DC Analyzers

DC analyzers source and monitor voltages and currents and return data representing DC characteristics. IC-CAP supports the following DC analyzers:

HP 4071A Semiconductor Parametric Tester

The HP 4071A IC-CAP driver enables you to control the HP 4071A Semiconductor Parametric Tester from within IC-CAP.

GPIB Interface

The HP 4071A does not have a GPIB interface available by which you can control measurements. However, in keeping within the IC-CAP framework, an interface is required by the hardware manager in IC-CAP. The interface choices for the HP 4071 are limited to tis_offline, and tis_online. tis_offline runs the HP 4071 driver in a mode that does not require that the HP 4071 system be connected. tis_online runs the HP4071 driver in a mode that communicates with the HP 4071 system when one is available. You can add an interface in the Hardware Setup window using Tools > Hardware Setup in the IC-CAP/Main window, then click on Rebuild to set up the tester.

IC-CAP will invoke the hp4070 executable if it is not already running or is shutdown during an IC-CAP function. Therefore, in the window where you start IC-CAP, you must set the PATH environment variable to the directory where the hp4070 executable is located. The typical installation directory for the hp4070 executable is /opt/hp4070/bin.

Pin Connections

The HP 4071A switch matrix is controlled by the values entered for each of the Pins options in the Instrument Options Table. You can view the instrument options in the Model window after setting up the HP 4071 hardware, and creating an input for a setup. Highlight the setup name, then click on the Instrument Options tab. The values for the Pins option describes which PORT is connected to the available test head pins. Generally, each SMU has the same options implemented in the driver. One exception is that the Guard Pins option available for SMU1 and SMU2 are not available for SMU3. See the available instrument options in Table 1.

The following table shows examples of valid entries for Pins and the resulting connections:

Valid Pins Field Entry	Resulting Pin Connections
10	10
1,5,7,9	1, 5, 7, 9
2,4-7,9	2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9
2,4-7,9,0	Not connected
35,5,2-4	35, 5, 2, 3, 4
12-16	12, 13, 14, 15,16

Notice that valid entries include a series of numbers separated by commas, and a range of numbers using a dash. A 0 appearing anywhere in a Pins field disconnects the PORT from the switch matrix. This is an easy way to disconnect the PORT without having to erase the pin numbers. The Pins field also can be left blank.

If the Pins field is left blank, then ICCAP will search for a pre-defined IC-CAP variable. The string value of the pre-defined IC-CAP variable becomes the Pins entry for the corresponding PORT. You can view the pre-defined IC-CAP variables by clicking on the Model Variables tab in the Model window.

You may use these pre-defined IC-CAP variables in PEL programs and Macros, which enables you to programmatically change the pin assignments of each PORT. The following program listing is a PEL macro snippet that manipulates pin assignments. Though pin values for variables SMU1-4 are pre-defined, you can see that the variables are being assigned new values before an iccap_func statement is executed.

 n = 1
while (n <= 17)
HP4070_SMU1 = n
HP4070_SMU2 = n + 1
HP4070_SMU3 = n + 2
HP4070_SMU4 = n + 3
print "SMU1=", HP4070_SMU1
print "SMU2=", HP4070_SMU2
print "SMU3=", HP4070_SMU3
print "SMU4=", HP4070_SMU4

iccap_func("/Test1/SMU/sweepOrder1", "measure")
n = n + 4
end while

Prober Functions

The HP 4071A driver incorporates the TIS prober control functions as IC-CAP PEL functions. The TIS prober functions are described briefly in this section. The tis_prober_init() function is described in detail because its arguments differ slightly from the TIS function prober_init(). The remaining functions have the same arguments as their TIS counterparts. Consult the TIS Function Reference for complete descriptions of all prober commands. All prober functions return 0 when successful, and -1 when they fail.

tis_prober_init (selectCode, busAddress, ProberType, InterfaceName)

selectCode - Integer value, range 0 and 7-31. This is the GPIB select code. Setting selectCode and busAddress to 0 retrieves the GPIB select code and bus address from PCONFIG file.

busAddress - Integer value, range 0-30. This is the GPIB bus address. Setting selectCode and busAddress to 0 retrieves the GPIB select code and bus address from PCONFIG file.

ProberType - String value, 30 characters max. String that specifies the type of prober. See TIS Function Reference for prober types.

InterfaceName - String value. This is the interface name, either TIS_OFFLINE or TIS_ONLINE.

tis_p_home ()

Used for loading a wafer onto the chuck and moving it to the home position.

tis_p_up ()

Moves the chuck of the wafer prober up.

tis_p_down ()

Lowers the chuck of the wafer prober.

tis_p_scale (xIndex, yIndex)

Defines the X & Y stepping dimensions that are used by the tis_p_move and tis_p_imove functions.

tis_p_move (xCoordinate, yCoordinate)

Moves the chuck to an absolute position.

tis_p_imove (xDisplacement, yDisplacement)

Moves the chuck a relative increment from its current position.

tis_p_orig (xCoordinate, yCoordinate)

Defines the current X & Y position of the chuck. Must be called before calling the tis_p_move or tis_p_imove functions.

tis_p_pos (xPosition, yPosition)

Returns the current X & Y position of the chuck.

tis_p_ink (inkCode)

Calls the inker function of the prober if it is supported.

tis_prober_reset ()

Sends a device clear command to the prober.

tis_prober_status (isRemote, onWafer, lastWafer)

Sends a query to the prober to obtain the Remote/Local control state and the edge sensor contact state. The prober should be initialized with tis_prober_init before this function.

tis_prober_get_name (proberModeName)

Sends query to prober to read name of current mode.

tis_prober_get_ba (proberBusAddress)

Sends query to prober to read its bus address.

tis_prober_read_sysconfig (proberType, scba)

Sends query to prober to read its complete interface address including instrument type, select code, and bus address.

