The HP 4145A semiconductor parameter analyzer is a fully automatic, high performance, programmable test instrument designed to measure, analyze, and graphically display the DC characteristics of a wide range of semiconductor devices, such as diodes, bipolar transistors, field-effect transistors, wafers, and ICs. Main applications include computer-aided design (CAD) of ICs, new device evaluation, materials evaluation, component selection for circuit design, incoming/outgoing inspection, semiconductor process control, quality control, and quality assurance. The unit is equipped with four programmable stimulus/measurement units (SMU), two programmable voltage source units (Vs), two voltage monitor units (Vm), a fully interactive graphics display, removable flexible-disc storage, softkeys, full arithmetic keyboard, and HP-IB. And it can be used on the bench or as part of a complete measurement system in the laboratory or on the production line.

For device stimulation and characteristics measurement, the 4145A has eight channels. Channels 1 through 4 are stimulus/measurement units (SMU); channels 5 and 6 are voltage source units (Vs); and channels 7 and 8 are voltage monitor units (Vm).

Each SMU channel has three modes of operation: voltage source/current monitor (V), current source/voltage monitor (I), and common (COM). Source voltage and source current can be held constant or swept linearly or logarithmically.

Measurement results, measurement setups, operator prompts, error messages, and diagnostics are displayed on a fully interactive, microprocessor based graphics display. Measurement results can be displayed in one of four modes: graphic, list, matrix, and schmoo. Front Panel softkeys provide a wide range of automatic display control functions, such as AUTO SCALE, STORE, RECALL, CURSOR, MARKER, vertical and horizontal ZOOM, LINE (two), GRAD, l/GRAD, X intercept, Y intercept, and INTERPOLATE. Softkeys are used in all phases of instrument operation--from measurement setup to measurement analysis--and make overall instrument operation quick and easy.

The 4145A is fluent in HP-GL (Hewlett- Packard Graphics Language), permitting external control of its display via the HP-IB.

Cursor and marker positioning is user controllable via the front panel, and X-Yl-Y2 coordinates are digitally displayed on the CRT.

The 4145A is equipped with a flexible-disc drive unit that accommodates a singlesided, single-density, 5.25 inch, 92K byte disc. One cleaning disc and five work-discs--each containing the necessary operating system software, four general purpose measurement programs, and 36.6K bytes of user area-are furnished with the 4145A. Up to 47 measurement setup programs or 11 sets of measurement data, plus auto sequence programs, can be stored (SAVE) in the user area and recalled (GET) later. All instrument functions are handled by a high speed microprocessor, under the control of the operating system software stored on each furnished flexible disc.

Provided with the 4145A is the 16058A, a specially designed shielded test fixture that connects to the rear panel of the 4145A. Eight different interchangeable DUT boards are provided, allowing measurement of diodes, 3-terminal and 4-terminal transistors, 8-pin, l0-pin, and 12-pin devices, and 18-pin and 24-pin DIP ICs.

• Voltage range:
  • +/-20 V, 1 mV resolution, 100 mA maximum current
  • +/-40 V, 2 mV resolution, 50 mA maximum current
  • +/-100 V, 5 mV resolution, 20 mA maximum current 
• Current range: +/-1000 pA to +/-100 mA
• Automatic ranging
• Maximum withstand voltage: 100 V
• Maximum voltage between common and GND: Less than +/-42 V
• Display:
  • CRT, electrostatic focus and deflection, post accelerated, aluminized P-31 phosphor
  • Screen Size: 16 cm (6.25 in) diagonal
  • Screen Resolution : 2048 x 2048 points
  • Modes: GRAPHICS, LIST, MATRIX, SCHMOO, and TIME DOMAIN
• Arithmetic expressions can be entered and executed directly from the front panel with results displayed on the CRT
  • Arithmetic operators, common and natural log, Napierian constant, absolute, scientific notation, differential calculation
  • Keyboard operation: Arithmetic expressions are executed by pressing the EXECUTE key
  • User functions: Up to two USER FUNCTION can be defined as arithmetic expressions. USER FUNCTIONS are executed during measurement and the results are displayed with measurement results
  • Physical Constants: Three commonly used physical constants are permanently stored in memory. The stored value of each constant has seven-digit accuracy but only the five most significant digits are displayed
• Analysis functions: Overlay graph comparison, auto retrieve function, marker movement on a plotted line or curve, interpolation
• CURSOR : On a GRAPHICS plot, the CURSOR is two intersecting and perpendicular lines that can be positioned at any point on the graph. There are two GRAPHICS cursors : LONG and SHORT. The X, Y 1, and Y2 coordinates at the CURSOR location are digitally displayed on the CRT
• Self-Test function
• HP-IB interface