Agilent Technologies Agilent E1412A User manual

Where to Find it - Online and Printed Information:
System installation (hardware/software)............VXIbus Configuration Guide*
Module configuration and wiring.......................This Manual
SCPI programming.............................................This Manual
SCPI example programs.....................................This Manual, VXIplug&play Driver CD
SCPI command reference ..................................This Manual
VXIplug&play programming ............................VXIplug&play Online Help
VXIplug&play example programs .....................VXIplug&play Online Help
VXIplug&play function reference......................VXIplug&play Online Help
Soft Front Panel information..............................VXIplug&play Online Help
VISA language information................................Agilent VISA User's Guide
Agilent VEE programming information.............Agilent VEE User's Manual
*Supplied with Agilent Command Modules, Embedded Controllers, and VXLink.
Agilent E1412A
6½-Digit Multimeter
User’s Manual and SCPI Programming Guide
Agilent 75000 Series C
*E1412-90004*
Manual Part Number: E1412-90005
Printed September 2012
Printed in Malaysia E0912

Contents
Agilent E1412A User’s Manual and SCPI Programming Guide
Edition 5
Contents 1
AgilentWarranty ...........................................................................................................9
Safety Symbols ...........................................................................................................10
WARNINGS...............................................................................................................10
Agilent E1412A Declaration of Conformity ..............................................................11
Chapter 1
Agilent E1412A Multimeter Module Setup ...............................................................15
Using This Chapter.....................................................................................................15
General Information ............................................................................................15
Setting the Module Address Switch............................................................................16
Interrupt Priority.........................................................................................................17
Setting the Line Frequency Reference........................................................................17
Checking the Line Frequency Reference ............................................................17
Multimeter Functional Connections ....................................................................19
Initial Operation..........................................................................................................22
Chapter 2
Agilent E1412A Multimeter Application Information .............................................25
Using This Chapter....................................................................................................25
Measurement Tutorial.................................................................................................25
DC Voltage Measurements.........................................................................................25
Thermal EMF Errors ...........................................................................................25
Loading Errors (dc volts) ....................................................................................26
Leakage Current Errors .......................................................................................26
Rejecting Power Line Noise Voltages ................................................................27
Common Mode Rejection (CMR) .......................................................................27
Noise Caused by Magnetic Loops .......................................................................28
Noise Caused by Ground Loops ..........................................................................28
Resistance Measurements...........................................................................................29
4-Wire Ohms Measurements ...............................................................................29
Removing Field Wiring Resistance Errors in 2-Wire Ohms Measurements ...... 30
Power Dissipation Effects ...................................................................................31
Settling Time Effects ...........................................................................................31
Errors in High Resistance Measurements ...........................................................31
Making High-Speed DC and Resistance Measurements .....................................31
DC Current Measurement Errors................................................................................32
True RMS AC Measurements.....................................................................................32
Crest Factor Errors (non-sinusoidal inputs) ........................................................33
Loading Errors (ac volts) .....................................................................................34
AC Measurements Below Full Scale ..................................................................34
Function and Range Change Internal Offset Correction .....................................34
Low-Level Measurement Errors .........................................................................35
AC Turnover Errors ............................................................................................35
AC Current Measurement Errors................................................................................36
Making High-Speed AC Voltage or Current Measurements......................................36

