Keithley Publishes Low Voltage, Low Resistance Measurements E-Handbook

Keithley Instruments, Inc., a world leader in advanced electrical test instruments and systems, has published an electronic handbook titled "Making Precision Low Voltage and Low Resistance Measurements." The handbook, which offers instant online access to a wide range of Keithley application notes, white papers, webinars, and many other references, was developed to help readers solve today's toughest low level measurement challenges.

A number of topics related to low voltage measurements are addressed in the handbook:

• Offset voltages
• Noise
• Common-mode current and reversal errors

Low resistance measurement topics covered include:

• Lead resistance and the four-wire method
• Thermoelectric EMFs and offset compensation methods
• Non-ohmic contacts
• Device heating
• Dry circuit testing
• Testing inductive devices

Tips and techniques for ensuring the accuracy of instruments such as voltmeters, ohmmeters, and current sources are included. The handbook also outlines specific low voltage (Hall effect) and low resistance (superconductor resistance) applications and provides a convenient selector guide and low level measurements glossary.

Keithley Launches New General Purpose Programmable Power Supply Product Line

Keithley Instruments, Inc., a world leader in advanced electrical test instruments and systems, announced today the availability of five new general-purpose programmable DC power supplies designed to complement the company’s existing line of specialty power supplies and source measurement instruments for component, module, and device characterization and test applications. The Series 2200 family combines superior voltage and current output accuracy at a cost-effective price, flexible operation, and features designed to enhance ease of use in a variety of device characterization or test applications.

The five models in the Series 2200 line offer maximum voltage, current, and power output levels designed to address a wide range of sourcing requirements for characterizing components, circuits, modules, and complete devices:

• Model 2200-20-5: 20V, 5A, 100W
• Model 2200-30-5: 30V, 5A, 150W
• Model 2200-32-3: 32V, 3A, 96W
• Model 2200-60-2: 60V, 2.5A, 150W
• Model 2200-72-1: 72V, 1.2A, 86W

The voltage output accuracy of Series 2200 power supplies is specified at 0.03%; their current output accuracy is 0.05%. Both specifications are significantly better than those of competitive general-purpose supplies. In addition, their high output (1mV) and measurement (0.1mA) resolution makes them well-suited for characterizing low power circuits and devices in applications such as measuring idle mode and sleep mode currents to confirm devices can meet today's ever-more-challenging goals for energy efficiency. Remote sense terminals on the back panel and less than 5mVp-p noise help ensure that the voltage programmed is the voltage that the supply actually outputs. A dual-line display shows both the programmed values and actual outputs for a continuous indication of the status of the power delivered to the load.

Series 2200 supplies include a variety of features designed to enhance operating versatility. For example, each model provides 40 onboard memory locations for storing frequently used test setups for later recall and reuse. In addition, a built-in list mode function supports the programming and storage of up to seven custom test sequences of up to 80 steps. Once saved, a sequence can be triggered to run manually using the instrument's front panel keys, automatically via an external trigger, or by using programmable interface commands. Competitive general-purpose power supplies don’t provide these capabilities.

Several Series 2200 features help protect DUTs from damage during testing, including a programmable voltage limit value that prevents the supply from outputting excessive voltage (even if a voltage higher than the limit is entered into the instrument) and a programmable over-voltage function that causes the output to drop to less than 1V if the over-voltage limit is reached. These limits are in addition to the current limit setting function, which controls the level of current that can flow into the DUT. Also, a programmable timer can be used to turn off the output after a specified time interval, so tests can be preprogrammed to run unattended without worrying about excess voltage or power being applied to the DUT for an extended period of time.

Multiple methods for adjusting the supplies' voltage and current settings are provided, including a direct-entry numeric keypad on the front panel. In addition, a rotary knob with adjustable step size simplifies studying the response of a device-under-test (DUT) to voltage or current changes.

Series 2200 power supplies can be controlled easily over either a standard GPIB or USB interface. The USB interface is test and measurement class (TMC) compliant, so users can employ the standard SCPI command syntax. Standard instrument drivers are included to simplify integrating the power supplies into an automated test environment.

Keithley Upgrades Semiconductor Test Software for High Throughput Wafer Production Test

Keithley Instruments, Inc., a world leader in advanced electrical test instruments and systems, has introduced an upgrade to its popular Keithley Test Environment (KTE) semiconductor test software. KTE Version 5.3 is designed for use with Keithley's S530 Parametric Test Systems, the company's fastest, most cost-effective line of process control monitoring solutions to date.

KTE is a powerful test development and execution software platform that has served hundreds of semiconductor fabs worldwide with Keithley's previous-generation parametric test systems. Now, Keithley's S530 test systems can leverage the same industry-proven software platform, providing flexible test plan development and high speed test execution for even the most demanding production environments. Users of existing Keithley S400 and S600 Series parametric testers especially benefit from KTE Version 5.3 on the S530 because existing measurement routines can easily be ported to the S530, and identical test plans can be shared between existing testers and new S530 systems.

Extending the KTE test development and execution environment to S530 systems brings together the advantages of Keithley's three decades of field experience in parametric test code development with the fastest, most advanced system hardware available in the market. S530 instrumentation provides the speed and wide measurement range that parametric test applications like process control monitoring demand.

Keithley is committed to supporting its parametric test customers by providing new test systems that are highly compatible with its earlier systems. This commitment to maintaining software compatibility ensures a smoother migration path and protects fabs' test software investment when adding newer, faster testers to their test floors. For new Keithley parametric test customers, this commitment to system software continuity means they can be confident their test systems are based on industry-proven software.