The following PEL macro example uses the prober functions. For the prober used in this example, notice that the operator must manually place the prober into AUTO PROBE mode while the program is actively querying the prober and it is in remote mode. Also notice that isRemote, isOnWafer, and isLastWafer must be parameters that appear in a variable list such as Model Variables.

 status = -1
busAddress = 0
selectCode = 0
proberType = "EG4080X"
interfaceName = "TIS_ONLINE"
stepSizeX = 500
stepSizeY = 300
isRemote = 0
isOnWafer = 0
isLastWafer = 0
dum = 1

! Prober Commands return 0 for success, -1 for failure
dum = tis_prober_reset()
status=tis_prober_init(selectCode,busAddress,proberType,inte
rfaceName)
if (status == 0) then
status = tis_p_scale(stepSizeX, stepSizeY)
print "status =", status
end if

if (status == 0) then
status = tis_prober_status(isRemote, isOnWafer, isLastWafer)
print "status =", status
print "isRemote =", isRemote
end if

if (status == 0) then
linput "Align the wafer. Press OK, then press [AUTO PROBE]", 
ans
! EG4080X MUST be actively querying bus when AUTO PROBE is 
commenced
while (isRemote == 0)
dum2 = tis_prober_status (isRemote, isOnWafer, isLastWafer)
end while

print "isRemote =", isRemote
if (isRemote ==1) then
status = 0
end if
end if

if (status == 0) then
dum = tis_p_orig(5.0,5.0)
n = 1
while (n < 5)
dum = tis_p_move(n,n)
n = n + 1
end while
end if

Instrument Options for the HP 4071A

The following table describes the HP 4071A options and their default values.

Table 1 HP 4071A Options 

Option	Description
Use User Sweep	Yes = use user mode sweep. No = use system mode, when all required conditions are met. Default = No.
Hold Time	Time to allow for DC settling before starting internal or user sweep. Maximum 655 seconds. Default = 0.
Delay Time	Time the instrument waits before taking a measurement at each step of an internal or user sweep. Maximum 65 seconds. Default = 100 msec.
Fast ADC Integration Mode	Sets the integration mode for fast A/D converter to 0 = Manual, 1 = Short, 2 = Medium, 3 = Long. Default = 2.
Fast ADC Integration Value	Sets the integration time in Power Line Cycles (PLC) or number of samples to average for integration. Allowed values depend on setting for Fast ADC Integration Mode: If Integration Mode = 0 or 1, samples = 0, 1 to 4096. Default = 1. If Integration Mode = 2, values are ignored, time is fixed to 1 PLC. If Integration Mode = 3, time = 0, 1 to 100 PLC. Default = 16. If 0 is entered as the value, the default value is used.
Use Smart Fast ADC Integ Mode	Yes/No, default = No. Specifying Yes will use Smart mode integration for fast A/D converter for current measurements. Fast ADC Integ Mode and Fast ADC Integ Value will still be used for voltage measurements.
Smart Fast ADC Integ Value	Sets the integration time in Power Line Cycles (PLC) for integration on current measurements when Use Smart Fast ADC Integ Mode is Yes. Values can be 0, or 1 to 100 PLC. If 0 is entered as the value, the default of 16 PLC will be used.
Slow ADC Integration Mode	Sets the integration mode for high-resolution (slow) A/D converter to 0 = Manual, 1 = Short, 2 = Medium, 3 = Long. Default = 2.
Slow ADC Integration Value	Sets the integration time in Power Line Cycles (PLC) or number of samples to average for integration. Allowed values depend on setting for Slow ADC Integration Mode: If Integration Mode = 0, time = 0, 80E-6 to 20E-3 seconds, or 1 to 100 PLC. Default = 240E-6 If Integration Mode = 1, time = 0, 80E-6 to 20E-3 seconds. Default = 480E-6. If Integration Mode = 2, values are ignored, time is fixed to 1 PLC. If Integration Mode = 3, time = 0, 1 to 100 PLC. Default = 16. If 0 is entered as the value, the default value is used.
Slow ADC Auto Zero On	Sets SMU auto zero function to 0 = Off or 1= On. When turned on, the offset error is canceled at each measurement. Default = last valid value.
Use Smart Slow ADC Integ Mode	Yes/No, default = No. Specifying Yes will use Smart mode integration for high-resolution (slow) A/D converter for current measurements. Slow ADC Integ Mode and Slow ADC Integ Value will still be used for voltage measurements.
Smart Fast ADC Integ Value	Sets the integration time in Power Line Cycles (PLC) for integration on current measurements when Use Smart Slow ADC Integ Mode is Yes. Values can be 0, or 1 to 100 PLC. If 0 is entered as the value, the default of 16 PLC will be used.
Ground Open Guard Terminals	Connects guard terminals of unused measurement pins to circuit common. 0 = Disconnects terminals, any other value connects them. Default = 0.
Pins	Sets the PORT that is connected to the test head pins.
Guard Pins	Sets the pins to use for guard terminal. Available only for SMU1 and 2.
Fast/Slow ADC	Selects ADC. F = high speed (fast), S = high resolution (slow).
Port Filter On	Sets the SMU output filter mode, 0 = Off, 1 = On. Higher speed measurement is used when filter is off. Overshoot voltage or current is reduced when filter is on. Default = 0.
V Range (0.0 = Auto)	Sets the SMU voltage range. For MPSMU, allowed range is -100 to 100, with recommended range of 0, 2, 20, 40, 100. For HPSMU, allowed range is -200 to 200, with recommended range of 0, 2, 20, 40, 100, 200. Default = 0 (auto range).
I Range (0.0 = Auto)	Sets the SMU current range. For MPSMU, allowed range is -0.1 to 0.1, with recommended range of 0, 1E-9, 1E-8, 1E-7, 1E-6, 1E-5, 1E-4, 1E-3, 1E-2, 1E-1. For HPSMU, allowed range is -1 to 1, with recommended range of 0, 1E-9, 1E-8, 1E-7, 1E-6, 1E-5, 1E-4, 1E-3, 1E-2, 1E-1, 1. Default = 0 (auto range).
Power Compliance	Sets SMU power compliance in Watts. Allowed range for MPSMU is 0, 0.001 to 2. Allowed range for HPSMU is 0, 0.001 to 14.
Pulse Mode On	Sets pulse mode. NO = off, YES = on.
Pulse Base	Sets level of waveform's base for pulsed spot measurements. For MPSMU, allowed range is -0.1 to 0.1. For HPSMU, allowed range is -1 to 1. See Figure 1 for pulse waveform characteristics.
Pulse Width	Sets width of pulse for pulsed spot measurements. Allowed range is 0.0005 to 2.0000 seconds. Default = 0.005. See Figure 1 for pulse waveform characteristics.
Pulse Period	Sets period of pulse for pulsed spot measurements. Allowed range is 0, 0.0050 to 5.0000 seconds. Default = 0.2. See Figure 1 for pulse waveform characteristics.
Perform Cal?	TRUE = IC-CAP invokes calibration routine if a calibration is needed. FALSE = IC-CAP does not invoke calibration routine if a calibration is needed.
Cal Type	Sets the type of calibration routine to perform. Values are OPEN, SHORT, BOTH. BOTH invokes the OPEN and SHORT calibration routines.
High Pin	High voltage pin connection.
Low Pin	Low voltage pin connection.
Guard Pins	Guard pin connection.
Integ Time	Sets the CMU measurement's integration time. Allowed values are 1 = Short, 2 = Medium, 3 = Long.
Hold Time	Sets the sweep hold time for C-G-V measurement by the CMU. Allowed range is 0 to 650.000 seconds. Default = 0.
Delay Time	Sets the sweep delay time for C-G-V measurement by the CMU. Allowed range is 0 to 650.000 seconds. Default = 0.
Freq	Sets the CMU measurement frequency. Allowed values are 1E+3, 1E+4, 1E+5, 1E+6 Hz.
Signal Level	Sets the CMU measurement's test signal level. Allowed range is 0 to 2.0 volts (standard), and 0 to 20.0 volts (option 001). Default = last valid setting, or 0.03.
High Pins	High voltage pin connection.
Low Pins	Low voltage pin connection.
Auto Zero On	Sets auto zero mode for DVM. 0 = disable, 1 = enable. Default = last valid setting.
Integ Time	Sets integration time for DVM. Allowed range is 0, 0.5E-6 to 999999.9E-6 seconds; 1 to 10 PLC and 10 to 100 PLC. If set to 0, integration time is set to default value. Default = 0.5E-6.

