Keithley 6514 User guide

Model 6514 System Electrometer

Quick Results Guide

A GREATER MEASURE OF CONFIDENCE

WARRANTY

Keithley Instruments, Inc. warrants this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a
period of 1 year from date of shipment.

Keithley Instruments, Inc. warrants the following items for 90 days from the date of shipment: probes, cables,
rechargeable batteries, diskettes, and documentation.

During the warranty period, we will, at our option, either repair or replace any product that proves to be defective.

To exercise this warranty, write or call your local Keithley representative, or contact Keithley headquarters in
Cleveland, Ohio. You will be given prompt assistance and return instructions. Send the product, transportation
prepaid, to the indicated service facility. Repairs will be made and the product returned, transportation prepaid.
Repaired or replaced products are warranted for the balance of the original warranty period, or at least 90 days.

LIMITATION OF WARRANTY

This warranty does not apply to defects resulting from product modification without Keithley’s express written
consent, or misuse of any product or part. This warranty also does not apply to fuses, software, non-rechargeable
batteries, damage from battery leakage, or problems arising from normal wear or failure to follow instructions.

THIS WARRANTY IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUD­ING ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR USE.
THE REMEDIES PROVIDED HEREIN ARE BUYER’S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES.

NEITHER KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS, INC. NOR ANY OF ITS EMPLOYEES SHALL BE LIABLE FOR
ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF
THE USE OF ITS INSTRUMENTS AND SOFTWARE EVEN IF KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS, INC., HAS
BEEN ADVISED IN ADVANCE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SUCH EXCLUDED DAM­AGES SHALL INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO: COSTS OF REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION,
LOSSES SUSTAINED AS THE RESULT OF INJURY TO ANY PERSON, OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY.

Keithley Instruments, Inc.

Sales Offices: BELGIUM:

CHINA:

Yuan Chen Xin Building, Room 705 • 12 Yumin Road, Dewai, Madian • Beijing 100029 • 8610-82251886 • Fax: [phone]

FINLAND:
FRANCE:
GERMANY:
GREAT BRITAIN:
INDIA:

1/5, Eagles Street • Langford Town • Bangalore 560 025 • 080 212 80-27 • Fax: [phone]

ITALY:

Viale San Gimignano, 38 • 20146 Milano • 02-48 39 16 01 • Fax: [phone]

JAPAN:

New Pier Takeshiba North Tower 13F • 11-1, Kaigan 1-chome • Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0022 • 81-3-5733-7555 • Fax: [phone]

KOREA:

2FL., URI Building • 2-14 Yangjae-Dong • Seocho-Gu, Seoul 137-888 • 82-2-574-7778 • Fax: [phone]

NETHERLANDS:
SWEDEN:
TAIWAN:

28775 Aurora Road • Cleveland, Ohio 44139 • 440-248-0400 • Fax: [phone]

1-888-KEITHLEY (534-8453) • www.keithley.com

Bergensesteenweg 709 • B-1600 Sint-Pieters-Leeuw • 02-363 00 40 • Fax: [phone]

Halsuantie 2 • 00420 Helsinki, Finland • 09-53 06 65 60 • Fax: [phone]

3, allée des Garays • 91127 Palaiseau Cédex • 01-64 53 20 20 • Fax: [phone]

Landsberger Strasse 65 • 82110 Germering • 089-84 93 07-40 • Fax: [phone]

Unit 2 Commerce Park, Brunel Road • Theale, Berkshire RG7 4AB • 0118 -929 75 00 • Fax: [phone]

Postbus 559 • 4200 AN Gorinchem • 0183-63 53 33 • Fax: [phone]

c/o Regus Business Centre • Frosundaviks Allé 15, 4tr • 16970 Solna • 08-50 90 46 00 • Fax: [phone]

13F-3, NO. 6, Lane 99, Pu-Ding Road, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC. • 886-3-572-9077• Fax: [phone]

5/03

Model 6514 System Electrometer

Quick Results Guide

©2003, Keithley Instruments, Inc.

