News and New Products

Source/measure device-test instruments get smarter, faster

By Dan Strassberg -- EDN, 3/31/2005

The Series 2600 SourceMeter Instruments from Keithley aim to lower the cost of test for producers of such electronic components as silicon and compound semiconductors. According to the manufacturer, the new instruments place the industry’s highest throughput SMU (source-measure unit) in a scalable form factor, allowing seamless integration into systems that include one to 16 SMU channels. The $5495, single-channel Model 2601 and the $7995, dual-channel Model 2602 allow users to configure scalable ATE (automated-test-equipment) systems that perform precision dc, pulse, and low-frequency-ac tests (Picture).

Keithley officials say that the instruments provide two to four times the throughput of competitive units, because the Keithley instruments include an embedded TSP (test-script processor), which lets users program sequences of test commands and execute high-speed automated test sequences independently of a PC operating system. Unlike products that lack this sequencing capability or can only queue and execute commands, the 2600 series units can stand alone as complete automated, one-to-16-channel component-test instruments, which source, measure, make pass/fail decisions, store data, and control test-sequence flow and binning. Applications include three-terminal device test, parallel component test, L-I-V (light-voltage-current) sweep, and two-terminal device test. Flexible triggering and flow-control capabilities enable the TSP to control other instruments, component handlers, and probers via digital I/O and RS-232 ports.

Each channel offers a 40W, 3A, precision, four-quadrant SMU with accurate voltage and current readback and 1-pA resolution that designers can configure as a precision power supply, current source, bipolar bias source, 5.5-digit DMM (digital multimeter), low-frequency arbitrary-waveform generator with measurement, or electronic load. The 100-Mbps TSP-Link serial bus interconnects as many as 16 units without the need for hubs or bulky cables. The protocol is optimized for short messages, making it significantly faster than Ethernet for communication among SMUs.

The instruments include Test Script Builder application-development software, whose simple graphical user interface lets you develop, modify, and debug high-speed TSP programs. Each unit also features a built-in suite of prewritten TSP programs that you can quickly modify for specific applications, LabTracer 2.0 software enables easy instrument control, data acquisition, and curve tracing during device characterization in the lab.

Keithley Instruments Inc, 1-800-688-9951, www.keithley.com.