2 Contents
Chapter 2
Agilent E1412A Multimeter Application Information (continued)
Frequency and Period Measurement Errors................................................................36
Measurement Configuration .......................................................................................37
AC Signal Filter ..................................................................................................37
DC Input Resistance ............................................................................................37
Resolution ............................................................................................................38
Integration Time ..................................................................................................39
Autozero ..............................................................................................................40
Ranging ...............................................................................................................40
Math Operations (CALCulate Subsystem).................................................................41
AVERage Function .............................................................................................41
NULL (Relative) Function ..................................................................................41
dB Measurements ................................................................................................42
dBm Measurements .............................................................................................43
LIMit Function ....................................................................................................44
Triggering the Multimeter ..........................................................................................45
The Trigger Source ..............................................................................................46
External Triggering .............................................................................................47
Internal Triggering ..............................................................................................47
Bus Triggering .....................................................................................................48
The Wait-for-Trigger State ..................................................................................48
The Trigger Count ...............................................................................................48
Checking the Trigger Count ................................................................................49
Inserting a Trigger Delay ....................................................................................49
Default Delays .....................................................................................................50
Querying the Delay Time ....................................................................................51
The Sample Count ...............................................................................................51
Checking the Sample Count ................................................................................51
Agilent E1412A Multimeter Application Examples ..................................................52
Agilent VTL Software (VISA) ............................................................................52
Example Programs ..............................................................................................52
Making Multimeter Measurements .....................................................................53
Synchronizing the Multimeter With a Switch Module .......................................57
Multimeter Status System Examples ...................................................................60
Agilent VEE Programming Example ..................................................................64
Chapter 3
Multimeter Command Reference ...............................................................................67
Using This Chapter.....................................................................................................67
Command Types.........................................................................................................67
Common Command Format ................................................................................67
SCPI Command Format ......................................................................................67
Linking Commands .............................................................................................69
Multimeter Range and Resolution Tables ..................................................................70
SCPI Command Reference.........................................................................................71
ABORt........................................................................................................................72

Contents 3
Chapter 3
Multimeter Command Reference (continued)
CALCulate..................................................................................................................73
:AVERage:AVERage? ........................................................................................74
:AVERage:COUNt? ............................................................................................74
:AVERage:MAXimum? ......................................................................................74
:AVERage:MINimum? .......................................................................................74
:DB:REFerence ...................................................................................................75
:DB:REFerence? ..................................................................................................75
:DBM:REFerence ................................................................................................75
:DBM:REFerence? ..............................................................................................75
:FUNCtion ...........................................................................................................76
:FUNCtion? .........................................................................................................76
:LIMit:LOWer .....................................................................................................77
:LIMit:LOWer? ...................................................................................................77
:LIMit:UPPer .......................................................................................................77
:LIMit:UPPer? .....................................................................................................77
:NULL:OFFSet ....................................................................................................78
:NULL:OFFSet? ..................................................................................................78
:STATe ................................................................................................................78
:STATe? ..............................................................................................................78
CALibration................................................................................................................79
:COUNt? ..............................................................................................................79
:LFRequency .......................................................................................................79
:LFRequency? .....................................................................................................80
:SECure:CODE ...................................................................................................80
:SECure:STATe ..................................................................................................81
:SECure:STATe? .................................................................................................81
:STRing ...............................................................................................................81
:STRing? ..............................................................................................................82
:VALue ................................................................................................................82
:VALue? ..............................................................................................................82
:ZERO:AUTO .....................................................................................................83
:ZERO:AUTO? ...................................................................................................83
CALibration?..............................................................................................................84
CONFigure..................................................................................................................85
:CURRent:AC .....................................................................................................87
:CURRent[:DC] ...................................................................................................88
:FREQuency ........................................................................................................89
:FRESistance .......................................................................................................90
:PERiod ...............................................................................................................91
:RESistance .........................................................................................................92
:VOLTage:AC .....................................................................................................93
[:VOLTage[:DC]] ................................................................................................94
[:VOLTage[:DC]]:RATio ...................................................................................95
CONFigure?................................................................................................................96
DATA .........................................................................................................................97
:POINts? ..............................................................................................................97

