Keysight Technologies B2900A Series User manual

Demo Guide
Keysight Technologies
Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization
using SMU
B2900A Precision Source/Measure Unit

02 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
Introduction
Keysight’s B2900A Series Precision Source/Measure Unit (SMU) is a compact and
cost-effective bench-top SMU with the capability to output and measure both voltage
and current. The B2900A SMU enables you to make a wide range of current versus
voltage (IV) measurements more accurately and quickly than ever before. In addition, the
B2900A SMU comes with an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) and free PC-based
application software that make it easy for you to begin making productive measurements
immediately.
In general, bipolar transistor (BJT) characterization requires the application of different
voltages and currents under either constant or swept conditions to the transistor
terminals. The B2902A and B2912A have two SMU channels, with each channel
possessing accurate IV measurement capabilities as well as the ability to supply either
constant or swept voltage/current. This makes the B2902A and B2912A excellent
choices for accurate IV characterization of BJTs.
This demonstration guide shows how easily you can undertake BJT characterization
using the B2900A SMU.
Required Instrument and Accessories
All of the accessories required to perform the demos described in this demonstration guide
are provided as a low current demo kit that is included with some of Keysight B2902A/12A
demo units.
B2902A/12A 2 Ch Source/
Measure Unit
N1295A Test Fixture
Bipolar Transistor 16494A-001 Triax Cable x4
N1294A-001 Banana-to-Triax
Adapter x2

03 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
Measurement Concept
An IV characteristics measurement of a BJT (Gummel Plot) is made based on the
following:
– Sourcing a voltage from two channels to activate a transistor.
– The two channels work simultaneously to make measurements.
– The limit value feature prevents the instrument from sourcing too much even if the
Source value is increased.
– Stepping voltages from start voltage to stop voltage to make current measurements
at each voltage step.
– Voltage steps are sourced from internal voltage sources.
– Current measurements are made by internal current meters.
– Complicated measurements can be easily configured using the Intuitive Graphical
User Interface (GUI).
– The current-voltage curve can be easily seen by changing View mode.
1.E-12
1.E-10
1.E-08
1.E-06
1.E-04
1.E-02
1.E+00
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9
Current [A]
Voltage [V]
Gummel Plot
Base Collector
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
4
3
Triaxial Cable
Low Force
High Force
Low Force
High Force
Ch1
Ch2
N1294A-001 Triaxial Cable
2
9
6
7
4
5
3
8
Close the fixture cover
1
Emitter
Collector
Base
Figure 1. Gummel Plot
Figure 2. Connection diagram

04 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
Setup
1. Put the device on the device socket in the fixture (The BJT Emitter, Base and Collector are
connected to 1, 2 and 3 respectively).
2. Put the N1294A-001 on the Ch 1 output terminals of the B2900A SMU.
3. Put the N1294A-001 on the Ch 2 output terminals of the B2900A SMU.
4. Connect the N1294A-001 Ch 1 Low terminal to the fixture terminal 1 with a triaxial cable.
5. Connect the N1294A-001 Ch 1 High terminal to the fixture terminal 2 with a triaxial cable.
6. Connect the N1294A-001 Ch 2 Low terminal to the fixture terminal 4 with a triaxial cable.
7. Connect the N1294A-001 Ch 2 High terminal to the fixture terminal 3 with a triaxial cable.
8. Connect terminals 1to 4on the fixture with a black Pin-Plug Cable.
9. Close the fixture cover.
There is no space between the adaptor
and the output terminals
There is some space between the adaptor
and the output terminals
Proper connection Improper connection
LooseOK
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
4
3
Triaxial Cable
Low Force
High Force
Low Force
High Force
Ch1
Ch2
N1294A-001 Triaxial Cable
2
9
6
7
4
5
3
8
Close the fixture cover
1
Emitter
Collector
Base
Make sure that the connection between the output terminals and the N1294A-001
Banana to Triax Adaptor is secure, because a loose connection can affect the
measurement results.

05 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
LAB: Make Bipolar Transistor Characterization using
SMU
Demonstration
1. Change the View mode to the Channel 1 Single View
1) Press repeatedly until the Channel 1
Single View is displayed.
2. Configure the Channel 1 condition to source and measure
1) Press to edit the Source function, and then select to set the Source
function to Voltage source.
2) Press to edit the Source value then enter 0 V to set the Source value to 0 V.
3) Press to edit the Limit value then enter 100 mA to set the Limit value to
100 mA.
4) Press to configure the Measurement parameter then select to set the
Measurement parameter to Current.
Objective
This demo explains how to make
a voltage sweep measurement
simultaneously using 2 channels
to make a bipolar transistor IV
characterization.
Procedure
1. Change the View mode to the
Channel 1 Single View.
2. Configure the Channel 1
condition to source and
measure.
3. Change the View mode to the
Channel 2 Single View.
4. Configure the Channel 2
condition to source and
measure.
5. Change the View mode to
Graph View.
6. Perform the measurement.
7. View the measurement result
graph
8. View the list of measurement
results
9. Store the measurement
data to a USB flash memory
device
10. Copy the Graph View screen
dump to a USB flash memory
device.

06 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
5) Rotate to select the Current minimum measurement range and press to edit it.
Then press to set the Current minimum measurement range to 10 nA.
6) Press to change the keys shown in Assist keys then press to set the
Measurement Speed Parameter.
7) Press then press to set the Measurement Speed to LONG (10 PLC).
If you do not want to make the sub-nA current measurement, “AUTO” Measure Speed
should be selected. It makes the measurement much faster.
8) Press to show Sweep Sub-Panel.
9) Press , then press to turn on the Single Linear Sweep Mode. After turning on
the Single Linear Sweep Mode, you can see the Source Shape which shows the single
linear sweep mode.

