Agilent Technologies U3606B User manual

Agilent Technologies
Agilent U3606B
Multimeter|DC Power
Supply
Programmer’s Reference

II U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Notices
© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2012
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Manual Part Number
U3606-90068
Edition
First Edition, December 12, 2012
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U3606B Programmer’s Reference III
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1 Introduction to SCPI
Introduction to the SCPI Language 2
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats 3
Command separators 4
Syntax conventions 8
Data types and formats 9
Input message terminators 10
Using device clear 11
SCPI Status System 12
Standard Event register 14
Status Byte register 15
Operation Status register 16
Questionable Status register 17
2 CALCulate Subsystem
CALCulate:FUNCtion 20
CALCulate[:STATe] 23
CALCulate:AVERage:AVERage? 25
CALCulate:AVERage:COUNt? 26
CALCulate:AVERage:MAXimum? 27
CALCulate:AVERage:MINimum? 28
CALCulate:AVERage:PRESent? 29
CALCulate:DB:REFerence 30
CALCulate:DBM:REFerence 32
CALCulate:HOLD:VARiation 34
CALCulate:HOLD:THReshold 36

IV U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Table of Contents
CALCulate:LIMit:LOWer 38
CALCulate:LIMit:UPPer 40
CALCulate:NULL:OFFSet 42
3 CALibration Subsystem
CALibration[:ALL]? 46
CALibration:COUNt? 47
CALibration:SECure:CODE 48
CALibration:SECure:STATe 49
CALibration:STRing 51
CALibration:VALue 53
CALibration:LEVel 54
Remote Calibration Procedures 55
Zero offset adjustments 56
Gain adjustments 58
Output adjustments 74
4 CONFigure Subsystem
CONFigure? 80
CONFigure[:VOLTage][:DC] 81
CONFigure[:VOLTage]:AC 84
CONFigure[:VOLTage]:ACDC|DCAC 87
CONFigure:CURRent[:DC] 90
CONFigure:CURRent:AC 93
CONFigure:CURRent:ACDC|DCAC 96
CONFigure:RESistance 99
CONFigure:CONTinuity 102

U3606B Programmer’s Reference V
Table of Contents
CONFigure:LRESistance 104
CONFigure:CAPacitance 107
CONFigure:DIODe 110
CONFigure:FREQuency 112
CONFigure:PWIDth 114
CONFigure:DCYCle 116
5 INITiate Subsystem
INITiate[:IMMediate] 120
INITiate:CONTinuous 122
6 LOG Subsystem
LOG[:STATe] 126
LOG:DATA:DELete 128
LOG:LOAD {DATA} 129
LOG:DATA? 130
7 MEASure Subsystem
MEASure[:VOLTage][:DC]? 132
MEASure[:VOLTage]:AC? 134
MEASure[:VOLTage]:ACDC|DCAC? 137
MEASure:CURRent[:DC]? 140
MEASure:CURRent:AC? 142
MEASure:CURRent:ACDC|DCAC? 144
MEASure:RESistance? 146
MEASure:CONTinuity? 149
MEASure:LRESistance? 151

VI U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Table of Contents
MEASure:CAPacitance? 153
MEASure:DIODe? 156
MEASure:FREQuency? 157
MEASure:PWIDth? 159
MEASure:DCYCle? 161
8 MEMory Subsystem
MEMory:STATe:RECall:AUTO 164
9 OUTPut Subsystem
OUTPut[:STATe] 168
10 SENSe Subsystem
[SENSe:]FUNCtion[:ON] 171
[SENSe:]VOLTage[:DC]:RANGe[:UPPer] 173
[SENSe:]VOLTage[:DC]:RANGe:AUTO 175
[SENSe:]VOLTage[:DC]:RESolution 177
[SENSe:]VOLTage:AC:RANGe[:UPPer] 179
[SENSe:]VOLTage:AC:RANGe:AUTO 181
[SENSe:]VOLTage:AC:RESolution 183
[SENSe:]VOLTage:ACDC|DCAC:RANGe[:UPPer] 185
[SENSe:]VOLTage:ACDC|DCAC:RANGe:AUTO 187
[SENSe:]VOLTage:ACDC|DCAC:RESolution 189
[SENSe:]CURRent[:DC]:RANGe[:UPPer] 191
[SENSe:]CURRent[:DC]:RANGe:AUTO 193
[SENSe:]CURRent[:DC]:RESolution 195
[SENSe:]CURRent:AC:RANGe[:UPPer] 197

