Programmable supply is powerful PXI instrument

Engineers can now source voltage or current with high accuracy from a single PXI slot with the new National Instruments PXI-4110 programmable DC power supply.

The new power supply exceeds the accuracy of other PXI power supplies with high-resolution setpoints and readback measurement capability while reducing test times with programming speeds less than 1ms.

It is ideal for applications such as I/V curve tracing, device characterisation or device power sourcing in a variety of industries, including semiconductor, consumer electronics and communications.

The NI PXI-4110 is a programmable triple-output precision DC power supply in a single-slot 3U PXI module.

It has two isolated channels, one from 0 to +20V and the other from 0 to -20V, and a single nonisolated 0 to 6V supply - all capable of outputting up to 1A per channel.

Engineers can use the module's 16bit resolution setpoints, selectable 20mA current range and readback measurements to program 0.12mV changes in voltage and 0.4uA changes in current to meet the most rigid test specification requirements.

With less than 1ms programming speeds, engineers can perform fast voltage/current sweeps across a device, reducing total test time compared with traditional GPIB or serial controlled power supplies by more than 10 times.

The module offers 9W of output power when operating from the PXI backplane supply, and up to 46W of power (maximum of 20W per channel) when connected to an auxiliary power supply through the module's front panel.

With the 20mA current range and its built-in measurement of both terminal voltage and current, this power supply is the first PXI module to source and measure current with a resolution better than 1uA.

Engineers can take advantage of this functionality not only in power supply applications, but also in many applications that typically require a separate precision source-measure unit.

This additional functionality can reduce the cost of test systems in applications such as I/V curve tracing, where small current changes are required to fully characterise a device.

The new power supply works with all NI modular instruments as well as the NI LabView graphical development environment, the LabWindows/CVI ANSI C development environment and Microsoft Visual Basic/C++.

When combined with digital multimeters, digitisers, arbitrary waveform generators, high-speed digital devices, switches and other modular instruments, the new power supply can help form a complete functional test system in a single PXI chassis.

The module also includes a test panel and Express VI for simple troubleshooting and fast application development.