Agilent Technologies Agilent 34980A User manual

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Agilent Technologies
Agilent 34980A 
Multifunction
Switch/Measure Unit
Mainframe User’s Guide
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
Printed in Malaysia
Edition 7
March 2013 E0313
*34980-90005*
34980-90005

Notices
© Agilent Technologies, Inc. 2004-2012
No part of this manual may be reproduced
in any form or by any means (including
electronic storage and retrieval or transla-
tion into a foreign language) without prior
agreement and written consent from 
Agilent Technologies, Inc. as governed 
by United States and international copy-
right laws.
Manual Part Number
34980-90005
Edition
Seventh Edition, March 2013
Printed in Malaysia
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
3501 Stevens Creek Blvd 
Santa Clara, CA 95052 USA
Microsoft® and Windows® are U.S. reg-
istered trademarks of Microsoft Corpora-
tion.
Software Revision
This guide is valid for the firmware that
was installed in the instrument at the time
of manufacture. However, upgrading the
firmware may add or change product 
features. For the latest firmware and 
documentation, go to the product page at:
www.agilent.com/find/34980A
Declaration of Conformity
Declarations of Conformity for this
product and for other products may
be downloaded from the Web. Goto
http://regulations.about.keysight.com/
DoC/search.htm . You can then search
by product number to find the latest
Declaration of Conformity.
Warranty
The material contained in this doc-
ument is provided “as is,” and is
subject to being changed, without
notice, in future editions. Further,
to the maximum extent permitted
byapplicable law,Agilent disclaims
all warranties, either express or
implied, with regard to this manual
and any information contained
herein, including but not limited to
the implied warranties of mer-
chantability and fitness for a par-
ticular purpose. Agilent shall not
be liable for errors or for incidental
or consequential damages in con-
nection with the furnishing, use, or
performance of this document or of
any information contained herein.
Should Agilent and the user have a
separate written agreement with
warranty terms covering the mate-
rial in this document that conflict
with these terms, the warranty
terms in the separate agreement
shall control.
Technology Licenses
The hardware and/or software described
in this document are furnished under a
license and may be used or copied only in
accordance with the terms of such license.
Restricted Rights Legend
U.S. Government Restricted Rights. 
Software and technical data rights granted
to the federal government include only
those rights customarily provided to end
user customers. Agilent provides this 
customary commercial license in Soft-
ware and technical data pursuant to FAR
12.211 (Technical Data) and 12.212
(Computer Software) and, for the Depart-
ment of Defense, DFARS 252.227-7015
(Technical Data - Commercial Items) and
DFARS 227.7202-3 (Rights in Commer-
cial Computer Software or Computer
Software 
Documentation).
Safety Notices
CAUTION
A CAUTION notice denotes a
hazard. It calls attention to an
operating procedure, practice, or
the like that, if not correctly per-
formed or adhered to, could result
in damage to the product or loss of
important data. Do not proceed
beyond a CAUTION notice until
the indicated conditions are fully
understood and met.
WARNING
A WARNING notice denotes a
hazard. It calls attention to an
operating procedure, practice,
or the like that, if not correctly
performed or adhered to, could
result in personal injury or
death. Do not proceed beyond a
WARNING notice until the indi-
cated conditions are fully
understood and met.
ii Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide

