Lecroy Selects Keithley RF/Microwave Switch System

Lecroy has selected Keithley Instruments' System 46 (S46) RF/microwave switch system as part of the original equipment for its USB 3.0 Test Suite product family. Keithley's S46 switch is engineered to simplify the automated switching needed to test a range of telecommunications products and devices, including Bluetooth devices. The USB 3.0 Test Suite represents a single-source line-up of test instruments that can comprehensively support the Universal Serial Bus (USB) 3.0 standard, also known as Superspeed USB.

The S46 RF/microwave switch is used in applications such as: testing cellular and cordless phones; specialised mobile radios; base stations; specialised antenna systems; RF components including RFICs; wireless peripherals, including Bluetooth devices; broadband wireless transceivers; and high-speed digital communications including Sonet devices with speeds of 3Gbps and 10Gbps. The standard S46 system is specified for a bandwidth of 18GHz; custom S46 systems can support bandwidths up to 40GHz.

As test requirements change, relays can be easily added to the system to create a new switch configuration. The S46 controller automatically counts relay contact closures to allow equipment maintenance personnel to assess when the relays are nearing the end of their mechanical life. In this way, preventative maintenance can be performed in a timely way during scheduled shutdowns, avoiding unplanned shutdowns and the resulting loss of production time.

In addition to counting contact closures, the S46 has a portion of its memory available to store S-parameters or calibration constants for each relay contact or each pathway. If a specific performance parameter is critical, such as voltage standing wave ratio or insertion loss, the parameter can be stored in memory for use in trend analysis between scheduled maintenance shutdowns. Stored parameters can also be used for compensation to enhance accuracy during RF measurements.

Keithley Seminar Offers Tips For On-Wafer Probing

Keithley Instruments will broadcast a free, web-based seminar entitled 'Tips, Tricks and Traps for On-Wafer Probing' on Thursday 28 January 2010. This one-hour seminar will demonstrate the best practices for on-wafer probing and how to identify and solve common problems.

Those who attend this seminar will learn: how to cable for accurate low-current DC measurements, accurate CV measurements and ultra-fast and pulsed IV measurements; the benefits of using Keithley-supplied cables and accessories to perform DC, CV and ultra-fast and pulsed IV measurements; proper grounding and guarding techniques; selecting the proper types of interconnect cables; and how to troubleshoot interconnect problems.

The event will conclude with a text-based question-and-answer session. The Tips, Tricks and Traps for On-Wafer Probing seminar is recommended for test engineers and test engineering managers with a basic understanding of wafer probing. The content is appropriate for engineers working with on-wafer devices. To register for this event, which will be broadcast at 15:00 CET for the European audience, visit http://www.keithley.info/probingtips.

Keithley Adds 3731 Reed Relay Matrix Card

Keithley Instruments has expanded its series 3700 system switch/multimeter and plug-in card range with the addition of a plug-in switching card, the Model 3731 6x16 high-speed, reed relay matrix card. The model 3731 is a two-pole, six row x 16 column reed relay matrix card. High-speed dry reed relays (<0.5ms actuation times) make it a good choice for applications that demand a combination of high throughput and long switch life. The model 3731's relay contacts are rated for more than one billion no-load switch operations.

As a matrix card, the model 3731 offers users the flexibility to connect any of up to six differential instrument channels to any combination of 16 devices under test (DUTs). Any row can be connected to the series 3700 mainframe's analogue backplane by using the analogue backplane connection relays. This allows for easy matrix column expansion. A single model 3706 mainframe can support a matrix of up to six rows by 96 columns when six model 3731 cards are installed. By using the TSP-Link master/slave communication bus, multiple mainframes can be linked to create even larger switch configurations.

The analogue backplane also offers automated access to the high-performance multimeter built in to the model 3706 mainframe. The model 3731 uses two 50-pin male D-sub connectors for signal connections. A detachable model 3731-ST accessory is available for making screw terminal connections. The model 3731 is the latest addition to the growing family of plug-in switch and control cards for Keithley's series 3700 system switch/multimeter platform, adding to the line of high-density and general-purpose plug-in cards that accommodates a range of signals and topologies including multiplexer, matrix, and isolated switch functions.

