Agilent Technologies Inc. announces enhancements to its B1505A Power Device Analyzer/Curve Tracer that significantly increase its voltage and current range to cover all devices in today's fast-growing power-device market. According to company officials, these enhancements make the B1505A the industry's first power-device evaluation solution to accurately and efficiently measure a device's characteristics from sub-pA up to 10 kV/1500 A, with a fast pulse down to 10 microseconds.
Agilent also introduced the B1505AP, a preconfigured version of the B1505A that includes all modules, cables and accessories necessary to ensure a quick startup. Both the enhanced B1505A and new B1505AP are suited for power-device researchers and manufacturers performing power-device characterization and failure analysis. Power-device users in equipment and automotive companies can also use these solutions for incoming device inspections and failure analysis.
Enhancements to the B1505A include:
- Capabilities for improving the quality and performance of design and research: These include a wide I/V range with precision (up to 1500 A/10 kV), a medium current measurement with high voltage bias (500 mA at 1200 V, for example), a µΩ-class resistance measurement capability, and a sub-pA level current measurement, all of which are traceable to international standards. High peak powers (22.5 kW for high current and 900 W for high voltage) ensure complete characterization of most power semiconductor devices.
- Extensive device evaluation capabilities: These include high-power pulsed measurement down to 10 µs, a temperature measurement capability and a GaN current collapse effect measurement. Both help speed the research and development cycle.
- Improved efficiency: This stems from a new standard test fixture (N1265A) for safe packaged-device testing, secure on-wafer testing over 200 A or up to 10 kV, and an oscilloscope view that enables real-time verification of I/V waveforms on multiple device terminals. The oscilloscope view takes advantage of two independent analog-to-digital converters equipped in each measurement channel to accurately visualize fast pulse waveforms with pulse widths as small as 10 µs. It can be used to quickly and efficiently monitor timing-critical measurement conditions and device behavior.
- An upgradeable and scalable hardware architecture: A wide selection of measurement modules and support devices with up to 6 pins allow the B1505A to meet users test needs today and in the future.