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Bipolar Transistor
Characterization Using the
Agilent B2900A Series of SMUs
Technical Overview

Agilent B2901/02/11/12A Precision Source/Measure Unit
Agilent B2901A Precision SMU, 1ch, 100 fA resolution, 210 V, 3A DC/10.5 A pulse
Agilent B2902A Precision SMU, 2ch, 100 fA resolution, 210 V, 3A DC/10.5 A pulse
Agilent B2911A Precision SMU, 1ch, 10 fA resolution, 210 V, 3A DC/10.5 A pulse
Agilent B2912A Precision SMU, 2ch, 10 fA resolution, 210 V, 3A DC/10.5 A pulse

Introduction
Agilent B2901/02/11/12A Precision
Source/Measure Unit is a compact
and cost-effective bench-top Source/
Measure Unit (SMU) with the capabil-
ity to output and measure both volt-
age and current. They cover currents
from 10 fA to 3 A (DC)/10.5 A (pulse)
and voltages from 100 nV to 210 V,
which enables you to make a wide What is the B2900A members of the B2900A Series of
range of current versus voltage (IV) SMUs are single or dual channel SMU
measurements more accurately and
Series of SMUs? units that offer a wide range of IV
quickly than ever before. In addition, An SMU combines the capabilities measurement capability for a variety
the B2900A Series of SMUs comes of a current source, a voltage source, of two-terminal and three-terminal
with an intuitive graphical user a current meter and a voltage meter devices. They cover currents from
interface (GUI) and free PC-based along with the capability to switch 10 fA to 3 A (DC)/10.5 A (pulse) and
application software that make it easy easily between these various func- voltages from 100 nV to 210 V. In
for you to begin making productive tions into a single instrument. This addition to their DC operation mode,
measurements immediately. These gives it the ability to evaluate the IV the B2900A Series of SMUs also
features make the B2900A Series of characteristics of devices across all has the ability to perform pulsed
SMUs the best solution for accurate four measurement quadrants without measurements in order to prevent
characterization of a wide variety of the need for any additional equip- device self-heating from distorting
devices such as bipolar transistors. ment. Besides being able to output the measurement results.
and measure voltage or current very
accurately, SMUs also possess a In general, bipolar transistor charac-
compliance feature that allows a limit terization requires applying different
to be placed on the voltage or current voltages and currents under either
output to prevent device damage. The constant or the swept conditions to
the transistor terminals.
The B2902A and B2912A have two
SMU channels, with each channel B2902/12A
possessing accurate IV measurement Ch1
capabilities as well as the ability to High
A
supply either constant or swept volt-
age/current. This makes the B2902A V
and B2912A excellent choices for Low
accurate IV characterization of bipolar
transistors. Figure 1 illustrates the Ch2
connections necessary to measure High
A
the common emitter output charac-
teristics of a bipolar transistor using V
the B2902A and B2912A. Low

Quick and Easy IV Figure 1. Using the B2902/12A to characterize a bipolar transistor
Characterization
During routine device evaluation it
1) Set the measurement condition and the
is often desirable to make a quick compliance for Ch 1
measurement from the instrument's
front panel without having to go
through the time and trouble of
writing a test program. To meet this
need, the B2900A Series of SMUs has
a resident GUI that makes it easy to
perform a variety of tests and save
measurement data without having to
write any code. a) Single view for Ch1