07 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
10) Rotate to select the Channel 1 Sweep Parameters and set them up as below.
(Start: 0 V, Stop: 0.85 V, Points: 86, Step: 10 mV)
3. Change the View mode to the Channel 2 Single View
1) Press repeatedly until the Channel 2
Single View is displayed.
4. Configure the Channel 2 condition to source and measure
1) Press to edit the Source function then select to set the Source
function to Voltage source.
2) Press to edit the Source value then enter 0 V to set the Source value to 0 V.
3) Press to edit the Limit value then enter 100 mA to set the Limit value to
100 mA.

08 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
4) Press to configure the Measurement parameter then select to set the
Measurement parameter to Current.
5) Press to change the keys shown in Assist keys then press to show
Range Sub-Panel.
6) Rotate to select the Current minimum measurement range and press to
edit it. Then press to set the Current minimum measurement range to 10 nA.
7) Press to set the Measurement Speed Parameter.
If you do not want to make the sub-nA current measurement, “AUTO” Measure Speed
should be selected. It makes the measurement much faster.
8) Press then press to set the Measurement Speed to LONG (10 PLC).

09 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
9) Press to show Sweep Sub-Panel.
10) Press , then press to turn on the Single Linear Sweep Mode. After
turning on the Single Linear Sweep Mode, you can see the Source Shape which
shows the single linear sweep mode.
11) Rotate to select the Channel 2 Sweep Parameters and set them up as below.
(Start: 0 V, Stop: 0.85 V, Points: 86, Step: 10 mV)
5. Change the View mode to Graph View
1) Press repeatedly until Graph View
is displayed.
6. Perform the measurement
1) Press Ch1 and Ch2 to turn on both Channel Output relays.
2) Press to perform a sweep measurement.
(The status information will show during the measurement.)

10 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
7. View the measurement result graph
1) Press to adjust the scale of the graph after finishing the measurement.
Now you can see the measurement result on the GUI of the B2900A SMU as below.
2) To change the Graph scaling of the Y-axis from LINEAR to LOG, rotate and
press to select the Y-axis scaling.
3) To change the Graph scale value of the Y-axis, rotate and press to modify the
Y-axis scale value.
8. View the list of measurement results
The measurement results can be viewed by following the steps below:
1) If you are not at the top of the Function menu, press repeatedly to return to
the top level.
At the top level of the Function menu
In the middle level of the Function menu
No tree structure can be seen
Some tree structure can be seen
(1) Press Result
(2) Press Measure

11 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
2) To view the List of measurement results, press , then press to open
the Measure Result dialogue.
At the top level of the Function menu
In the middle level of the Function menu
No tree structure can be seen
Some tree structure can be seen
(1) Press Result
(2) Press Measure
3) Rotate and press to select the Data field. Then rotate to scroll the Data list.
9. Store the measurement data to a USB flash memory device
Attach a USB flash memory device to the USB port on the front panel of the B2900A
SMU.
1) If you are not at the top of the Function menu, press repeatedly to return to
the top level.
At the top level of the Function menu
In the middle level of the Function menu
No tree structure can be seen
Some tree structure can be seen
(1) Press File
(2) Press Save
(3) Press Measure
2) Press , then press to open File Selection dialogue.
At the top level of the Function menu
In the middle level of the Function menu
No tree structure can be seen
Some tree structure can be seen
(1) Press File
(2) Press Save
(3) Press Measure

12 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
3) Select the folder on USB flash memory device to which the data file should be
saved. For example, select DeviceB folder.
(2) Press OPEN to open DeviceB folder
(3) Press to fix the folder
(1) Press and rotate
folder
to select DeviceB
4) Specify the saved data file name.
(2-1) Press “3(D)”
(2-2) Press “2(A)”
(2-3) Press “8(T)”
(2-4) Press “2(A)”
(2) Enter the file name such as “DATA”
(4) Press OK to save the data
Alphabet input mode
Numeric input mode
(1) Rotate and press
File Name field
to select
(3) Press to fix the file name
Current input mode
Insert or Delete

13 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
10. Copy the Graph View screen dump to a USB flash memory device
1) If you connect any USB flash memory device to the B2900A SMU, you can copy
the Graph View screen dump to the USB flash memory device as a JPEG file. “.jpg” is
added to the file name automatically.
(4) Press OK to save the data
(1) Press Dump Screen (2) Rotate and press
File Name field
to select
(3) Enter the file name such as “BJT”
and Press to fix the file name
Conclusion
Keysight’s B2900A Series Precision Source/Measure Unit (SMU) is a compact and
cost-effective bench-top SMU with the capability to output and measure both voltage
and current. In general, bipolar transistor (BJT) characterization requires the application
of different voltages and currents under either constant or swept conditions to the
transistor terminals. The B2902A and B2912A have two SMU channels, with each channel
possessing accurate IV measurement capabilities as well as the ability to supply either
constant or swept voltage/current. This makes the B2902A and B2912A excellent choices
for accurate IV characterization of BJTs.
B2900 Precision Instrument Family
The B2900 family contains products that perform both precision sourcing and
precision measurement. www.Keysight.com/find/b2900a
B2900 Precision Instrument Family
The B2900 family contains products that perform both precision sourcing and
precision measurement.
www.Keysight.com/find/b2900a

14 | Keysight | Making Bipolar Transistor Characterization using SMU - Demo Guide
This information is subject to change without notice.
© Keysight Technologies, 2017
Published in USA, December 1, 2017
5992-1930EN
www.keysight.com
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