Keysight / Agilent E5270B Overview

The E5270B offers a flexible, expandable, and upgradeable solution for parametric characterization of semiconductor devices, with voltage measurement resolution down to 0.5 microvolts and current measurement resolution down to 0.1 femtoamps. Three different source/monitor unit (SMU) types are available to meet a variety of parametric measurement challenges: a medium power SMU (MPSMU), a high power SMU (HPSMU), and a high resolution SMU (HRSMU). An optional atto-sense and switch unit (ASU) works with the HRSMU to provide 100 attoamps of current measurement resolution. The ASU enables switching between SMU-based measurement (IV) and capacitance meter based measurement (CV) without having to change any cables. Agilent also provides an industry-standard VXIplug&play instrument driver as a cost-effective programming aid when using your own testing software, as well as test instruction set (TIS) commands that are compatible with 4070 Series test algorithms.

Industry Challenges

Engineers and scientists working on current and future semiconductor process technologies face a variety of parametric measurement challenges:

• Reducing the cost of test. Flexible and expandable solutions are needed to allow for solution customization and to ensure that measurement hardware does not become obsolete.
• Precise ultra low current and low voltage measurement. Certain structures require current measurement resolution < 1 femtoamp and/or voltage measurement resolution < 1 microvolt.
• Easy capacitance versus voltage (CV) and current versus voltage measurement (IV). Both CV and IV measurement are required for semiconductor device characterization, but switching between these is difficult (especially when using positioners on a wafer prober).

Summary

Solves the most extreme parametric measurement challenges

For engineers and scientists working on current and future semiconductor process technologies, the E5270B provides a solution that both meets their needs and lowers their cost of test. The wide variety of available modules and advanced measurement features provide a complete solution for parametric measurement and analysis. Both a VXIplug&play driver and TIS commands are provided as programming aids for customers who choose to use their own software instead of software provided by Agilent.

Unlike solutions that include both the system controller and measurement resources combined, the E5270B gives you the freedom to manage these resources separately, thereby avoiding the expensive problem of the system controller becoming obsolete years before other elements. The E5270B can be controlled from MS Windows-based, UNIX-based, or even LINUX-based operating system environments. Because you can upgrade your system controller hardware or software without losing the use of your instrument, your investment is protected against unforeseeable technology shifts.

• Ultra low current measurement without cumbersome external preamplifiers
  
  The E5270B HRSMU supplies 1-femtoamp measurement resolution without the need for cumbersome external preamplifiers, providing an extremely efficient solution for situations not requiring ultra low current measurement. This innate capability enables you to meet the measurement challenges posed by the vast majority of current and future devices. The HRSMU (and redesigned MPSMU) also provides voltage measurement resolution down to 0.5 microvolts. The HRSMU (as well as the redesigned MPSMU) also supports new 0.5 V and 5 V measurement ranges, which improve measurement accuracy for modern lower-voltage transistors. Advanced measurement features include multi-channel sweep mode with parallel test capability, linear/binary search, range management, and force value self-monitoring.
• Flexibility to provide stable 100 attoamp measurements
  
  The HRSMU accepts an optional atto sense and switch unit (ASU), which increases the low current measurement resolution to 100 attoamps. This is invaluable for certain extreme characterization needs such as memory cell leakage testing. In addition, the ASU allows you to make voltage measurements and force both voltage and current up to the limits of the HRSMU specification.
• Switch between CV and IV measurement without wasting time swapping cables
  
  The ASU enables switching between 100 attoamp measurement and precise capacitance measurement without changing any cabling. The ASU includes two BNC inputs that are compatible with the outputs of a capacitance meter. Simple software commands enable you to switch between SMU based measurement (IV) and capacitance meter based measurement (CV) without having to change any cabling. You can also use the BNC inputs with other instruments such as a digital voltmeter (DVM) or a pulse generator unit (PGU). No matter what your configuration, the ASU provides better switching measurement performance than an external switching matrix, and offers improved ease of use.
• Cost-effective alternative that takes advantage of your own testing software
  
  Agilent provides an industry-standard VXIplug&play driver, a high-level programming interface that saves time by allowing your programmers to avoid having to learn the detailed programming of the instrument. In addition, the TIS -- test instruction set -- interface enables code developed for the lab environment to be used in production. Specifically, TIS allows you to write algorithms for subsequent transfer to the Agilent 4070 production test environment.

Components

• E5270B Precision Measurement Mainframe
• E5280B High Power Source/Monitor Unit module (HPSMU)
• E5281B Medium Power Source/Monitor Unit module (MPSMU)
• E5287A High Resolution Source/Monitor Unit module (HRSMU)
• E5288A Atto Sense and Switch Unit (ASU)
• Cables and accessories
• Manual CD-ROM
• Software CD-ROM (including VXIplug&play driver and E5270B TIS library

General Features

• Perform precision dc parametric measurements
• Eight slots for plug-in modules
• Code compatible with 4142B

Measurement Capabilities

• 0.5 microvolt and 0.1 femtoamp measurement resolution (HRSMU + ASU)
• +/- 100 Volts and +/- 100 milliamp output capability (MPSMU, HRSMU)
• +/- 200 Volts and +/- 1 Amp output capability (HPSMU)
• 4 Amp ground unit

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