The wide QVGA LCD display of the 2) Set the measurement condition and the
B2900A Series of SMUs supports an compliance for Ch 2
easy-to-use GUI that provides easy
instrument control from the front
panel. The GUI of the B2900A Series
of SMUs has the following multiple
viewing modes: Single View, Dual
View, Graph View and Roll View (for
viewing time domain measurements).
Single View mode allows you to easily
set up not only constant voltage and b) Single view for Ch2
current measurements but also swept
voltage and current measurements
for a single SMU channel. Dual View
can perform similar functions for
both channels simultaneously (for
B2902A and B2912A). After measure-
ment completion you can use the
front panel GUI to graphically view
measurement results such as IV 3) Execute and c) Graph view
curves using Graph View, and display see the result
a list of the measurement data using
Figure 2. The GUI of the B2900A Series of SMUs makes it easy to take a quick
the Measure Result dialog window
measurement and display the results
(please see Figure 2).
2
The B2900A Series of SMUs has a
USB interface on the front panel so
that a USB flash memory device can Measurement
be used with the B2900A Series of data
SMUs to save and load measurement Measurement
steups
setups as well as to save measure-
ment results. In addition, Graph View
supports a Screen Dump function that Graph dump to JPEG
enables you to save screen images
(such as IV curves) to any attached
USB flash memory device as JPEG
files, making it easy to include
graphical results in reports and
presentations (please see Figure 3).

Figure 3. Measurement results and measurement setups can be saved to any attached
USB flash memory device

Ready-to-use PC software The Agilent B2900A Quick I/V
Measurement Software has more
In addition to its powerful and powerful measurement capabilities
easy-to-use GUI, the B2900A Series to control the B2900A Series of
of SMUs comes with free PC applica- SMUs over GPIB, USB or LAN
tion software to facilitate program connections (please see Figure 5).
development if you prefer PC-based You can download this PC-based
instrument control. The Agilent software from Agilent's web site for
B2900A Graphical Web Interface free. The Agilent B2900A Quick I/V
and the Agilent B2900A Quick I/V Measurement Software supports a
Measurement Software are both variety of functions such as a sweep
available for the B2900A Series of measurement, a sampling measure-
SMUs. ment, graphical display functions and
the ability to save test results into
The Agilent B2900A Graphical Web CSV files. The Agilent B2900A Quick
Interface provides functionality to I/V Measurement Software also
allow access to the B2900A Series allows you to control up to four SMU
of SMUs over a LAN connection. The channels from the B2900A Series
B2900A Series of SMUs is fully com- of SMUs so that devices requiring
pliant with the LXI class C specifica- more than two SMU channels for
tion and it contains a web server that characterization can be measured. In
provides a webpage with an interface addition, the Agilent B2900A Quick
to support the basic measurement I/V Measurement Software has the
functions of the B2900A Series of capability to make not only primary
SMUs. You can quickly and easily sweep measurements but also mea-
make measurements using a standard surements where a second terminal
web browser by just connecting the is swept, making it easy to generate
B2900A Series of SMUs to a PC using a variety of IV curves.
a LAN cable.

3
1) Set the measurement 2) Perform the measurements
Summary
condition for both channels The Agilent B2901/02/11/12A
3) View the measurement results (Table)
Precision Source/Measure Unit is the
3') View the measurement results (Graph) best solution for IV characterization
of bipolar transistors and a variety of
other devices. Its wide current and
voltage measurement ranges (from
10 fA/100 nV to 10.5 A/210 V)
provide superior measurement perfor-
mance and allow you to characterize
devices more accurately and easily
than ever before.

The easy-to-use GUI of the B2900A
Series of SMUs has a variety of capa-
bilities and features that make it easy
to take measurements quickly and
to save both the measurement setup
conditions and data to USB-based
flash memory devices.

In addition to being able to control
the B2900A Series of SMUs remotely
over GPIB, USB and LAN interfaces,
Agilent supplies PC-based Agilent
B2900A Graphical Web Interface
and Agilent B2900A Quick I/V
Measurement Software for free to
simplify controlling the B2900A Series
of SMUs from your PC.

For more detailed information on the
various models of the B2900A Series
of SMUs, please refer to the data
sheet of the B2900A Series of SMUs
(5990-7009EN).

The B2900A Series of SMUs enables
you to quickly debug and accurately
characterize a wide variety of devices
using only a single bench-top SMU.

Figure 4. It is easy to make a quick measurement on a PC using the Agilent B2900A
Quick I/V Measurement Software

4
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