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Using an External Trigger to Measure Current with B2980A Series

Configuration Guides

Keysight Technologies

Using an External Trigger to Measure Current with B2980A Series

B2980A Femto/Picoammeter and Electrometer/High Resistance Meter

Demo Guide 

Introduction

The Keysight Technologies, Inc. B2980A Series of Femto/Picoammeters and Electrometers/High Resistance Meters offers not only the best-in-class measurement performance, but also unprecedented measurement features that can maximize your measurement confidence as you expect. The femto/picoammeters and electrometers both offer 0.01 fA (10-17 A) minimum current resolution, which should meet most of your existing and future low-level current measurement needs. The electrometers feature a 1,000 V voltage sourcing capability that supports up to 10 PΩ (1016 Ω) resistance measurements. The electrometers also work with Keysight’s well-proven high resistance meter accessories. The femto/picometer and electrometer/high resistance meter both have battery-powered versions that eliminate AC power-line noise. This low-noise environment allows you to make very sensitive, low-level measurements that were previously impossible. Unlike conventional picoammeters and electrometers, the B2980A series features a 4.3” color LCD graphical user interface (GUI) enabling various viewing capabilities such as numeric, graph, histogram and roll (trend chart), which allows you to easily capture the transient behavior or to efficiently make a quick statistical analysis without using an external PC. This demonstration guide highlights the excellent measurement and triggering capabilities of the B2980A series. The methodology involves sending an electronic trigger signal to a B2980A series electometer and making a current measurement. In this example, the electrometer receives an external trigger signal with specific timing parameters, such as 500 ms measurement delay, while sourcing 1 V across 100 GΩresistor.

Required Instrument and Accessories

All of the accessories required to perform the demos described in this demonstration guide are provided in a demo kit that is included with Keysight B2987A demo units except for the external trigger source.

Setup

Connection

  1. Connect the Common terminal to the Earth terminal of the B2985A/87A with a banana to screw-lug cable.
  2. Connect the Voltage Source Low terminal to the Common terminal of the B2985A/87A with a black banana test lead.
  3. Connect the Ammeter Input terminal of the B2985A/87A to the J1 terminal of the N1422A with a triaxial cable.
  4. Connect the Voltage Source High terminal of the B2985A/87A to the J2 terminal of the N1422A with a red banana test lead.
  5. Connect the trigger source to the Trigger In port of the B2985A/87A with a BNC cable.

Objective

This demo illustrates the ability of a B2980A series ammeter to respond to an external trigger and make a current measurement.

Procedure

  1. Change View mode to Meter View
  2. Confirm the measurement parameter
  3. Configure the trigger condition
  4. (Optional) Configure voltage source condition
  5. Initiate the ammeter to wait for an external trigger signal
  6. (Optional) Abort the ammeter to stop waiting for an external trigger signal
  7. (Optional) If you’d like to change aperture mode
  8. (Optional) If you’d like to change measurement range operation

Controlling the B2980A Series using SCPI commands

If you prefer to control the B2980A Series remotely using SCPI remote commands, then the following material explains how to do this. The series of commands shown in group “A” configure the measurement parameter and trigger condition. Next the series of commands shown in group “B” should be sent to set up the voltage source optionally. Finally, the series of commands shown in group “C” should be sent to initiate the ammeter in the B2980A Series to wait for an external trigger signal. The series of commands shown in group “D”, “E”, and “F” are optional to abort the ammeter to stop waiting for an external trigger signal, to change the aperture mode, and to change the measurement range operation.

Conclusion

The Keysight B2980A Series of Femto/Picoammeters and Electrometers/High Resistance Meters offers not only the best-in-class measurement performance, but also unprecedented measurement features that can maximize your measurement confidence. The 0.01 fA (10-17 A) minimum current resolution is available for both Femto/Picoammeters and Electrometers/ High Resistance Meters and should meet most of your existing and future sensitive current measurement needs. In addition to its excellent measurement capabilities, the B2980A series can use an external trigger to make current measurements. This ability to synchronize accurately with other instruments expands your test flexibility. You can further improve your measurement fidelity by using a B2980A series battery-powered model to eliminate AC power line noise. 

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