SMU4000 Setups and Sequencing

Setups

A setup is an instrument configuration that can be saved to file and recalled. Each can put the instrument into one of the following instrument operating modes which determine primarily how the source/sink is controlled - in all modes voltage and current and derived values are measured:

• SV (Source Voltage) Low impedance dual polarity voltage source with defined current limits. Will sink current if set voltage is below external source voltage.
• SC (Source Current) dual polarity current source with defined voltage limits. Can source and sink a constant current.
• LC (Load Current) Constant Current electronic load mode (source off)
• LR (Load Resistance) Constant Resistance electronic load mode (source off)
• LP (Load Power) Constant Power electronic load mode (source off)
• MV (Measure Voltage) Sets current source to 0A in order to measure voltage
• MC (Measure Current) Sets voltage source to 0V in order to measure current
• MR (Measure Resistance) Uses current source to measure low resistance values at high currents
• MHR (Measure High Resistance) Uses voltage source to measure high resistance values at high voltages

These can be further configured with terminal selection, measurement count, source shape (steady, pulse, sweep etc.), output off state, source level, limits and protection, timing options, result sorting (pass/fail) and mathematical operations on the results. Not all configuration options are applicable to all operation modes. The resulting setup can then be stored and recalled for future use and run with the "Run" button or trigger.

Sequencing

Setups as described above can be chained into sequences with additional logic at each step (see diagram). These become particularly powerful when combined with digital IO and event conditions based on the measurements. A sequence then becomes another "mode" and is run with the "Run" button or from external trigger. Sequences can be saved and recalled.