The series 3700 offers scalable, high-performance switching and multi-channel measurements that are optimised for automated testing of electronic products and components. Keithley's series 3700 platform satisfies the demands of medium- to high-channel count applications, with its ability to control up to 576 multiplexer channels in a six-slot, 2U form factor. A high-performance integrated DMM option, the model 3706, provides fast, low-noise measurements with resolutions up to 71/2-digits.

Series 3700 system switch/multimeter instruments include a variety of capabilities optimised for high-speed testing, including LXI Class B compliance with IEEE 1588 time synchronisation; Keithley's embedded Test Script Processor (TSP) technology that offers system automation, throughput, and flexibility by bringing PC-like functionality into the instrument; and TSP-Link, a master/slave communication bus that simplifies expanding systems to keep pace with changing test demands. TSP-Link provides for integration with series 2600A system Sourcemeter instruments, for adding high-speed I-V source and measurement capabilities.

Keithley Adds Data-Visualisation To Series 3700

Keithley Instruments has added a web-browser based multi-channel graphing toolkit capability to its Series 3700 System Switch/Multimeter range. This new data-visualisation capability, which is included at no charge in the firmware for all new Series 3700 mainframes, offers users a quick and easy way to observe measurement data against time. The optional built-in digital multimeter allows this data to be measured while channel measurements are made, without the need for programming or data file manipulation.

This early-look capability makes it easy for users to quickly gauge the progress of long-duration tests and to take quick corrective action if measurement results are not as anticipated. Series 3700 mainframes support high-speed multi-channel measurements. The addition of the graphing toolkit capability allows users to observe the data acquired either in numerical form or in graphical form on their choice of up to 40 channels.

The acquired data can be viewed in either real-time mode or in user-defined increments. This simplifies comparing and contrasting readings on a per-channel basis, to allow potential problems to be identified quickly. For example, this capability would be useful in applications such as burn-in testing, which could involve monitoring multiple temperature, voltage and resistance measurements, then looking for trends in the measurements over the course of the test.

Engineers involved in characterising devices in research and development applications should find this new graphing toolkit capability particularly helpful. It eliminates the time consuming and confusing process of pulling data from reading buffers and analysing it with an external package.

In this way, the new capability speeds and simplifies mainframe and test-system set-up time, channel and signal interaction and remote channel monitoring against time applications. This new capability leverages the Series 3700's compatibility with the LAN Extensions for Instrumentation (LXI) standard by expanding upon the built-in instrument-control web page included on many LXI instruments. There is no need to install new software on a PC or on the Series 3700 mainframe - the capability is included in the mainframe's firmware and can be accessed via any standard web-browser.

The toolkit builds upon the web-based instrument controls already included in Series 3700 mainframes for controlling and monitoring the switching cards installed in the mainframe and the optional built-in digital multimeter. The graphical user interface also provides access to a special version of Keithley's Test Script Builder application for writing test scripts to create unique testing functions. Series 3700 mainframes offer scalable, high-performance switching and multi-channel measurements that are optimised for automated testing of electronic products and components.

Keithley's next-generation Series 3700 System Switch/DMM satisfies the demands of medium to high channel-count applications with its ability to control up to 576 multiplexer channels in a six-slot, 2U form factor, saving precious rack space and lowering the cost of test. A high-performance integrated DMM option, the Model 3706, provides fast, low-noise, enhanced sensitivity measurements with resolutions up to 71/2 digits and speeds to 15,000rdgs/sec at a price lower than typical 61/2-digit DMMs.

Series 3700 System Switch/Multimeter instruments include a variety of capabilities optimised for high-speed testing, including LXI Class B compliance with IEEE 1588 time synchronisation. Other capabilities that enhance testing speed include Keithley's embedded Test Script Processor (TSP) technology, which brings PC-like functionality into the instrument, and TSP-Link, a master/slave communication bus that simplifies system expansion. TSP-Link provides for seamless integration with Series 2600A System Sourcemeter instruments, for adding high-speed I-V source and measurement capabilities.