For customers already using earlier versions of KTE, KTE V5.3 speeds and simplifies integrating S530 test systems into their test floors:

The same test recipes and test plans can be used for all Keithley automated parametric test systems, which not only shortens the learning curve for test engineers and operators working with multiple systems but offers a smooth migration path to protect the fab's test development investment when adding new high speed systems to the test floor or replacing older ones.

Users can continue working with the familiar user libraries they've developed for earlier Keithley systems over the years after recompiling and rebuilding them for use with the S530. Typically, only minimal debugging is required.

KTE V5.3 simplifies creating new user access point (UAP) source code for conditional test sequencing and customizing the flow of the S530's system operation. UAP source code developed for earlier Keithley systems is applicable to S530 systems with minimal adjustments.

The tools within KTE provide identical functionality for all Keithley parametric test platforms.

KTE for the S530 is designed to run on a Linux operating system on a standard industrial PC to ensure long-term stability and ease of maintenance. The software has been optimized for speed and extended reliability in high throughput production test environments. S530 systems running KTE V5.3 can address all the DC I-V and C-V measurements required in process control monitoring, process reliability monitoring, and device characterization. They are optimized for use in production parametric test environments that must accommodate a broad mix of products or wherever wide application flexibility and fast test plan development are critical.

Keithley Expands Series 2400 SourceMeter® Family with Lower-Cost Solution Optimized for Low Voltage Testing

Keithley Instruments, Inc., a world leader in advanced electrical test instruments and systems, announced today a low-cost addition to its popular Series 2400 SourceMeter® instrument family. Like all of Keithley's SMU (source measurement unit) instruments, the new Model 2401 SourceMeter instrument is optimized for high precision test applications such as current vs. voltage (I V) characterization of photovoltaic (solar) cells, high brightness LEDs (HBLEDs), low voltage materials, and semiconductor devices, as well as resistance measurements; however, it now provides these advanced source and measurement unit capabilities at 20V and 1A signal levels and at an unprecedented low price.

According to marketing manager Charles Cimino, "The Model 2401 is priced at $USD2995, making it the test and measurement industry's lowest cost standalone source measurement instrument with a complete set of measurement ranges, features, and programmable operating modes." He went on to note that it offers an economical alternative to test systems configured with separate programmable power supplies and digital multimeters or applications for which precision programmable power supplies lack sufficient accuracy, signal range, or resolution.

The Model 2401 operates and is programmed in exactly the same way as the other Series 2400 family member units within its 1A/20V range boundaries. Like the rest of this popular source measurement unit family, the Model 2401 integrates a highly stable DC power source with a true instrument-grade 5-1/2 or 6-1/2-digit multimeter in a single enclosure.

In operation, the Model 2401 can act as a voltage source, a current source, a voltmeter, an ammeter, and an ohmmeter, and provides four-quadrant bipolar and automatic source/sink operation. Referring to Keithley SMU convention, operating in I vs. V quadrants 1 or 3, it operates as a source, delivering power to a load. In quadrants 2 or 4, it operates as a sink, dissipating power internally from an external source such as a PV cell or other energy source.

Panel Mounted Device Displays Transducer Values

Local display of transducer values from a variety of sources including displacement, pressure, load and torque can be incorporated into control panels using an E725 signal conditioner and display unit from RDP Electronics Ltd.

The easy-to-use E725 is suited for applications in manufacturing, process industries and test and research and in addition to displaying values can deliver signals concerning transducer status to PLCs or other connected control devices. The E725 incorporates signal conditioning for transducers, offers a clear 5 digit display, with fast peak and trough detection and limit trips shown by indicator lights and has options such as relay outputs. The E725 has a 4-20mA 2-wire output that can be connected to a suitable analogue input on a PLC and can also provide serial communication via RS232 or RS485 with the controlling device. The settings can be password protected and if required the whole panel can be disabled to prevent operators upsetting the operation of the unit. The E725 is compactly housed and can be used in a stand-alone mode as well as panel mounted and offers flexibility and high performance at a competitive price.

Modular Instrumentation System is Suitable for Input from Many Transducer Types

Thanks to design modularity and the capability to be connected to several different transducer types, the Modular 600 system from RDP Electronics Ltd is widely used in universities and research establishments.

The Modular 600 is a fully featured microprocessor instrumentation system, which also incorporates configurable analogue outputs. Its modular design concept, provides complete flexibility and expandability, accepting inputs from up to 164 channels in either free standing or rack form. It can be tailored to measure several engineering parameters including displacement, pressure, load/force, strain, torque and vibration. There is a family of signal conditioning modules suitable for LVDTs, load cells and strain gauges for pre-amplifying transducers before they are connected to logging equipment such as A & D cards.. It is straightforward to add or remove modules by simply unplugging them from the front panel and making the necessary switch changes. A key element in the Modular 600 system is the 650 digital I/O and data storage module that provides a real-time LED display of any selected channel in the system and also acts as a data hub into which a PC can be connected. Serial data can be sent via RS232, RS422 or RS485.

LVDTs from RDP Well Suited for Hydraulic Proportional Control

Thanks to their ability to be immersed or flooded by non-corrosive and non-degrading oils often used in hydraulic systems, LVDTs from RDP Electronics Ltd are ideal for providing feedback for control valve positions.

Proportional valve control can be used to manage direction and amount of fluid flow, or pressure within a system, are particularly useful in situations where system speed must be tightly controlled and where ramping up and down is needed to avoid sudden starts or stops. They can also provide precise control in applications where hydraulic pressure must be built up steadily. Because RDP’s LVDTs have a have a high-speed response and operational suitability over a wide range of temperatures, they can usually be incorporated in many proportional control valve applications.