Measuring Resistivity of Insulating Materials
Application Notes
The Keysight B2985C and B2987C electrometer/high resistance meters streamline the characterization of surface and volume resistivity in insulating materials by providing accurate resistance or current versus time information in real time through their front panels.
This application note demonstrates how to measure a material’s surface or volume resistivity in film or sheet formats using the Keysight N1424 resistivity cell fixture. The B2985C and B2987C offer unmatched current measurement resolution of 10 aA (0.01 fA) and a built-in 1000 V voltage source, allowing resistances of up to 10 PΩ (10^16 Ω) to be measured. The application note also explains the importance of measuring insulation and surface resistance over time, as per the ASTM D257 standard, and highlights the timer-based triggering and math functions that calculate resistivity data at specified times. Additionally, it covers the trend graph capabilities that allow users to monitor resistivity changes over time.