4 Contents
Chapter 3
Multimeter Command Reference (continued)
FETCh?.......................................................................................................................98
INITiate.......................................................................................................................99
[:IMMediate] .......................................................................................................99
INPut.........................................................................................................................100
:IMPedance:AUTO ...........................................................................................100
:IMPedance:AUTO? ..........................................................................................100
MEASure ..................................................................................................................101
:CURRent:AC? ..................................................................................................102
:CURRent[:DC]? ...............................................................................................103
:FREQuency? ....................................................................................................104
:FRESistance? ...................................................................................................105
:PERiod? ............................................................................................................106
:RESistance? ......................................................................................................107
:VOLTage:AC? .................................................................................................108
[:VOLTage[:DC]]? ............................................................................................109
[:VOLTage[:DC]]:RATio? ................................................................................110
OUTPut.....................................................................................................................111
:TTLTrg[:STATe] .............................................................................................111
:TTLTrg[:STATe]? ...........................................................................................112
READ?......................................................................................................................113
SAMPle.....................................................................................................................114
:COUNt .............................................................................................................114
:COUNt? ............................................................................................................115
[SENSe:]...................................................................................................................116
FUNCtion ..........................................................................................................118
FUNCtion? ........................................................................................................118
CURRent:AC:RANGe ......................................................................................119
CURRent:AC:RANGe? ....................................................................................119
CURRent:AC:RANGe:AUTO ..........................................................................120
CURRent:AC:RANGe:AUTO? ........................................................................120
CURRent:AC:RESolution .................................................................................121
CURRent:AC:RESolution? ...............................................................................121
CURRent[:DC]:APERture ................................................................................122
CURRent[:DC]:APERture? ..............................................................................122
CURRent[:DC]:NPLC ......................................................................................123
CURRent[:DC]:NPLC? .....................................................................................123
CURRent[:DC]:RANGe ....................................................................................124
CURRent[:DC]:RANGe? ..................................................................................124
CURRent[:DC]:RANGe:AUTO .......................................................................125
CURRent[:DC]:RANGe:AUTO? ......................................................................125
CURRent[:DC]:RESolution ..............................................................................126
CURRent[:DC]:RESolution? ............................................................................126
DETector:BANDwidth ......................................................................................127
DETector:BANDwidth? ....................................................................................128
FREQuency:APERture ......................................................................................128
FREQuency:APERture? ....................................................................................128

Contents 5
Chapter 3
Multimeter Command Reference (continued)
[SENSe:] (continued)
FREQuency:VOLTage:RANGe ........................................................................129
FREQuency:VOLTage:RANGe? ......................................................................129
FREQuency:VOLTage:RANGe:AUTO ...........................................................130
FREQuency:VOLTage:RANGe:AUTO? ..........................................................130
FRESistance:APERture .....................................................................................131
FRESistance:APERture? ...................................................................................131
FRESistance:NPLC ...........................................................................................132
FRESistance:NPLC? .........................................................................................132
FRESistance:RANGe ........................................................................................133
FRESistance:RANGe? ......................................................................................133
FRESistance:RANGe:AUTO ............................................................................134
FRESistance:RANGe:AUTO? ..........................................................................134
FRESistance:RESolution ..................................................................................135
FRESistance:RESolution? .................................................................................135
PERiod:APERture .............................................................................................136
PERiod:APERture? ...........................................................................................136
PERiod:VOLTage:RANGe ...............................................................................137
PERiod:VOLTage:RANGe? .............................................................................137
PERiod:VOLTage:RANGe:AUTO ...................................................................138
PERiod:VOLTage:RANGe:AUTO? .................................................................138
RESistance:APERture .......................................................................................139
RESistance:APERture? .....................................................................................139
RESistance:NPLC .............................................................................................140
RESistance:NPLC? ...........................................................................................140
RESistance:RANGe ..........................................................................................141
RESistance:RANGe? ........................................................................................141
RESistance:RANGe:AUTO ..............................................................................142
RESistance:RANGe:AUTO? ............................................................................142
RESistance:RESolution .....................................................................................143
RESistance:RESolution? ...................................................................................143
VOLTage:AC:RANGe ......................................................................................144
VOLTage:AC:RANGe? ....................................................................................144
VOLTage:AC:RANGe:AUTO ..........................................................................145
VOLTage:AC:RANGe:AUTO? ........................................................................145
VOLTage:AC:RESolution ................................................................................146
VOLTage:AC:RESolution? ..............................................................................146
VOLTage[:DC]:APERture ................................................................................147
VOLTage[:DC]:APERture? ..............................................................................147
VOLTage[:DC]:NPLC ......................................................................................148
VOLTage[:DC]:NPLC? ....................................................................................148
VOLTage[:DC]:RANGe ...................................................................................149
VOLTage[:DC]:RANGe? .................................................................................149
VOLTage[:DC]:RANGe:AUTO .......................................................................150
VOLTage[:DC]:RANGe:AUTO? .....................................................................150
VOLTage[:DC]:RESolution ..............................................................................151

