown in Figure A and the inductors listed above are show on a breadboard in Figure B. You can find a comparison of various PCH inductors here. The inductors use the same cores, with varying wraps of wire.

There is also one inductor from Newark that works well--the 53K4801:

Newark Part #	Mfg.	Mfg. Part #	Inductance	Internal Resistance
53K4801	Vishay Dale	IHD3EB223L	15mH	22 Ω

You can see this inductor in Figure C with a penny for size-comparison.

Finally, I have found a number of inductors from Mouser that work quite well. Their specs are listed below in the table and they are shown in Figure D and Figure E:

Pic. Ref.	Mouser Part #	Mfg.	Mfg. Part #	Inductance	Resistance
A	580-19R226C	Murata PS	19R226C	22mH	16 Ω
B	434-02-223J	Fastron	07MFG-223J-50	22mH	15 Ω
C	434-02-183J	Fastron	07MFG-183J-50	18mH	18 Ω
D	652-RL181S-183J-RC	Bourns	RL181S-183J-RC	18 mH	14 Ω
E	807-4590R-186K	API Delevan	4590R-186K	18mH	14.5 Ω
F	807-4590R-226K	API Delevan	4590R-226K	22mH	17 Ω
G	542-5900-273-RC	J.W. Miller	5900-273-RC	27mH	19.2 Ω
H	542-5900-223-RC	J.W. Miller	5900-223-RC	22mH	17.5 Ω

A special thanks to www.chuacircuit.com for recommending Coilcraft for good inductors! If anyone has any other experience with ordering inductors for Chua circuits, please contact me.