Additional Safety Notices
The following general safety precautions
must be observed during all phases of
operation of this instrument. Failure to
comply with these precautions or with
specific warnings or instructions else-
where in this manual violates safety stan-
dards of design, manufacture, and
intended use of the instrument. Agilent
Technologies assumes no liability of the
customer’s failure to comply with the
requirements.
General
Do not use this products in any manner
not specified by the manufacturer. The
protective features of this product may be
impaired if it is used in a manner not
specified in the operation instructions.
Before Applying Power
Verify that all safety precautions are
taken. Make all connections to the unit
before applying power.
Ground the Instrument
This product is provided with protective
earth terminals. To minimize shock haz-
ard, the instrument must be connected to
the ac power mains through a grounded
power cable, with the ground wire firmly
connected to an electrical ground (safety
ground) at the power outlet. Any interrup-
tion of the protective (grounding) conduc-
tor or disconnection of the protective
earth terminal will cause a potential shock
hazard that could result in personal injury.
Do Not Operate in an
Explosive Atmosphere
Do not operate the instrument in the pres-
ence of flammable gases or fumes.
Do Not Remove the
Instrument Cover
Only qualified, service-trained personal
who are aware of the hazards involved
should remove instrument covers. Always
disconnect the power cable and any exter-
nal circuits before removing the instru-
ment cover.
Do Not Modify the
Instrument
Do not install substitute parts or perform
any unauthorized modification to the
product. Return the product to an Agilent
Sales and Service Office for service and
repair to ensure that safety features are
maintained.
In Case of Damage
Instruments that appear damaged or
defective should be made inoperative and
secured against unintended operation
until they can be repaired by qualified ser-
vice personnel.
Safety Symbols
Waste Electrical and
Electronic Equipment
(WEEE) Directive
2002/96/EC
This product complies with the WEEE
Directive (2002/96/EC) marking require-
ment. The affixed product label (see
above) indicates that you must not dis-
card this electrical/electronic product
in domestic household waste.
Product Category: With reference to the
equipment types in the WEEE directive
Annex 1, this product is classified as a
“Monitoring and Control instrumenta-
tion” product.
To return unwanted products, contact 
your local Agilent office, or go to 
www.agilent.com/environment/product
for more information.
Technical Support
If you have questions about your ship-
ment, or if you need information about
warranty, service, or technical support,
contact 
Agilent Technologies:
In the United States: [phone]
In Europe: 31 20 547 2111
In Japan: 0120-421-345
Or go to www.agilent.com/find/assist 
for information on contacting Agilent in
your country of specific location. You can
also contact your Agilent Technologies 
Representative.
Alternating current
Frame or chassis
terminal
Standby supply. Unit is
not completely
disconnected from ac
mains when switch is off
Caution, risk of
electric shock
Caution, refer to
accompanying
ii

Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide v
Contents
1 Introduction to the 34980A
Data Acquisition Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Measurement Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Data Acquisition Circuitry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Plug-In Modules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
System Cabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Transducers and Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Alarm Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Signal Routing and Switching. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Switching Topologies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
RF and Microwave Switching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Measurement Input . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
The Internal DMM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Scanning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Scanning With External Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The Digital Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Control Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The Digital Modules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
The Actuator / General-Purpose Switches. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2 Getting Started
Front Panel at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Rear Panel at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Rear Panel Connector Pinouts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
External Trigger/Alarms Connector (Male D-Sub) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Analog Bus Connector (Female D-Sub) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Annunciator Display Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Installing and Connecting Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Removing a Slot Cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Installing a Module . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Instrument Rack Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Operating the 34980A from the Front Panel Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Front Panel Menu Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Menu Example 1: Setting the Time and Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Menu Example 2: Opening and Closing Channel Relays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Using the Measure Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Menu Example 3: Configuring the DMM for a Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

vi Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide
Menu Example 4: Configuring a Channel for a Measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Connecting the 34980A to Your Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Connecting Over LAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Connecting Over GPIB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Connecting Over USB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Communicating with the 34980A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Operating the 34980A using the Integrated Web Browser Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Launching the Web Interface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Displaying the Browser Web Control Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Selecting the “Allow Full Control” Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Setting a Web Browser Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Closing and Opening Channel Relays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Modifying the Channel Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Sending SCPI Commands Via the Web Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
34980A Documentation Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
3 Features and Functions
Front Panel Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Front Panel Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Front Panel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Basic Operating Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
SCPI Commands. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
SCPI Language Conventions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Rules for Using a Channel List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Remote Interface Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
GPIB Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
LAN Interface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Clearing 34980A Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Volatile Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Non-Volatile Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Analog Bus and Internal DMM Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Environmental Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Electrical Operating Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
General Measurement Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Overview of Measurement Modes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Analog Buses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Measurement Functions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Measurement Range. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Measurement Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Custom A/D Integration Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Autozero. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Trigger Delay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Automatic Trigger Delays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Safety Interlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
User-Defined Channel Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide vii
2-Wire Versus 1-Wire Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Temperature Measurement Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Measurement Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Thermocouple Measurements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
RTD Measurements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Thermistor Measurements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Voltage Measurement Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
DC Input Resistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
AC Low Frequency Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Resistance Measurement Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Offset Compensation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Current Measurement Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
AC Low Frequency Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Frequency Measurement Configuration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Low Frequency Timeout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Mx+B Scaling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Rules for Scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Adding Channels to the Scan List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Scan Trigger Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Trigger Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Sweep Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Sample Count . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Channel Delay. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Automatic Channel Delays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Reading Format. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Non-Sequential Scanning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Viewing Readings Stored in Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Monitor Mode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Scanning With External Instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Alarm Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Viewing Stored Alarm Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Using the Alarm Output Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Using Alarms With the Digital Modules. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Defining a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Querying the Sequence Definition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Executing a Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Executing a Sequence on an Alarm Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Deleting Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Reading the List of Stored Sequences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
System-Related Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Firmware Revision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Product Firmware Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Instrument State Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

viii Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide
Error Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Self-Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Front-Panel Display Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Front-Panel Number Format . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Real-Time System Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Internal DMM Disable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Relay Cycle Count. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
SCPI Language Version. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Calibration Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Calibration Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Calibration Count. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Calibration Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Factory Reset State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
Instrument Preset State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
4 Introduction to the Plug-In Modules for the 34980A
User’s Guides for the 34980A’s Plug-In Modules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Available Modules, at a Glance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Slot and Channel Addressing Scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Interconnection Solutions Overview. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Module Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
General Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Environmental Operating Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Electrical Operating Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