The following figure is a diagram of the pulse waveform used in pulsed spot measurements showing Pulse Base, Pulse Width, and Pulse Period.

Figure 1 Pulse Base, Width, and Period in Pulsed Spot Measurements

HP 4140 pA Meter/DC Voltage Source

The HP 4140 is equipped with 2 DC voltage source units and 1 low current measurement unit. The units take measurements in either the internal system or user sweep mode.

IC-CAP assigns the following names to the units:

VA	DC Voltage Source Unit. VA supports internal linear sweeps using step or ramp sweep mode. This unit can also be used in user sweep mode.
VB	DC Voltage Source Unit. VB only sources a constant voltage. If VB is assigned to the main sweep, user sweep mode is required.
LCU	pA Current Monitor Unit.

The HP 4140 driver is an example of a driver created using the Open Measurement Interface. The driver's source code can be found in the files user_meas2.h and user_meas2.C in the directory $ICCAP_ROOT/src. For information, refer to Chapter 2, "Drivers."

To recognize which data delimiter (CR/LF or Comma) is used, IC-CAP performs a spot I measurement only when an HP 4140 is first accessed (when the Measure command is issued). When the data delimiter is changed, choose Rebuild in the Hardware Setup window so that IC-CAP will note the change.

With a ramp sweep, measured current I can be translated into quasi-static C by the following equation. Use a transform to perform this calculation.

The following table describes the HP 4140 options and their default values, where applicable.

Table 2 HP 4140 Options 

Option	Description
Use User Sweep	Yes = use user sweep. No = use the instrument's internal sweep. Default = No
Hold Time	Time the instrument waits before starting an internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. The range is 0.1 to 1999 seconds in 100 msec steps. Default = 0.1
Delay Time	Time the instrument waits before taking a measurement at each step of an internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. The range is 0.01 to 100 seconds in 10 msec steps. Default = 0.01 seconds
Integ Time	Instrument integration time: S (short), M (medium), or L (long). Default = L
Range	Specifies the measurement range. 0 is auto range; 1 is range hold; 2 to 12 denotes a current range of 1E-2 to1 E-12. For a faster ramp rate, use a fixed range. Default = 0
Use Ramp Sweep	Yes = use ramp sweep. No = use step sweep. With a ramp sweep, both start and stop values are expanded by 1 point to have the same number of measurement points with a step sweep. Default = No
Ramp Rate	The dV/dt value of a ramp sweep. Minimum is 0.001V/s; maximum is 1V/s. Default = 0.5
Init Command	This command field is used to set the instrument to a mode not supported by the option table. This command is sent at the end of instrument initialization for each measurement. Normal C escape characters such as \n (new line) are available. Default = none

HP 4141 DC Source/Monitor

The HP 4141 is equipped with 4 stimulus/measurement units (SMU), 2 programmable voltage source units (VS), 2 voltage monitor units (VM) and 1 non-programmable ground unit. Use a 16059A Adaptor when measuring a device with a 16058A Test Fixture.

IC-CAP assigns the following names to the units:

SMUn	Stimulus/Measurement Unit n (1, 2, 3, 4)
VSn	Voltage Source Unit n (1, 2)
VMn	Voltage Monitor Unit n (1, 2)

The following table describes the HP 4141 options and their default values, where applicable.

