Autotestcon: Keithley debuts source meters
-- Test & Measurement World, 9/24/2007 6:41:00 AM
Keithley Instruments at Autotestcon announced two new additions to its Series 2600 SourceMeter instruments for semiconductor parametric analysis and testing. The Models 2635 and 2636 provide resolutions as fine as 1 fA to support test of semiconductor, optoelectronic, and nanotechnology devices.
Keithley reports that its instrument-based, multi-channel architecture results in a 50% lower cost than typical mainframe-based source-measure solutions. With their Test Script Processor (TSP) and TSP-Link intercommunications bus, these new instruments enable engineers to create fast test systems for research, characterization, wafer sort, reliability, production monitoring, and other test applications.
The Models 2635 and 2636 provide DC and pulse testing from femtoamps or microvolts up to 200 V or 1.5 A. They operate with or without a PC, providing test speeds up to four times faster than typical mainframe-based source-measure solutions, the company reports. Moreover, each includes a PC-like microprocessor to enable easy programming and independent execution of test programs (scripts) ranging from the simple to complex, including sourcing, measuring, test sequence flow control, and decisions with conditional program branching.
The Models 2635 and 2636 operate as five precision instruments in a single box: SMU (source-measure unit), DMM (digital multimeter), bias source, low-frequency pulse generator, and arbitrary waveform generator. These functions are controlled by TSP, which enables fully programmable sequences to be downloaded and executed within the instrument, eliminating communications and PC overhead while allowing complete flexibility in controlling and adapting to different test situations.
In addition to TSP, Keithley's TSP-Link master/slave connection provides a high-speed, low-latency interface to other TSP-based instruments, enabling simple multi-box and multi-instrument software control. A benefit is easy scalability of Series 2600 test systems according to present and future needs. Multiple single-channel (Model 2635) units and dual-channel (Model 2636) units can be integrated seamlessly without a host mainframe. This mainframeless scalability allows system sizes up to 32 channels per GPIB address, while minimizing cost, rack space, and time required when adding future channels. By using selected products in the Series 2600, users can standardize on two or three SMU models to cover tests up to 10-A pulse or 3-A DC. The SMUs can then be re-purposed by simply changing the test scripts they execute.
All of Keithley’s TSP-based systems are capable of storing and running thousands of lines of code for predefined device tests that include limit comparisons, pass/fail decisions, parts binning, etc., and they all work with or without a PC controller during test execution. Furthermore, their digital I/O can directly control probers, handlers, and other instruments, while TSP-Link allows users to execute high-speed automated tests across multiple channels and instruments without GPIB traffic.
Two free software tools simplify systemization of the Series 2600 SourceMeter instruments. For R&D and curve-tracing applications, Keithley’s LabTracer 2.0 software controls up to eight SourceMeter instrument channels to perform device characterization with no programming. This software allows the user to fully configure each channel, run device parameter tests, and plot test data.
For high-speed production applications, the Test Script Processor is programmed with a Basic-style programming language that runs in real time on the instrument. The intuitive interface is compatible with all the popular programming languages. Keithley provides built-in test scripts for sweeping, pulsing, waveform generation, and common component tests. A number of test scripts are included in the instrument, while others can be downloaded at no charge. These pre-written factory test scripts can be used as supplied or customized.
Users can develop custom test scripts in other ways, including a free programming tool called Test Script Builder that helps users create, modify, debug, and store TSP scripts using its simple command language. The user’s scripts can be downloaded from the PC to the master SourceMeter instrument and saved in its nonvolatile memory. Sixteen megabytes of total storage allows up to 50,000 lines of TSP code and more than 100,000 readings.
Keithley can also deliver the Series 2600 instruments within turnkey integrated test systems driven by its Automated Characterization Suite (ACS). Series 2600 instruments enable scalable source-measure channel counts and high-speed testing for a variety of semiconductor test applications including wafer level reliability, on-wafer parametric die sort, and automated characterization.
Pricing for the single-channel Model 2635 starts at $8495; the dual-channel Model 2636 pricing starts at $13,995.
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