1
Agilent 34980A Multifunction Switch/Measure Unit
Mainframe User’s Guide
Agilent Technologies
1
Introduction to the 34980A
This chapter provides an overview of a computer- based
data acquisition and measurement control system using the
Agilent 34980A Multifunction Switch/Measure Unit and
typical plug- in modules.
Data Acquisition Overview 2
Measurement Software 3
Data Acquisition Circuitry 5
Plug-In Modules 6
System Cabling 6
Transducers and Sensors 7
Alarm Limits 7
Signal Routing and Switching 8
Switching Topologies 8
Multiplexer Switching 8
Matrix Switching 9
General Purpose Switching 9
RF and Microwave Switching 10
Measurement Input 11
The Internal DMM 11
Signal Conditioning, Ranging, and Amplification 11
Analog-to-Digital Conversion (ADC) 12
Main System Processor 12
Scanning 13
Scanning With External Instruments 14
The Digital Modules 16
Digital Input 16
Totaliz e r 17
Control Output 18
The Digital Modules 18
Digital Output 18
Voltage (DAC) Output 19
The Actuator / General-Purpose Switches 20

2 Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide
1Introduction to the 34980A
Data Acquisition Overview
You can use the Agilent 34980A as a stand- alone instrument, but for
most applications you will want to take advantage of its PC connectivity
and remote operation capabilities. A simplified data acquisition system is
shown below.
The system configuration shown above offers the following advantages:
•You can use the 34980A to perform data storage, data reduction,
mathematical calculations, and conversion to engineering units.
•You can use the PC to easily configure and present data.
•You can electrically isolate analog signals and measurement sensors
from the noisy PC environment and earth ground.
•You can use a single PC to monitor multiple instruments and
measurement points while performing other PC- based tasks.
The 34980A is shipped with Ethernet, USB and GPIB (IEEE- 488)
interfaces. For a detailed description of these connections, see
“Connecting the 34980A to Your Computer” on page 45.
Ideally, before selecting a PC interface mode and making physical
connections between the 34980A and your PC, you would first determine
what software tools you will be using to communicate with and control
the 34980A (see “Measurement Software” on page 3 for a brief
description of available software choices).
•If you will be using the 34980A's integrated Web Browser interface
(LAN only), no additional software is required for connection.
•If you will be using another software tool (e.g. BenchLink Data
Logger Pro, Agilent IO Libraries Suite), you will need to install both
that software and a device driver before connecting the instrument
over GPIB or USB. No device driver is required for LAN.
•If you install the IO Libraries Suite, USB device drivers should be
installed automatically.
Computer
and Software Interface
Cable
34980A
Mainframe (up to 8)
Modules
Plug-in
System
Cabling
Transducers,
Sensors and Events

Introduction to the 34980A 1
Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide 3
Measurement Software
A variety of software tools are available for remote communication with
the 34980A; the most commonly used tools are briefly discussed below.
Data Logging and Monitoring
Agilent 34832A BenchLink Data Logger Pro is a Windows®- based
application available on CD from Agilent. It is designed to make it easy
to use the 34980A with your PC (over GPIB, USB or LAN) for collecting
and analyzing data. You program the desired measurement, scan and
data logging requirements using an intuitive, tabbed spreadsheet
environment; data is displayed in tabular and graphical formats.
The BenchLink Data Logger Pro software provides several advanced
features not available in the standard BenchLink Data Logger software
(which ships for free on CD- ROM with every 34980A ordered with an
internal DMM). Particularly, the Pro version allows for customized action
scripts, conditional control of external instruments, decision making or
program initiation based on limit checks and alarm events, and advanced
math operations. Both the standard and Pro versions are supplied on the
same CD- ROM. The Pro version can be used for 30 days without
obligation; subsequently a software license is required for its continued
use. Go to www.agilent.com/find/34832A for purchasing information.