U3606B Programmer’s Reference VII
Table of Contents
[SENSe:]CURRent:AC:RANGe:AUTO 199
[SENSe:]CURRent:AC:RESolution 201
[SENSe:]CURRent:ACDC|DCAC:RANGe[:UPPer] 203
[SENSe:]CURRent:ACDC|DCAC:RANGe:AUTO 205
[SENSe:]CURRent:ACDC|DCAC:RESolution 207
[SENSe:]RESistance:RANGe[:UPPer] 209
[SENSe:]RESistance:RANGe:AUTO 211
[SENSe:]RESistance:RESolution 213
[SENSe:]CONTinuity:RANGe[:UPPer] 215
[SENSe:]CONTinuity:RANGe:AUTO 217
[SENSe:]LRESistance:RANGe[:UPPer] 219
[SENSe:]LRESistance:RANGe:AUTO 221
[SENSe:]LRESistance:RESolution 223
[SENSe:]LRESistance:COMPensation 225
[SENSe:]CAPacitance:RANGe[:UPPer] 226
[SENSe:]CAPacitance:RANGe:AUTO 228
[SENSe:]FREQuency:VOLTage:RANGe[:UPPer] 230
[SENSe:]FREQuency:VOLTage:RANGe:AUTO 232
[SENSe:]PWIDth:VOLTage:RANGe[:UPPer] 234
[SENSe:]PWIDth:VOLTage:RANGe:AUTO 236
[SENSe:]DCYCle:VOLTage:RANGe[:UPPer] 238
[SENSe:]DCYCle:VOLTage:RANGe:AUTO 240
[SENSe:]FREQuency:CURRent:RANGe[:UPPer] 242
[SENSe:]FREQuency:CURRent:RANGe:AUTO 244
[SENSe:]PWIDth:CURRent:RANGe[:UPPer] 246

VIII U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Table of Contents
[SENSe:]PWIDth:CURRent:RANGe:AUTO 248
[SENSe:]DCYCle:CURRent:RANGe[:UPPer] 250
[SENSe:]DCYCle:CURRent:RANGe:AUTO 252
11 SOURce Subsystem
[SOURce:]SENSe 257
[SOURce:]SENSe:VOLTage[:LEVel]? 258
[SOURce:]SENSe:CURRent[:LEVel]? 259
SOURce:VOLTage:RANGe 260
SOURce:CURRent:RANGe 261
SOURce:SQUare:RANGe 262
[SOURce:]VOLTage:LIMit 263
[SOURce:]CURRent:LIMit 265
[SOURce:]VOLTage:PROTection 267
[SOURce:]CURRent:PROTection 269
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel][:IMMediate][:AMPLitude] 271
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel][:IMMediate][:AMPLitude] 272
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel]:RAMP[:AMPLitude] 273
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel]:RAMP[:AMPLitude] 274
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel]:RAMP:STEP 276
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel]:RAMP:STEP 277
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel]:SCAN[:AMPLitude] 278
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel]:SCAN[:AMPLitude] 279
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel]:SCAN:STEP 280
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel]:SCAN:STEP 281

U3606B Programmer’s Reference IX
Table of Contents
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel]:SCAN:DWELling 282
[SOURce:]CURRent[:LEVel]:SCAN:DWELling 283
[SOURce:]SQUare[:LEVel][:IMMediate]:AMPLitude 284
[SOURce:]SQUare[:LEVel][:IMMediate]:FREQuency 285
[SOURce:]SQUare[:LEVel][:IMMediate]:DCYCle 286
[SOURce:]SQUare[:LEVel][:IMMediate]:PWIDth 288
[SOURce:]PROTection[:STATe] 291
[SOURce:]SSTart:STEP 293
12 STATus Subsystem
STATus:OPERation:CONDition? 296
STATus:OPERation:ENABle 297
STATus:OPERation[:EVENt]? 299
STATus:PRESet 300
STATus:QUEStionable:CONDition? 301
STATus:QUEStionable:ENABle 302
STATus:QUEStionable[:EVENt]? 304
13 SYSTem Subsystem
SYSTem:BEEPer[:IMMediate] 306
SYSTem:BEEPer:STATe 307
SYSTem:DATA:INTerval 309
SYSTem:DATA:LOOP 310
SYSTem:DEFault 311
SYSTem:ERRor? 312
SYSTem:LOCal 314

X U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Table of Contents
SYSTem:PRESet 315
SYSTem:RWLock 316
SYSTem:SMOoth[:STATe] 317
SYSTem:SMOoth:FLUCtuation 319
SYSTem:SMOoth:POINts 321
SYSTem:VERSion? 322
14 TRIGger Subsystem
TRIGger:SOURce 324
15 Root Commands
ABORt 328
FETCh? 329
READ? 331
16 IEEE-488.2 Common Commands
*CLS 334
*ESE 335
*ESR? 337
*IDN? 338
*OPC 339
*PSC 340
*RCL 341
*RST 342
*SAV 346
*SRE 347
*STB? 349