All rights reserved.
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.
First Printing, May 2003

Document Number: 6514-903-01 Rev. A

Manual Print History

The print history shown below lists the printing dates of all Revisions and Addenda created
for this manual. The Revision Level letter increases alphabetically as the manual undergoes
subsequent updates. Addenda, which are released between Revisions, contain important
change information that the user should incorporate immediately into the manual. Addenda
are numbered sequentially. When a new Revision is created, all Addenda associated with the
previous Revision of the manual are incorporated into the new Revision of the manual. Each
new Revision includes a revised copy of this print history page.

Revision A (Document Number 6514-903-01)................................................................August 2003

All Keithley product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of Keithley Instruments, Inc.
Other brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

S

afety Precautions

The following safety precautions should be observed before using this product and any associated instrumentation. Although
some instruments and accessories would normally be used with non-hazardous voltages, there are situations where hazardous
conditions may be present.

This product is intended for use by qualified personnel who recognize shock hazards and are familiar with the safety precautions
required to avoid possible injury. Read and follow all installation, operation, and maintenance information carefully before us­ing the product. Refer to the manual for complete product specifications.

If the product is used in a manner not specified, the protection provided by the product may be impaired.

The types of product users are:

Responsible body

ment is operated within its specifications and operating limits, and for ensuring that operators are adequately trained.

Operators

instrument. They must be protected from electric shock and contact with hazardous live circuits.

Maintenance personnel

voltage or replacing consumable materials. Maintenance procedures are described in the manual. The procedures explicitly state
if the operator may perform them. Otherwise, they should be performed only by service personnel.

Service personnel

trained service personnel may perform installation and service procedures.

Keithley products are designed for use with electrical signals that are rated Measurement Category I and Measurement Category
II, as described in the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standard IEC 60664. Most measurement, control, and
data I/O signals are Measurement Category I and must not be directly connected to mains voltage or to voltage sources with
high transient over-voltages. Measurement Category II connections require protection for high transient over-voltages often as­sociated with local AC mains connections. Assume all measurement, control, and data I/O connections are for connection to
Category I sources unless otherwise marked or described in the Manual.

Exercise extreme caution when a shock hazard is present. Lethal voltage may be present on cable connector jacks or test fixtures.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) states that a shock hazard exists when voltage levels greater than 30V RMS,

42.4V peak, or 60VDC are present.

circuit before measuring.

Operators of this product must be protected from electric shock at all times. The responsible body must ensure that operators
are prevented access and/or insulated from every connection point. In some cases, connections must be exposed to potential
human contact. Product operators in these circumstances must be trained to protect themselves from the risk of electric shock.
If the circuit is capable of operating at or above 1000 volts,

Do not connect switching cards directly to unlimited power circuits. They are intended to be used with impedance limited sourc­es. NEVER connect switching cards directly to AC mains. When connecting sources to switching cards, install protective de­vices to limit fault current and voltage to the card.

Before operating an instrument, make sure the line cord is connected to a properly grounded power receptacle. Inspect the con­necting cables, test leads, and jumpers for possible wear, cracks, or breaks before each use.

When installing equipment where access to the main power cord is restricted, such as rack mounting, a separate main input pow­er disconnect device must be provided, in close proximity to the equipment and within easy reach of the operator.

For maximum safety, do not touch the product, test cables, or any other instruments while power is applied to the circuit under
test. ALWAYS remove power from the entire test system and discharge any capacitors before: connecting or disconnecting ca-

is the individual or group responsible for the use and maintenance of equipment, for ensuring that the equip-

use the product for its intended function. They must be trained in electrical safety procedures and proper use of the

perform routine procedures on the product to keep it operating properly, for example, setting the line

are trained to work on live circuits, and perform safe installations and repairs of products. Only properly

A good safety practice is to expect that hazardous voltage is present in any unknown

no conductive part of the circuit may be exposed.

5/03

bles or jumpers, installing or removing switching cards, or making internal changes, such as installing or removing jumpers.

Do not touch any object that could provide a current path to the common side of the circuit under test or power line (earth) ground. Al­ways make measurements with dry hands while standing on a dry, insulated surface capable of withstanding the voltage being measured.

The instrument and accessories must be used in accordance with its specifications and operating instructions or the safety of the
equipment may be impaired.

Do not exceed the maximum signal levels of the instruments and accessories, as defined in the specifications and operating in­formation, and as shown on the instrument or test fixture panels, or switching card.