Table 3 HP 4141 Options 

Option	Description
Use User Sweep	Yes = use user sweep. No = use the instrument's internal sweep. Default = No
Hold Time	Time the instrument waits before starting internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Range is 0 to 650 seconds in 10 msec steps. Default = 0
Delay Time	Time the instrument waits before taking a measurement at each step of an internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Range is 0 to 6.5 seconds in 1 msec steps. Default = 0
Integ Time	Instrument integration time; set to S (short), M (medium), or L (long). Default = S
Init Command	Command field to set the instrument to a mode not supported by the option table. This command is sent at the end of instrument initialization for each measurement. Normal C escape characters such as \n (new line) are available. Default = none

HP/Agilent 4142 Modular DC Source/Monitor

The 4142 contains 8 configurable plug-in slots for:

The 4142 ground unit (GND) provides a means for connecting device terminals to a ground reference and can sink current up to 1.6A. This ground unit cannot be programmed or monitored.

Unit names are dependent on the slot they occupy. An SMU (except MPSMU) uses 2 slots in the mainframe; the value of slot number n is the higher of the 2 slots. IC-CAP assigns the following names to the units:

MPSMUn	Medium Powered Stimulus/Measurement Unit in slot n
HPSMUn	High Powered Stimulus/Measurement Unit in slot n
HCUn	High Current Stimulus/Measurement Unit in slot n
HVUn	High Voltage Stimulus/Measurement Unit in slot n
VSmn	Voltage Source Unit m (1 or 2) in slot n
VMmn	Voltage Monitor Unit m (1 or 2) in slot n

The 4142 has a total maximum power consumption of 32W for HPSMU, MPSMU, HCU, HVU and VS/VM. If a measurement is performed and the 32W limit is exceeded, the measurement will not be attempted and IC-CAP will issue an error message. Power consumed by the VS/VM unit (HP/Agilent 41424A) is 2.2W at the 20V range and 0.88W at the 40V range. When using SMUs to source either voltage or current, refer to the Agilent 4142 Operation Manual for the actual SMU power calculations.

In the user and the internal system mode, voltage and current pulsed measurements are supported. Quasi-pulsed spot measurement is not supported by IC-CAP. For information on how to set up a pulsed measurement, refer to the Pulse entries in Table 5.

HCU and 2-channel pulsed measurements are supported with ROM version 3.0 and later; HVU is supported with version 4.0 and later; Module Selector requires version 4.1.

SMU

Current-forced SMUs of the same type can be connected in parallel to increase the output current. Use SYNC sweep if you want double current at each sweep point. System Sweep can be used for 2 HPSMUs; however, User Sweep must be used for 2 HCUs. To avoid a warning message, set the system variable PARALLEL_INPUT_UNITS_OK to True.

HCU

An HCU can force up to 10A with 10V in the pulse mode only. Its pulse base is fixed to zero and it cannot force a constant value. Both 1- and 2-channel measurements are supported with an HCU.

1-Channel Pulse    Because an HCU can force only a pulse, an HCU can be used without placing its name in the pulse unit field in the Instrument Options folder. This is called an implicit pulse channel and its pulse width and period are taken from the Instrument Options folder. The pulse base is always set to zero for an implicit pulse channel (HCU). The pulse width and pulse period of an HCU have a different specification from other units. The pulse width must be 0.1 to 1 msec; the pulse period must be 10 to 500 msec; the pulse duty must be 10 percent or less when its output or compliance current is 1A or less, and must be 1 percent or less when its current is more than 1A.

If an HCU is specified as the pulse unit explicitly in the Instrument Options folder, this is called an explicit pulse channel and the pulse base in the Instrument Options folder must be set to zero.

2-Channel Pulse    When 2 pulsed channels are used, the primary channel must be an HCU; the secondary channel can be an HCU, SMU, or VS—it cannot be an HVU. For information on the 2-channel configuration, refer to the following table.

Table 4 2-Channel Options 

Channel	Primary	Secondary
Pulse Unit	HCU only	HCU/SMU/VS
Pulse Width	0.1 to 0.8 msec; from Instrument Options folder	approximately 1 msec
Pulse Period	from Instrument Options folder	from Instrument Options folder
Pulse Base	0 only	from Instrument Options folder
Declared	implicit	from Instrument Options folder

HVU

An HVU can force up to 1000V with 10 mA in either the constant or the pulsed mode. This unit has the same specification about the pulse width, pulse period, and pulse duty as other SMUs.

An HVU is a unipolar source that requires the output polarity be set before you set its output value. An internal sweep from the minus-to-plus or from the plus-to-minus region is impossible; set the Use User Sweep option to Yes, if such a sweep range is necessary.

To perform the self test and calibration, the INTLK switch must be closed for an HVU. At the start and end of each measurement, IC-CAP instructs all used units to force zero for safety reasons. The shock hazard lamp of the HP/Agilent 16088B test fixture remains on after each measurement because the output switch of the used HVU has been closed to force zero.

VM

A differential voltage measurement of a VM unit is supported by supplying a command string to the Init Command field in the Instrument Options folder. If a VM unit is in slot 8, add the command string "VM 8,2;" to the Init Command field. This sets the VM unit at slot 8 to a differential mode where it measures the differential voltage of VM18 versus VM28. Then add an output for VM18 (not VM28) to the Setup. When simulating this differential mode VM, VM18 should correspond to the + Node to have the same polarity between measurement and simulation.

The following table describes the HP/Agilent 4142 options and their default values, where applicable.

Table 5 HP/Agilent 4l42 Options 

Option	Description
Use User Sweep	Yes = use user mode sweep. No = use system mode, when all required conditions are met. Default = No
Hold Time	Time to allow for DC settling before starting internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Maximum 655 seconds. Default = 0
Delay Time	Time the instrument waits before taking a measurement at each step of an internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Maximum 65 seconds. Default = 100 msec
Integ Time	Instrument's integration time; can be set to S (short), M (medium), or L (long). Default = S
Range	Specifies the measurement range. 0 specifies auto range. Applies to all SMUs in this 4142. Refer to the Agilent 4142 Operation Manual for definitions of other ranges. Default = 0
SMU Filters ON	Yes = filters ON. No = filters OFF. Applies to all SMUs in this 4142. A pulsed unit is automatically set to filter off. Default = Yes
Pulse Unit	Enter name of a pulsed unit when taking pulsed measurements.
Pulse Base	Enter value of pulse base.
Pulse Width	Enter value of pulse width.
Pulse Period	Enter value of pulse period.
Module Control	Enter SMU, HCU, or HVU for module selection with option 300. For user relays, enter an exact argument for the ERC command (for example, 2,1,0). When blank, no unit is connected by the module selector. Refer to the 4142 GPIB Command Reference Manual for the ERC command.
Init Command	Command field used to set the instrument to a mode not supported by the option table. Command is sent at the end of instrument initialization for each measurement. Normal C escape characters such as \n (new line) are available. Default = none
Power Compliance †	Specify power compliance in Watts with 1mW resolution. Specifying 0 (zero) disables power compliance mode (default).