4 Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide
1Introduction to the 34980A
Web Browser Interface
The 34980A incorporates in its firmware a graphic Web Browser
interface for remote LAN access and control of the instrument via a
Java- enabled Web browser, such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer. While
not as comprehensive a tool as the BenchLink Data Logger software, the
Web Browser provides an alternative method for remote system
configuration, troubleshooting, and monitoring.
For a detailed description of the Web Browser interface, see “Operating
the 34980A using the Integrated Web Browser Interface” on page 53.
Other Software for Automated Testing with Multiple Instruments
These software tools can also be used with the 34980A:
•Agilent IO Libraries Suite (shipped on CD with the 34980A)
•Agilent IntuiLink
•Agilent VEE (an evaluation copy of the VEE Pro software is shipped
on CD with the 34980A)
•National Instruments LabVIEW
•Microsoft® Visual Basic or Visual C++

Introduction to the 34980A 1
Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide 5
Data Acquisition Circuitry
As shown below, the 34980A's main system processor controls all of the
basic functionality of the instrument. This is where the instrument
communicates with the plug- in modules, interacts with command
transactions over the remote interfaces, and controls the optional
internal DMM. The main system processor also performs Mx+B scaling
operations, monitors alarm conditions, converts transducer measurements
to engineering units, adds time stamp information to scanned
measurements, and stores measurement data in memory.
The main system processor also controls activity on the four hardware
alarm outputs and external triggering lines. You can use the alarm output
lines to trigger external alarm lights, sirens, or send a TTL pulse to your
control system.
The 34980A provides four 2- wire internal Analog Buses for easier signal
routing. You can route your measurements directly to the optional
internal DMM using the 34980A multiplexer and matrix modules or you
can connect to external signals via the Analog Bus connector located on
the instrument's rear panel. Since four 2- wire buses are provided, you
can dedicate one bus for use with the internal DMM while using the
other three buses for module extensions or additional signal routing
between modules.
Main
System
Processor
GPIB
USB
LAN
Slot
1000
Slot
3000
Slot
8000
Slot
2000
Optional
Internal
DMM
Control
Analog
Bus
Alarms
OUT
IN
External
Trigger ABUS1
ABUS4
ABUS3
ABUS2
AC
Power
I
Hi Measure
Lo Measure
Hi Sense
Lo Sense
Digital Bus

6 Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide
1Introduction to the 34980A
Plug-In Modules
The 34980A offers a complete selection of plug- in modules to give you
high- quality measurement, switching, and control capabilities. The
plug- in modules communicate with the main system processor via the
internal digital bus. The multiplexer modules also connect to the internal
DMM via the internal Analog Buses. Each module has its own
microprocessor to offload the main system processor and minimize
backplane communications for faster throughput. See Chapter 4,
“Introduction to the Plug- In Modules for the 34980A” for an overview of
the available plug- in modules and their functions. Each module is
shipped with its own User's Guide.
System Cabling
Depending on your specific requirements, you can connect your device
under test (DUT) to the 34980A using several optional interconnection
solutions (see “Interconnection Solutions Overview” on page 167).
Detachable terminal blocks are available for low- frequency modules and
offer an extremely flexible method for connecting external wiring. You
can also connect to the plug- in modules directly using standard cabling
with 50- pin D- Sub and 78- pin D- Sub connectors. Optional solder cup
connector kits are also available if you choose to build your own custom
cabling.
The type of cabling that you use to connect your signals, transducers,
and sensors to the module is critical to ensure measurement integrity.
Some types of transducers, such as thermocouples, have very specific
requirements for the type of cabling that should be used to make
connections. Be sure to consider the usage environment when choosing
wire gauge size and insulation qualities. Wire insulation typically consists
of materials such as PVC or PTFE. The table below lists several common
cable types and describes their typical uses.
Cable Type Common Uses Comments
Thermocouple
Extension Wire Thermocouple measurements Available in specific thermocouple types. Also available in a shielded cable for added
noise immunity.
Twisted Pair,
Shielded Twisted
Pair
Measurement inputs,
voltage outputs,
switching, counting
Most common cable for low-frequency
measurement inputs. Twisted pair reduces
common mode noise. Shielded-twisted pair
provides additional noise immunity.
Shielded
Coaxial,
Double-Shielded
Coaxial
VHF Signal switching Most common cable for high-frequency
signal routing. Available in specific
impedance values (50or 75). Provides
excellent noise immunity. Double-shielded
cable improves isolation between channels.
Requires special connectors.
Flat Ribbon,
Twisted Pair
Ribbon
Digital Input/Output Often used with mass termination
connectors. These cables provide little
noise immunity.

