Methods to Achieve Higher Currents from I-V Measurement Equipment

Methods to Achieve Higher Currents from I-V Measurement Equipment

The most flexible type of test equipment for sourcing and measuring current and voltage are source-measure units (SMUs). These specialized instruments are high performance I-V source-measure instruments that are designed for use either as bench-top I-V characterization tools or as building block components of multi-channel I-V test systems. In short, they can source I or V, and then measure V or I, simultaneously. By design, there is a limit to the maximum current or voltage that a single SMU can source and measure. This paper presents methods to achieve current levels during test sequencing that are higher than the published DC (direct current) specifications of a single SMU. ■