^†   Supported for internal sweep mode only (USE USER SWEEP = NO) and DC only measurement setups.
    This option applies to SMUs only. The allowable range of power compliance depends on the sweep source (SMU type) and is not monitored by IC-CAP. Refer to instrument's documentation for more details.
    IC-CAP requires rectangular datasets, thus when a power compliance is specified, the instrument concludes the measurement at the power compliance limit, but IC-CAP fills the datasets with the last point measured below power compliance.

HP 4145 Semiconductor Parameter Analyzer

The HP 4145 is equipped with the following units:

Time-domain measurement is not supported by IC-CAP.

IC-CAP assigns the following names to the units:

SMUn	Stimulus/Measurement Unit n (1, 2, 3, 4)
VSn	Voltage Source Unit n (1, 2)
VMn	Voltage Monitor Unit n (1, 2)

To recognize which data delimiter (CR/LF or Comma) is used, IC-CAP performs a 2-point VM measurement only when an HP 4145 is first accessed (when the Measure command is issued). When the data delimiter is changed, choose Rebuild in the Hardware Setup window so that IC-CAP will note the change.

HP 4145 requires its test fixture lid be closed in User Sweep mode for safety reasons, even though output is low. A Shorting Connector (P/N 04145-61623) can be used to bypass this lid closure check.

The following table describes the HP 4145 options and their default values, where applicable.

Table 6 HP 4145 Options

Option	Description
Use User Sweep	Yes = use user sweep. No = use the instrument's internal sweep. Default = No
Hold Time	Time the instrument waits before starting an internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Range is 0 to 650 sec in 10 msec steps. Default = 0
Delay Time	Time the instrument waits before taking a measurement at each step of an internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. The range is 0 to 6.5 sec in 1 msec steps. Default = 0
Integ Time	Instrument integration time; set to S (short), M (medium), or L (long). Default = S
Init Command	This command field is used to set the instrument to a mode not supported by the option table. This command is sent at the end of instrument initialization for each measurement. Normal C escape characters such as \n (new line) are available. Default = none

HP/Agilent 4155 Semiconductor Parameter Analyzer

The HP/Agilent 4155 is equipped with the following units:

IC-CAP assigns the following names to the units:

MPSMUn	Medium Power Stimulus/Measurement Unit n (1, 2, 3, 4)
VSUx	Voltage Source Unit n (1, 2)
VMUx	Voltage Monitor Unit n (1, 2)

The HP 41501A is an optional SMU and pulse generator expander box that can be attached to and controlled by the 4155. The HP 41501A can be equipped with a high power stimulus/measurement unit (HPSMU), medium power stimulus/measurement units (MPSMU), and pulse generator units (PGU) (IC-CAP does not support PGUs). The availability and combination of these units depends on the expander box option.

IC-CAP assigns the following names to the units of the optional HP 41501A:

A ground unit (GNDU) provides a means for connecting device terminals to a ground reference and can sink up to 1.6A. The ground unit is supported by IC-CAP but will not appear in the Hardware Editor Configuration dialog box. For information on how to use the ground unit, refer to the section "Adding a Ground Unit" in the User's Guide.

In both the user and internal sweep mode, voltage and current pulsed measurements are supported. Only the SMUs can be specified as pulse units because the PGUs are not currently supported. For information on how to set up a pulsed measurement, refer to the Pulse options in Table 7.

The following table describes the 4155 options and their default values, where applicable.

Table 7 HP/Agilent 4155 (and HP/Agilent 4156) Option 

Option	Description
Use User Sweep	Yes = use user mode sweep. No = use system mode, when required conditions are met. Default = No
Hold Time	Time delay before starting an internal or user sweep to allow for DC settling. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Maximum is 655 seconds. Default = 0
Delay Time	Time the instrument waits before taking a measurement at each step of an internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. This value is not used for pulsed sweeps. Maximum is 65 seconds. Default = 0
Delay for Timeouts	For long-running measurements (that use a high number of averages, for example) use this option to avoid measurement timeouts. Default=0
Integ Time	Instrument integration time; set to S (short), M (medium), or L (long). Default = S
Pulse Unit	Enter the name of a pulsed unit when taking pulsed measurements.
Pulse Base	Enter the value of the pulse base.
Pulse Width	Enter the value of the pulse width.
Pulse Period	Enter the value of the pulse period.
Init Command	Command field to set the instrument to a mode not supported by the option table. This command is sent at the end of instrument initialization for each measurement. Normal C escape characters such as \n (new line) are available. Default = none
Power Compliance †	Specify power compliance in Watts with 1mW resolution. Specifying 0 (zero) disables power compliance mode (default).

HP/Agilent 4156 Precision Semiconductor Parameter Analyzer

The HP/Agilent 4156 is equipped with the following units:

This instrument is designed for Kelvin connections and is capable of low- resistance and low-current measurements.

