Using IC-CAP with B2200A/B2201 Low-Leakage Mainframe Driver

This section describes the transforms implemented for the B2200A/B2201 Low-Leakage Mainframe Driver.

List of the transforms:

The following sections describe these transforms. For more details about the Agilent B2200A/B2201A, see its User Guide.

Utility Functions

B2200_debug

When set to 1, prints out all command strings sent to the instrument. This flag is common to all B2200A's on the bus, regardless of their GPIB address.

 B2200_debug(<flag>)

where:

<flag> is "1", "0", "Yes", or "No".

B2200_close_interface

Closes the current interface, which was opened by calling B2200_open_interface().

B2200_GPIB_handler

Returns -1 if the interface has not been initialized (invalid handler). Returns a positive integer (handler) if the interface has been opened.

Returns the current interface handler. The function is provided as a utility function, which enables you to write advanced PEL code to write and read data to the B2200A using the HPIB_write and HPIB_read functions. Initializing the handler using B2200_open_interface enables you to use B2200A's built-in driver functions as well as writing PEL code to support other features that are not currently supported by the built-in functions, all in the same PEL code.

Initialization and General Configuration

B2200_open_interface

Opens and initializes the GPIB interface and must be run first in the PEL program. The interface handler is saved in a static variable so that the interface will be shared by all the other B2200's function calls. You can drive multiple B2200 instruments as long as they are on the same interface bus (obviously, they must have different addresses).

 B2200_open_interface(<Interface Name>)

where:

<Interface Name> is the name of the GPIB interface.

B2200_init

Must be run first in the PEL program to initialize the instrument and set the configuration mode. When the instrument is in AUTO configuration mode and multiple plug-in cards are installed in the B2200 slots from slot 1 continuously, the installed cards are then treated as one card (numbered 0). This function resets all the settings to factory default before setting the configuration mode.

This function also sets the default connection rule for the specified card. When the connection rule is FREE (default mode), each input port can be connected to multiple output ports and each output port can be connected to multiple input ports. When the connection is SINGLE, each input port can be connected to only one output. Connection sequence specifies the open/close sequence of the relays when changing from an existing connection to a new connection.

 B2200_init(<addr>,<cardNumber>,<config>,<connectionRule>, 
<connectionSequence>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<cardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, or 4.

<config> is "AUTO" or "NORMAL" (string input).

<connectionRule> is "FREE" or "SINGLE".

<connectionSequence> is "NSEQ", "BBM", or "MBBR".

Transforms Governing the Bias Mode

B2200_bias_init

Selects the Input Bias Port for the specified card. The Input Bias Port is the dedicated bias port.

 B2200_bias_init(<addr>, <CardNumber>, <InputBiasPort>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, or 4.

<InputBiasPort> is 1 to 14 (numeric input) or -1 to disable bias port.

B2200_bias_ch_enable

This function bias-enables specific output ports in the channel list for the specified card. The input ports specified in the channel list are ignored since the input port is always the Bias Input Port. By default, all the outputs are bias-enabled after a reset.

 B2200_bias_ch_enable(<addr>,<CardNumber>,<State>,<Channel list>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, or 4.

<State> is the output port's state (allowed values are "ENABLE", "DISABLE", "E", or "D")

<Channel list> is the list of channels, known as connection routes. Example channel list: (@10102, 10203, 10305:10307)

B2200_bias_card_enable

This function bias-enables all the output ports of the specified card. By default, all ports are bias-enabled after a reset.

 B2200_bias_card_enable(<addr>, <CardNumber>, <CardState>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, or 4.

<CardState> is the card output port's state (allowed values are "ENABLE", "DISABLE", "E", or "D").

B2200_bias_enable

Enables the bias mode for the specified card once Input Bias Port and Enabled Output ports are specified. When Bias Mode is ON, the Input Bias Port is connected to all Bias Enabled output ports that are not connected to any other input ports. Bias Disabled output ports are never connected to an Input Bias Port when Bias Mode is ON.

If another input port is disconnected from a bias enabled output port, this port is automatically connected to the Input Bias Port.

If another input port is connected to a Bias Enabled output port, the output port is automatically disconnected from the Bias Input Port. When Bias Mode is OFF, the Input Bias Port is the same as the other ports.

