Keithley offers range of cabling solutions

The cabling kits are based on a patent-pending design that speeds and simplifies the process of making DC I-V, C-V and pulsed I-V testing connections from any modern semiconductor parameter analyser to a Cascade Microtech or SUSS Microtec prober.

The cables are designed for compatibility with Keithley's Model 4200-SCS semiconductor characterisation system, as well as with other test instruments used for characterisation.

The design of these triaxial cable kits makes them suitable for users whose characterisation requirements demand frequent switching between measurement types, according to the company.

The cable kits are said to eliminate the need for recabling when switching between measurement types and the measurement errors that often result from cabling errors.

Two versions of the cable kit are available - one optimised for use with Cascade Microtech probers and the other for use with SUSS Microtec probers.

Characterising semiconductor devices electrically and understanding the processes used in their production demands a range of measurements, including DC I-V, C-V and pulsed I-V measurements.

One of the most significant challenges associated with integrating these measurement types in a single characterisation system is that each one has fundamentally different cabling requirements.

For example, making low-current I-V measurements demands guarding, so triaxial cables are required.

C-V measurements are typically made using four coaxial cables with their outer shells connected together to control the characteristic impedance that the signals encounter.

Pulsed measurements require the highest bandwidth of the three measurement types, so the characteristic impedance of the cabling must match the source impedance.

Keithley claims that its cabling kits are designed with these differing requirements in mind.

No matter what type of measurement is being made, no changes to the probe manipulator cabling are required.

The cables can be moved from one set of instrument connections to another, which facilitates switching between I-V measurements, C-V measurements and pulsed I-V testing, simplifying the device characterisation process.

In addition, the setup changes can be made while the probe needles are in contact with a wafer, reducing pad damage and maintaining the same contact impedance for all three types of measurements.

Keithley's Model 4200-SCS replaces a range of electrical test tools with a single, tightly integrated characterisation solution and is suitable for a variety of applications including semiconductor technology development, process development and materials research in reliability laboratories, materials and device research laboratories and consortia and any laboratory needing a benchtop DC or pulse instrument.

Keithley Instruments, a provider of advanced electrical test instruments and systems, offers a range of solutions for I-V, C-V and pulsed I-V measurements and analysis.

Products range from benchtop instruments to turnkey systems and are used in applications including materials analysis, device characterisation, wafer-level reliability and process-control monitoring.

Two versions of the cable kit are now available - the Model 4210-MMPC-C for Cascade Microtech probers and the Model 4210-MMPC-S for use with SUSS Microtec probers.