IC-CAP assigns the following names to the units:

HRSMUn	High Resolution Stimulus/Measurement Unit n (1, 2, 3, 4)
VSUx	Voltage Source Unit n (1, 2)
VMUx	Voltage Monitor Unit n (1, 2)

The HP 41501A is an optional SMU and pulse generator expander box that can be attached to and controlled by the 4156. The HP 41501A can be equipped with the following units:

IC-CAP assigns the following names to the units of the optional HP 41501A:

MPSMUn	Medium Power Stimulus/Measurement Unit n (5, 6)
HPSMU5	High Power Stimulus/Measurement Unit

A ground unit (GNDU) provides a means for connecting device terminals to a ground reference and can sink up to 1.6A. The ground unit is supported by IC-CAP but will not appear in the Hardware Editor Configuration dialog box. For information on how to use the ground unit, refer to the section "Adding a Ground Unit" in the User's Guide.

In both the user and internal sweep mode, voltage and current pulsed measurements are supported. Only the SMUs can be specified as pulse units because PGUs are not currently supported. For information on how to set up a pulsed measurement, refer to the Pulse options in Table 7.

Options for the HP 4156 are the same as for the HP 4155; refer to Table 7.

Agilent E5260 Series Parametric Measurement Solutions

Agilent E5260 Series High Speed Measurement Solutions are built around the following:

Available Source/Monitor Units (SMUs):

The E5260A 8-slot parametric measurement mainframe holds up to 8 single-slot modules, such as a medium power source/monitor unit (MPSMU), or up to 4 dual-slot modules, such as a high power source/monitor unit (HPSMU).

The E5262A 2-channel source/monitor unit contains 2 medium power source/monitor units (SMUs).

The E5263A 2-channel source/monitor unit contains 1 high power and 1 medium power SMU.

If you install 4 HPSMUs into the E5260A mainframe, you can output 1 Amp of current from each of these units simultaneously.

The E5260A/B mainframe's ground unit (GNDU) provides a means for connecting device terminals to a ground reference. The GNDU will sink 4 amps of current without having to worry about any resistive ground rise issues. This ground unit cannot be programmed or monitored.

Unit names are dependent on the slot they occupy. A high power SMU occupies 2 slots in the mainframe, a medium or a high resolution SMU occupies 1 slot; the value of slot number n is the higher of the 2 slots. IC-CAP assigns the following names to the units:

MPSMUn	Medium Powered Stimulus/Measurement Unit in slot n
HPSMUn	High Powered Stimulus/Measurement Unit in slot n

The E5260A 8-slot parametric measurement mainframe has a total maximum power consumption of 80W for all plug-in modules. The total maximum power consumption limits for the E5262A and E5263A are 8W and 24W respectively. If a measurement is performed and the power limitation is exceeded, the measurement will not be attempted and IC-CAP will issue an error message.

HPSMU

The high power source monitor units will provide up to 50 milliamps of current at ±200 volts and 1 amp of current at ±40 volts. Up to 4 HPSMUs can be used at one time in the E5260A mainframe. See manual for complete measurement and force ranges specifications such as resolution and measurement accuracy.

MPSMU

The medium power source monitor units will provide up to 20 milliamps of current at ±200 volts and 200 milliamps of current at ±20 volts. Up to 8 MPSMUs can be used at one time in the E5260A. See manual for complete measurement and force ranges specifications such as resolution and measurement accuracy.

Instrument Options

The following table describes the Agilent E5260A options and their default values, where applicable.

Table 8 Agilent E5260A Options 

Option	Description
Use User Sweep	Yes = use user mode sweep. No = use internal sweep, when all required conditions are met. Default = No
Hold Time	Time to allow for DC settling before starting internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Maximum 655 seconds. Default = 0
Delay Time	Time the instrument waits before taking a measurement at each step of an internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Maximum 65 seconds. Default = 100 msec
Integ Time	Instrument's integration time; can be set to S (short), M (medium), or L (long). Default = S
Power Compliance †	Specify power compliance in Watts with 1mW resolution. Specifying 0 (zero) disables power compliance mode (default).
SMU Filters ON	Yes = filters ON, No = filters OFF. Applies to all SMUs in this E5260. Default = No
Range Manager Mode	Specify Range Manager mode: 1, 2, or 3. 1 = deactivate Range Manager (default) 2 = set Range Manager to mode 2 3 = set Range Manager to mode 3 The Range Manager command is used to avoid potential voltage spikes during current range switching when using autorange. See Instrument Programming Guide††† under RM command for details.
Range Manager Setting	Set the rate of the Range Manager command. Allowed values are between 11 and 100. This option is only active when Range Manager Mode is set to 2 or 3.
Enable <SMU name> Range Manager	Enables Range Manager at the setting values entered above for the named SMU. Default = No.
<SMU name> In/Out Range	Specify force (Input Sweep) and Output measurement ranges. Default is autorange (0 or 0/0) for both Input and Output measurement ranges. When an SMU is used in an IC-CAP input definition to force voltage or current, a specific force range may be selected. The force resolution†† will depend on the selected range. When an SMU is used in an IC-CAP output definition to monitor voltage or current, a specific measurement range may be selected. The measurement resolution will depend on the selected range. Both fixed (negative range number) and limited auto (positive numbers) ranges are supported. Allowed ranges are SMU dependent and are forced by IC-CAP during initial measurement setup. See instrument manual††† for allowed values for each SMU. When instrument supports 2 values for setting the same range, IC-CAP only supports the smaller of the 2. For example, to select a 20 V range, the manual suggests using 12 or 200. Use the value 12, to select that range. Ranges must be in the format ForceRange/OutRange, e.g., 13/15 for a voltage SMU monitoring current means Force Voltage Range=13 (40 V, 2mV resolution), Output Current Measurement Range=15 (10 uA limited autorange).
Pulse Unit	Enter name of a pulsed unit when taking pulsed measurements.
Pulse Base	Enter value of pulse base.
Pulse Width	Enter value of pulse width.
Pulse Period	Enter value of pulse period.
Disable Self-Cal	Controls the status of the E5260A self-calibration routine during measurements. Yes = self-cal disabled. No= self-cal enabled. Default = No.
Output I/O Port (ERC Command)	Send the user string with the ERC command
Output I/O Port (ERM Command)	Send the user string with the ERM command
Delay for timeouts	Sets the delay before a measurement attempt times out.
Init Command	Command field used to set the instrument to a mode not supported by the option table. Command is sent at the end of instrument initialization for each measurement. Normal C escape characters such as \n (new line) are available. Default = none

Agilent E5270 Series Parametric Measurement Solutions

Agilent E5270 Series Parametric Measurement Solutions are built around the following:

Available Source/Monitor Units (SMUs):

The E5270A 8-slot parametric measurement mainframe holds up to 8 single-slot modules, such as a medium power source/monitor unit (MPSMU), or up to 4 dual-slot modules, such as a high power source/monitor unit (HPSMU).

The E5270B 8-slot parametric measurement mainframe holds up to 8 single-slot modules, such as a medium power source/monitor unit (MPSMU, HRSMU), or up to 4 dual-slot modules, such as a high power source/monitor unit (HPSMU).

The E5272A 2-channel source/monitor unit contains 2 medium power source/monitor units (SMUs).

The E5273A 2-channel source/monitor unit contains 1 high power and 1 medium power SMU.

If you install 4 HPSMUs into E5270A/B mainframes, you can output 1 Amp of current from each of these units simultaneously.

The E5270A/B mainframe's ground unit (GNDU) provides a means for connecting device terminals to a ground reference. The GNDU will sink 4 amps of current without having to worry about any resistive ground rise issues. This ground unit cannot be programmed or monitored.

Unit names are dependent on the slot they occupy. A high power SMU occupies 2 slots in the mainframe, a medium or a high resolution occupies 1 slot; the value of slot number n is the higher of the 2 slots. IC-CAP assigns the following names to the units:

MPSMUn	Medium Powered Stimulus/Measurement Unit in slot n
HPSMUn	High Powered Stimulus/Measurement Unit in slot n
HRSMUn	High Resolution Source/Monitor Unit in slot n (E5270B only)

The E5270A and E5270B 8-slot parametric measurement mainframes have a total maximum power consumption of 80W for all plug-in modules. The total maximum power consumption limits for the E5272A and E5273A are 8W and 24W respectively. If a measurement is performed and the power limitation is exceeded, the measurement will not be attempted and IC-CAP will issue an error message.

HPSMU

The high power source monitor units will provide up to 50 milliamps of current at ±200 volts and 1 amp of current at ±40 volts. Up to 4 HPSMUs can be used at one time in the E5270A mainframe. Since SMUs characteristic may vary with version, see manual for complete measurement and force ranges specifications such as resolution and measurement accuracy.

MPSMU

The medium power source monitor units will provide up to 20 milliamps of current at ±100 volts and 100 milliamps of current at ±20 volts (200 mA for the E5281A). Up to 8 MPSMUs can be used at one time in the E5270A and E5270B mainframes. Since SMUs characteristic may vary with version, see manual for complete measurement and force ranges specifications such as resolution and measurement accuracy.

HRSMU

The medium power/high resolution source monitor units provide up to 20 milliamps of current at ±100 volts and 100 milliamps of current at ±20 volts. Up to 8 HRSMUs can be used at one time in the E5270B mainframe. In the lowest current range, 10 pA, HRSMU's current force resolution can be as low as 5 fA with a measurement resolution as low as 1 fA.

Instrument Options

The following table describes the Agilent E5270A/B options and their default values, where applicable.

Table 9 Agilent E5270A/B Options 

Option	Description
Use User Sweep	Yes = use user mode sweep. No = use internal sweep, when all required conditions are met. Default = No
Hold Time	Time to allow for DC settling before starting internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Maximum 655 seconds. Default = 0
Delay Time	Time the instrument waits before taking a measurement at each step of an internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Maximum 65 seconds. Default = 100 msec
Integ Time	Instrument's integration time; can be set to S (short), M (medium), or L (long). Default = S
Power Compliance †	Specify power compliance in Watts with 1mW resolution. Specifying 0 (zero) disables power compliance mode (default).
SMU Filters ON	Yes = filters ON, No = filters OFF. Applies to all SMUs in this E5270. Default = No
Range Manager Mode	Specify Range Manager mode: 1, 2, or 3. 1 = deactivate Range Manager (default) 2 = set Range Manager to mode 2 3 = set Range Manager to mode 3 The Range Manager command is used to avoid potential voltage spikes during current range switching when using autorange. See Instrument Programming Guide††† under RM command for details.
Range Manager Setting	Set the rate of the Range Manager command. Allowed values are between 11 and 100. This option is only active when Range Manager Mode is set to 2 or 3.
<SMU name> A/D converter	Sets A/D converter for higher resolution or higher speed. S = higher speed R = higher resolution (Default)
Enable <SMU name> Range Manager	Enables Range Manager at the setting values entered above for the named SMU. Default = No.
<SMU name> In/Out Range	Specify force (Input Sweep) and Output measurement ranges. Default is autorange (0 or 0/0) for both Input and Output measurement ranges. When an SMU is used in an IC-CAP input definition to force voltage or current, a specific force range may be selected. The force resolution†† will depend on the selected range. When an SMU is used in an IC-CAP output definition to monitor voltage or current, a specific measurement range may be selected. The measurement resolution will depend on the selected range. Both fixed (negative range number) and limited auto (positive numbers) ranges are supported. Allowed ranges are SMU dependent and are forced by IC-CAP during initial measurement setup. See instrument manual††† for allowed values for each SMU. When instrument supports 2 values for setting the same range, IC-CAP only supports the smaller of the 2. For example, to select a 20 V range, the manual suggests using 12 or 200. Use the value 12, to select that range. Ranges must be in the format ForceRange/OutRange, e.g., 13/15 for a voltage SMU monitoring current means Force Voltage Range=13 (40 V, 2mV resolution), Output Current Measurement Range=15 (10 uA limited autorange).
Pulse Unit	Enter name of a pulsed unit when taking pulsed measurements.
Pulse Base	Enter value of pulse base.
Pulse Width	Enter value of pulse width.
Pulse Period	Enter value of pulse period.
Disable Self-Cal	Controls the status of the E5270A self-calibration routine during measurements. Yes = self-cal disabled. No= self-cal enabled. Default = No.
Output I/O Port (ERC Command)	Send the user string with the ERC command
Output I/O Port (ERM Command)	Send the user string with the ERM command
Delay for timeouts	Sets the delay before a measurement attempt times out.
Init Command	Command field used to set the instrument to a mode not supported by the option table. Command is sent at the end of instrument initialization for each measurement. Normal C escape characters such as \n (new line) are available. Default = none

Agilent B1500A Semiconductor Device Analyzer

The Agilent B1500A Semiconductor Device Analyzer is a modular instrument with a ten-slot configuration that supports both IV and CV measurements.