When fuses are used in a product, replace with same type and rating for continued protection against fire hazard.

Chassis connections must only be used as shield connections for measuring circuits, NOT as safety earth ground connections.

If you are using a test fixture, keep the lid closed while power is applied to the device under test. Safe operation requires the use
of a lid interlock.

If a screw is present, connect it to safety earth ground using the wire recommended in the user documentation.

!

The symbol on an instrument indicates that the user should refer to the operating instructions located in the manual.

The symbol on an instrument shows that it can source or measure 1000 volts or more, including the combined effect of
normal and common mode voltages. Use standard safety precautions to avoid personal contact with these voltages.

The symbol indicates a connection terminal to the equipment frame.

The

WARNING

information very carefully before performing the indicated procedure.

The

CAUTION

ranty.

Instrumentation and accessories shall not be connected to humans.

Before performing any maintenance, disconnect the line cord and all test cables.

To maintain protection from electric shock and fire, replacement components in mains circuits, including the power transformer,
test leads, and input jacks, must be purchased from Keithley Instruments. Standard fuses, with applicable national safety ap­provals, may be used if the rating and type are the same. Other components that are not safety related may be purchased from
other suppliers as long as they are equivalent to the original component. (Note that selected parts should be purchased only
through Keithley Instruments to maintain accuracy and functionality of the product.) If you are unsure about the applicability
of a replacement component, call a Keithley Instruments office for information.

To clean an instrument, use a damp cloth or mild, water based cleaner. Clean the exterior of the instrument only. Do not apply
cleaner directly to the instrument or allow liquids to enter or spill on the instrument. Products that consist of a circuit board with
no case or chassis (e.g., data acquisition board for installation into a computer) should never require cleaning if handled accord­ing to instructions. If the board becomes contaminated and operation is affected, the board should be returned to the factory for
proper cleaning/servicing.

heading in a manual explains dangers that might result in personal injury or death. Always read the associated

heading in a manual explains hazards that could damage the instrument. Such damage may invalidate the war-

Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................... 1

Measurement capabilities .............................................................. 1

Front and rear panels ..................................................................... 2

Basic connections .......................................................................... 3

Input connector ...................................................................... 3

Low noise input cables ........................................................... 3

Basic connections to DUT ..................................................... 4

Basic operation .............................................................................. 6

Selecting operating modes ..................................................... 6

Making volts and ohms measurements .................................. 6

Making amps measurements .................................................. 7

Making charge measurements ................................................ 7

Measurement considerations .................................................. 8

Remote command programming ............................................ 8

Settings to optimize performance ............................................... 10

Range ................................................................................... 10

Rate ...................................................................................... 11

Digits .................................................................................... 11

Filter ..................................................................................... 11

REL key ............................................................................... 12

Remote command programming .......................................... 13

Features to enhance DUT testing ............................................... 14

Buffer ................................................................................... 14

Limit testing ......................................................................... 16

Math operations ................................................................... 18

List of Illustrations

1 Quick Results Guide

Figure 1-1 Front panel ................................................................................ 2

Figure 1-2 Rear panel ................................................................................. 2

Figure 1-3 Input connector ......................................................................... 4

Figure 1-4 Basic connections for unguarded

measurements ........................................................................... 4

Figure 1-5 Basic connections for guarded measurements .......................... 5

List of Tables

1 Quick Results Guide

Table 1-1 Volts and ohms measurement procedure .................................. 6

Table 1-2 Amps measurement procedure .................................................. 7

Table 1-3 Charge measurement procedure ................................................ 7

Table 1-4 SCPI commands for basic measurements ................................. 9

Table 1-5 Command sequence for volts measurement example ............... 9

Table 1-6 Command sequence for amps measurement example ............ 10

Table 1-7 SCPI commands: rate, digits, filter, and rel ............................ 13

Table 1-8 SCPI commands: buffer .......................................................... 15

Table 1-9 Command sequence for buffer example ................................. 16

Table 1-10 Limit test display messages .................................................... 16

Table 1-11 SCPI commands: basic limit testing ....................................... 17

Table 1-12 Command sequence for limit test example ............................. 18

Table 1-13 SCPI commands; mX+b and percent ...................................... 19

Table 1-14 Command sequence for mX+b measurement example .......... 19