 B2200_bias_enable(<addr>, <CardNumber>, <mode>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, or 4.

<mode> is "On", "Off", "1", or "0".

Transforms Governing the Ground Mode

B2200_ground_init

Selects the input Ground Port for the specified card. For each card, you can specify the same or a different Ground Port. By default, the input Ground Port is port 12. The ground port should be connected to 0 V output voltage. See the Agilent B2200 User's Guide for details.

 B2200_ground_init(<addr>,<CardNumber>,<InputGroundPort>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, or 4.

<InputGroundPort> is 1 to 14 (numeric input) or -1 to disable ground port.

B2200_ground_outch_enable

Ground-enables or ground-disables output ports. When Ground Mode is turned ON, the ground-enabled output ports that have not been connected to any other input port are connected to the input ground port. The input ports specified in channel lists are ignored since the input port is always the Input Ground Port. By default, all the outputs are ground-disabled after a reset.

 B2200_ground _outch_enable(<addr>,<CardNumber>,<State>, 
<Channel list>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, or 4.

<State> is the port's state (allowed values are "ENABLE", "DISABLE", "E", or "D").

<Channel list> is the list of channels, known as connection routes. Example channel list: (@10102, 10203, 10305:10307)

B2200_ground_unused_inputs

Specifies the ground-enabled (or unused) input ports for the specified card. When Ground Mode is turned ON, the ground-enabled input ports that have not been connected to any other port are connected to the input Ground Port. By default, all the inputs are ground-disabled after a reset.

 B2200_ground _unused_inputs(<addr>,<CardNumber>,<Input Channels>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, 4.

<Input Channels> is the list of input channels (e.g., "1, 2, 5"). Only input ports 1 to 8 can be defined as unused (these are the input Kelvin Ports).

B2200_ground_card_enable

Enables ground-enabling for all the output ports of the specified card. By default, all ports are ground-disabled.

 B2200_ground_card_enable(<addr>,<CardNumber>,<CardState>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, or 4.

<CardState> is the card output port's state (allowed values are "ENABLE", "DISABLE", "E", or "D").

B2200_ground_enable

Enables the bias mode for the specified card. When Ground Mode is turned ON, the Input Ground Port (default is 12) is connected to all the Ground Enabled input/output ports that have not been connected to any other port. At Reset, Ground Mode is OFF. Ground Mode cannot be turned ON when Bias Mode is ON.

See the Agilent B2200 User's Guide for additional comments and restrictions.

 B2200_ground_enable(<addr>, <CardNumber>, <mode>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, 4.

<mode> is "On", "Off", "1", or "0".

Transforms Governing the Couple Mode

B2200_couple_enable

Use this function to enable or disable Couple Port mode. Couple Port mode allows synchronized connection of two adjacent input ports to two adjacent output ports.

 B2200_couple_enable(<addr>, <CardNumber>, <Mode>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, or 4.

<mode> is "On", "Off", "1", or "0".

B2200_couple_setup

Selects the couple ports for Kelvin connections. At Reset, no input ports are coupled.

 B2200_couple_setup(<addr>,<CardNumber>,<ListOfCoupledPorts>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, or 4.

<ListOfCoupledPorts> is the list of odd number input channels (e.g., "1, 3, 5" means coupled ports are 1-2, 3-4, 5-6).

Transforms Governing the Switching

B2200_connect

Connects or disconnects specified channels. Bias Mode and coupling Mode are also taken into account when a channel is closed or opened.

For example, in the list (@10102, 10203:10205), the following channels are connected or disconnected on card 1. Input port 1 to output port 2. Input port 2 to output port 3 and 5.

 B2200_connect(<addr>,<Connect/Disconnect>,<ChannelList>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<Connect/Disconnect> is C or D.

<ChannelList> is the list of connections to close.

B2200_disconnect_card

Opens all relays or channels in the specified cards.

 B2200_disconnect_card(<addr>, <CardNumber>)

where:

<addr> is the GPIB address of the Mainframe (must be a positive number from 1 to 30).

<CardNumber> is 0(auto), 1, 2, 3, or 4.