The B1500A driver supports the following plug-in modules:

The B1500A driver does NOT support the following plug-in modules:

HPSMU

The high power source monitor units will provide up to 1 amp of current at ±200 volts. Up to 4 HPSMUs can be used at one time in the B1500A. Since SMUs characteristic may vary with version, see manual for complete measurement and force ranges specifications such as resolution and measurement accuracy.

MPSMU

The medium power source monitor units will provide up to 100 milliamps of current at ±100 volts. Up to 10 MPSMUs can be used at one time in the B1500A. Since SMUs characteristic may vary with version, see manual for complete measurement and force ranges specifications such as resolution and measurement accuracy.

HRSMU

The medium power/high resolution source monitor units provide up to 100 milliamps of current at ±100 volts. Up to 10 HRSMUs can be used at one time in the B1500A. Since SMUs characteristic may vary with version, see manual for complete measurement and force ranges specifications such as resolution and measurement accuracy.

Instrument Options

The following table describes the Agilent B1500A options and their default values, where applicable.

Table 10 Agilent B1500A Options 

Option	Description
Use User Sweep	Yes = use user mode sweep. No = use internal sweep, when all required conditions are met. Default = No
Hold Time	Time to allow for DC settling before starting internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Maximum 655 seconds. Default = 0
Delay Time	Time the instrument waits before taking a measurement at each step of an internal or user sweep. This option directly controls the instrument firmware, and overrides similar delay/hold options set in other instrument drivers running on the same test system. Maximum 65 seconds. Default = 100 msec
Integ Time	Instrument's integration time; can be set to S (short), M (medium), or L (long). Default = S
Power Compliance †	Specify power compliance in Watts with 1mW resolution. Specifying 0 (zero) disables power compliance mode (default).
SMU Filters ON	Yes = filters ON, No = filters OFF. Applies to all SMUs in this E5270. Default = No
Range Manager Mode	Specify Range Manager mode: 1, 2, or 3. 1 = deactivate Range Manager (default) 2 = set Range Manager to mode 2 3 = set Range Manager to mode 3 The Range Manager command is used to avoid potential voltage spikes during current range switching when using autorange. See Instrument Programming Guide††† under RM command for details.
Range Manager Setting	Set the rate of the Range Manager command. Allowed values are between 11 and 100. This option is only active when Range Manager Mode is set to 2 or 3.
<SMU name> A/D converter	Sets A/D converter for higher resolution or higher speed. S = higher speed R = higher resolution (Default)
Enable <SMU name> Range Manager	Enables Range Manager at the setting values entered above for the named SMU. Default = No.
<SMU name> In/Out Range	Specify force (Input Sweep) and Output measurement ranges. Default is autorange (0 or 0/0) for both Input and Output measurement ranges. When an SMU is used in an IC-CAP input definition to force voltage or current, a specific force range may be selected. The force resolution†† will depend on the selected range. When an SMU is used in an IC-CAP output definition to monitor voltage or current, a specific measurement range may be selected. The measurement resolution will depend on the selected range. Both fixed (negative range number) and limited auto (positive numbers) ranges are supported. Allowed ranges are SMU dependent and are forced by IC-CAP during initial measurement setup. See instrument manual††† for allowed values for each SMU. When instrument supports 2 values for setting the same range, IC-CAP only supports the smaller of the 2. For example, to select a 20 V range, the manual suggests using 12 or 200. Use the value 12, to select that range. Ranges must be in the format ForceRange/OutRange, e.g., 13/15 for a voltage SMU monitoring current means Force Voltage Range=13 (40 V, 2mV resolution), Output Current Measurement Range=15 (10 uA limited autorange).
Pulse Unit	Enter name of a pulsed unit when taking pulsed measurements.
Pulse Base	Enter value of pulse base.
Pulse Width	Enter value of pulse width.
Pulse Period	Enter value of pulse period.
Disable Self-Cal	Controls the status of the E5270A self-calibration routine during measurements. Yes = self-cal disabled. No= self-cal enabled. Default = No.
Output I/O Port (ERC Command)	Send the user string with the ERC command
Output I/O Port (ERM Command)	Send the user string with the ERM command
Delay for timeouts	Sets the delay before a measurement attempt times out.
Init Command	Command field used to set the instrument to a mode not supported by the option table. Command is sent at the end of instrument initialization for each measurement. Normal C escape characters such as \n (new line) are available. Default = none

Configuring the B1500A for IC-CAP Remote Contol

1	Turn on the B1500.

2	Login into Windows but do not start the EasyExpert software.

3	Start the Agilent_Connection_Expert:

Select Start > Programs > Agilent_IO_Library_Suites > Agilent_Connection_Expert.

4	Select GPIB0 > Change_Properties, then uncheck the following checkboxes:

•

System_Controller

•

Auto-Discover_Instruments_Connected_To_The_Interface

Select OK and exit the dialog.

5	Reboot the B1500A when prompted.

6	Start the EasyExpert software:

Select Start > Start_EasyExpert.

Do not press the B1500A Start button, but leave the B1500A Start button on the screen.

7	Connect the B1500A instrument to the IC-CAP computer via GPIB interface.

8	From IC-CAP, rebuild the active instrument list:

Select Tools > Hardware Setup > Rebuild.

9	After rebuild is completed, check that the B1500A is in the Active Instrument List.

10	Select the instrument and configure its SMU names according to the names used in your measurement setups.