Introduction to the 34980A 1
Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide 7
Transducers and Sensors
Transducers and sensors convert a physical quantity into an electrical
quantity. The electrical quantity is measured and the result is then
converted to engineering units by the 34980A's main system processor.
For example, when measuring a thermocouple, the instrument measures
a dc voltage and mathematically converts it to a corresponding
temperature in °C, °F, or K.
Alarm Limits
The 34980A has four alarms which you can configure to alert you when
a reading exceeds specified limits on a channel during a scan. You can
assign a high limit, a low limit, or both to any configured channel in the
scan list. You can assign multiple channels to any of the four available
alarms (numbered 1 through 4). For example, you can configure the
instrument to generate an alarm on Alarm 1 when a limit is exceeded on
any of channels 1003, 2025, or 3020.
You can also assign alarms to channels on the digital modules (34950A
and 34952A). For example, you can generate an alarm when a specific
bit pattern or bit pattern change is detected on a digital input channel or
when a specific count is reached on a totalizer channel. With the digital
modules, the channels do not have to be part of the scan list to generate
an alarm.
Measurement Typical Transducer Type Typical Transducer Output
Temperature
Thermocouple 0 mV to 80 mV
Resistance temperature detector
(RTD) 2-wire or 4-wire resistance from 5to 500
Thermistor 2-wire or 4-wire resistance from 10to 1M
Pressure Solid state device ±10 VDC
Flow Rotary type, thermal type 4 mA to 20 mA
Strain Resistive elements 4-wire resistance from 10to 10 k
Events Limit switches, optical counters,
rotary encoder 0V or 5V pulse train
Digital System status TTL levels

8 Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide
1Introduction to the 34980A
Signal Routing and Switching
The switching capabilities of the plug- in modules available with the
34980A provide test system flexibility and expandability. You can use the
switching plug- in modules to route signals to and from your test system
or multiplex signals to the internal DMM or external instruments.
Relays are electromechanical devices which are subject to wear- out
failure modes. The life of a relay, or the number of actual operations
before failure, is dependent upon how the relay is used—applied load,
switching frequency, and environment. The 34980A Relay Maintenance
System automatically counts the cycles of each relay in the instrument
and stores the total count in non- volatile memory on each switch
module. You can use this feature to track relay failures and to predict
system maintenance requirements. For more information on using this
feature, refer to “Relay Cycle Count” on page 154.
Switching Topologies
Several switching plug- in modules are available with different topologies
for various applications. The following switching topologies are available:
•Multiplexer (with armature, reed, or FET switches)
•Matrices (with armature or reed switches )
•General Purpose (with Form C or Form A switches)
The following sections describe each of these switching topologies. For
more information, see the individual User's Guides included with each
module.
Multiplexer Switching
Multiplexers allow you to connect one of multiple channels to a common
channel, one at a time. A simple 4- to- 1 multiplexer is shown below.
Multiplexers are available in several types:
•One- Wire (Single- Ended) Multiplexers for common LO measurements
•Two- Wire Multiplexers for floating measurements
•Four- Wire Multiplexers for resistance and RTD measurements
•Very High Frequency (VHF) Multiplexers for switching frequencies up
to 3 GHz.
When you combine a multiplexer with a measurement device, like the
optional internal DMM, you create a scanner. For more information on
scanning, see “Scanning” on page 13.
Common Channel 2
Channel 3
Channel 4
Channel 1

Introduction to the 34980A 1
Agilent 34980A Mainframe User’s Guide 9
Matrix Switching
A matrix switch connects multiple inputs to multiple outputs and
therefore offers more switching flexibility than a multiplexer. Use a
matrix for switching low- frequency (less than 30 MHz) signals only. A
matrix is arranged in rows and columns. For example, a simple 3x3
matrix could be used to connect three sources to three test points as
shown below.
In a matrix switch configuration, any one of the signal sources can be
connected to any one of the test inputs. Be aware that with a matrix, it
is possible to connect more than one source at the same time. Therefore,
it is important to make sure that dangerous or unwanted conditions are
not created by these connections.
General Purpose Switching
You can use General Purpose (GP) switches to control power connections
to your DUTs, control status indicators, or actuate external power relays
or solenoids. The GP switches for the 34980A are available in two switch
configurations as shown below.
Form C switches are also called Single- Pole, Double- Throw (SPDT) and
contain a normally- open (NO) and a normally- closed (NC) contact. Form
A switches are also called Single- Pole, Single- Throw (SPST) and contain
a normally open (NO) contact, which is either open or closed.
Test 1 Test 2 Test 3
Source 1
Source 2
Source 3
Form C Form A