U3606B Programmer’s Reference XI
Table of Contents
*TRG 350
*TST? 351
*WAI 352
17 List of Error Messages
Error Messages 354
Command errors 355
Execution errors 356
Internal errors 357
Query errors 357
Device specific errors 357
Self-test errors 358
Calibration errors 359

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1
U3606B Multimeter|DC Power Supply
Programmer’s Reference
Agilent Technologies
1
Introduction to SCPI
Introduction to the SCPI Language 2
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats 3
Command separators 4
Syntax conventions 8
Data types and formats 9
Input message terminators 10
Using device clear 11
SCPI Status System 12
Standard Event register 14
Status Byte register 15
Operation Status register 16
Questionable Status register 17
This chapter introduces the remote programming basics of the U3606B. The
SCPI programming commands provide the means to control this instrument
remotely via a PC.
NOTE
During remote programming, various SCPI commands are stringed
together in a single programming module. As the programming module
executes each SCPI command sequentially, a 1 millisecond interval
between each subsequent SCPI command is recommended to allow the
U3606B Multimeter|DC Power Supply sufficient command processing
time.

1 Introduction to SCPI
Introduction to the SCPI Language
2 U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Introduction to the SCPI Language
SCPI, also known as the Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments,
is an ASCII-based instrument command language designed for test and
measurement instruments. SCPI commands defines how you communicate
with an instrument from a bus controller.
They are based on a hierarchical structure, similar to the file systems used by
many bus controllers. This hierarchical structure is also known as a tree
system. In this system, associated commands are grouped together under a
common node or root, thus forming subsystems. You must specify the
complete path to execute the individual lower-level commands. A portion of
the SOURce subsystem is shown below to illustrate the tree system.
SOURce
:VOLTage
:LIMit <value>
:LIMit?
SOURce
:CURRent
:RANGe <value>
SOURce is the root keyword of the command, VOLTage and CURRent are
second-level keywords, and LIMit and RANGe are third-level keywords. A
colon (:) separates a command keyword from a lower-level keyword.
Mnemonic forms
Each keyword has both a long and a short form. A standard notation is used to
differentiate the short form keyword from the long form keyword. The long
form of the keyword is shown, with the short form portion shown in uppercase
characters, and the rest of the keyword shown in lowercase characters. For
example, the short form of SOURce is SOUR.
For shorter program lines, you can send the abbreviated form. For better
program readability, you can send the long form. For example, in the above
syntax statement, SOURce and SOUR are both acceptable forms. You can use a
mixture of upper-case and lower-case letters. Therefore, SOURCE, sour, and
Sour are all acceptable forms. Other forms, such as SOU and sourc, are not
valid and will generate an error.

Introduction to SCPI 1
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
U3606B Programmer’s Reference 3
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
Throughout this document, the following conventions and formats are used in
the SCPI command examples. The examples are presented in the following
manner:
Example
This programming snippet illustrates how several commands are used
together to instruct the U3606B to make a single DC voltage measurement.
&CONF 10, 0.0001 A right directional arrow (&) indicates a
command that is sent to the instrument.
The abbreviated form of the command is
favoured over the long form for shorter program
lines. See “Mnemonic forms” on page 2 for more
information.
Optional keywords are omitted in the command
syntax. See “Square brackets” on page 8 for
more information.
&TRIG:SOUR BUS
&INIT The particular command or query in question is
highlighted in the programming snippet.
This example illustrates how the “INIT”
command is used within a larger programming
module.
&*TRG Command s beginning with an “*” indicates a
IEEE-488.2 common command. See “Using “*”
commands” on page 7 for more information.
&FETC? A command ending with a “?” indicates a query
that is sent to the instrument. See “Using “?”
commands” on page 6 for more information.
$9.985308E+00 A left directional arrow (
$ ) indicates a return
message from the instrument.

1 Introduction to SCPI
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
4 U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Command separators
Using a colon
A colon ( :) is used to separate a command keyword from a lower-level
keyword. When a colon is inserted between two command mnemonics, the
colon moves the path down one level in the present path (for the specified
root-level command) of the command tree. You must separate command
mnemonics from each other using a colon as shown below:
&MEM:STAT:REC:AUTO ON
An error is generated if you do not use the colon in your command string.
&MEM STAT REC AUTO ON
&SYST:ERR?
Typical response:
$-113,"Undefined header"
When a colon is the first character of a command keyword, it indicates that the
next command mnemonic is a root-level command.
&:CALC:FUNC NULL
This indicates that the CALC command mnemonic is a root-level command.
However, you can omit the leading colon if the command is the first of a new
program line.
&CALC:FUNC NULL

Introduction to SCPI 1
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
U3606B Programmer’s Reference 5
Using a semicolon
Use a semicolon ( ;) to separate two commands within the same command
string. For example, sending the following command string:
&:SOUR:VOLT:RANG 5;:SOUR:VOLT:LIM 8
is the same as sending the following two commands.
&SOUR:VOLT:RANG 5
&SOUR:VOLT:LIM 8
The semicolon does not change the present path specified. For example, the
following two statements are equivalent.
&:SOUR:VOLT:RANG 5;:SOUR:VOLT:LIM 8
&:SOUR:VOLT:RANG 5;LIM 8
Note that in the first statement, the first colon is optional but the fourth is
compulsory.
Using a comma
If a command requires more than one parameter, you must separate adjacent
parameters using a comma ( ,).
CONFigure[:VOLTage]:AC
[<range>|AUTO|MAX|MIN|DEF[,{<resolution>|MAX|MIN|DEF}]]
The angle brackets are not sent with the command string. See “Syntax
conventions” on page 8 for more information.
&CONF:AC 10, 0.001

1 Introduction to SCPI
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
6 U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Using whitespace
You must use whitespace characters, [tab], or [space] to separate a parameter
from a command keyword. Whitespace characters are generally ignored only
in parameter lists. You may omit the whitespace characters only in parameter
lists.
For example, sending the following command:
&CONF:AC 10,0.01
is the same as sending this command:
&CONF:AC 10, 0.01
However, an error is generated if you do not use a whitespace character to
separate a parameter from a command keyword in your command string.
&CONF:AC10,0.01
&SYST:ERR?
Typical response:
$-113,"Undefined header"
Using “?” commands
The bus controller may send commands at any time, but a SCPI-equipped
instrument may only send responses when specifically instructed to do so.
Only query commands (commands that end with a “?”) will instruct the
instrument to send a response message. Queries return either measured
values or internal instrument settings.
For example, the following command sets the U3606B to measure AC current
within a range of 100 mA.
&CONF:CURR:AC 0.1
You can then query the present measurement configuration by sending:
&CONF?
Typical response:
$CURR:AC +1.000000E-01,+1000000E-05

Introduction to SCPI 1
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
U3606B Programmer’s Reference 7
Using “*” commands
Commands starting with a “*” are called common commands. They are
required to perform the identical function for all instruments that are
compliant with the IEEE-488.2 interface standard. Common commands
always begin with an asterisk (*), are three characters in length, and may
include one or more parameters. The “*” commands are used to control reset,
self-test, and status operations in the U3606B.
&*RST; *CLS
See Chapter 16, “IEEE-488.2 Common Commands,” starting on page 333 for a
complete list of all common commands supported.
NOTE
If you send two query commands without reading the response from the
first, then attempt to read the second response, you may receive some
data from the first response followed by the complete second response. To
avoid this, do not send a query command without reading the response.
When you cannot avoid this situation, send a device clear before sending
the second query command. See “Using device clear” on page 11 for more
information.

1 Introduction to SCPI
SCPI Conventions and Data Formats
8 U3606B Programmer’s Reference
Syntax conventions
The following SCPI conventions are used throughout this document.
Braces
Braces “{ }” enclose the parameter choices for a given command string. For
example, the syntax statement below shows that you have to chose a function
(either NULL, DB, DBM, AVERage, LIMit, or HOLD) for the calculate operation.
CALCulate:FUNCtion {NULL|DB|DBM|AVERage|LIMit|HOLD}
The braces are not sent with the command string. A vertical bar “|” separates
multiple parameter choices for a given command string.
&CALC:FUNC AVER
Triangle brackets
Triangle brackets “< >” indicate that you must specify a value for the enclosed
parameter. For example, the syntax statement below shows the <value>
parameter enclosed in triangle brackets:
[SOURce:]VOLTage[:LEVel][:IMMediate][:AMPLitude] <value>
The brackets are not sent with the command string. You must specify a value
for the parameter:
&VOLT 10
Square brackets
Some commands and parameters are enclosed in square brackets “[ ]”. This
indicates that the command or parameter is optional and can be omitted. For
example, the syntax statement below shows that the STATe second-level
keyword is optional and can be omitted.
OUTPut[:STATe] {0|1|OFF|ON}
The brackets are not sent with the command string.
&OUTP ON
For parameters enclosed in square brackets, if you do not specify a value for
the optional parameter, the instrument chooses a default value.