6 Contents
Chapter 3
Multimeter Command Reference (continued)
[SENSe:] (continued)
VOLTage[:DC]:RESolution? ............................................................................151
ZERO:AUTO ....................................................................................................152
ZERO:AUTO? ..................................................................................................152
STATus.....................................................................................................................153
:PRESet .............................................................................................................153
:QUEStionable:CONDition? .............................................................................153
:QUEStionable:ENABle ....................................................................................153
:QUEStionable:ENABle? ..................................................................................154
:QUEStionable[:EVENt]? .................................................................................154
SYSTem....................................................................................................................155
:ERRor? .............................................................................................................155
:VERSion? .........................................................................................................155
TRIGger....................................................................................................................156
:COUNt .............................................................................................................156
:COUNt? ............................................................................................................157
:DELay ..............................................................................................................157
:DELay? ............................................................................................................158
:DELay:AUTO ..................................................................................................158
:DELay:AUTO? ................................................................................................159
:SOURce ............................................................................................................160
:SOURce? ..........................................................................................................161
IEEE 488.2 Common Command Quick Reference .................................................. 162
*CLS ..................................................................................................................163
*ESE and *ESE? ...............................................................................................163
*ESR? ................................................................................................................164
*IDN? ................................................................................................................164
*OPC .................................................................................................................164
*OPC? ...............................................................................................................165
*RST ..................................................................................................................165
*SRE and *SRE? ...............................................................................................165
*STB? ................................................................................................................166
*TST? ................................................................................................................166
*WAI .................................................................................................................166
SCPI Command Quick Reference ............................................................................167
Appendix A
Agilent E1412A Multimeter Specifications .............................................................171
DC Characteristics....................................................................................................171
AC Characteristics....................................................................................................174
Frequency and Period Characteristics.......................................................................177
General Specifications..............................................................................................179
To Calculate Total Measurement Error ....................................................................180
Interpreting Multimeter Specifications.....................................................................182
Configuring for High Accuracy Measurements........................................................184

Contents 7
Appendix B
Agilent E1412A Multimeter Error Messages ..........................................................185
Execution Errors.......................................................................................................185
Self-Test Errors .................................................................................................189
Calibration Errors ..............................................................................................190
Appendix C
Measurement Speed and Accuracy Trade-offs .......................................................193
Agilent E1412A Special Function and Range Commands (Non-SCPI )..................193
Speed Advantage Using the Special Non-SCPI Commands
(F1-F4 and R1-R7) ......................................................................................194
Agilent E1412A Resolution Using Special Functions and Ranges..........................195
Resolution Example ..........................................................................................195
General Guidelines for Increasing Measurement Speed...........................................196
Avoid Function Changes ...................................................................................196
Avoid Aperture Changes ...................................................................................196
Minimize the Number of Command/
Response Sessions .............................................................................................196
Set Autozero to ONCE or OFF .........................................................................197
Turn Autorange OFF .........................................................................................197
Decrease Aperture Time or NPLCs ..................................................................197
Store the Readings in Multimeter RAM Instead of Sending them Directly
to the Computer ...........................................................................................198
Index ..............................................................................................................................199

8 Contents
Notes: