Keithley Instruments has created an interactive applications overview that provides instruction and insight into a variety of semiconductor measurement applications that require ultra-fast I-V measurements. The overview, titled “Ultra-Fast I-V Applications,” can be viewed online. Ultra-fast I-V sourcing and measurement have become increasingly critical capabilities for many semiconductor technologies.

Using pulsed I-V signals to characterize devices rather than DC signals makes it possible to study or eliminate the effects of self-heating (joule heating) or to minimize current drifting in measurements due to trapped charge.

The applications overview includes sections on integrated high speed sourcing and measurement; a discussion of voltage, current, and timing parameter ranges; a description of the built-in interactive software provided in Keithley’s ultra-fast I-V test solution; and a detailed discussion of ultra-fast I-V applications. Built-in links provide easy navigation, and many of the schematics and other diagrams enlarge automatically when scrolled over to allow easier reading.

Ultra-fast I-V testing is appropriate for a growing range of semiconductor test applications, including

• CMOS device characterization (charge pumping, self-heating, and charge trapping)
• NBTI and PBTI characterization, modeling, and monitoring
• Testing non-volatile memory devices such as PCRAMs
• Testing of compound semiconductor devices and materials (laser diodes and thermal impedance measurements)
• Characterization of nanotechnology, MEMs devices, and solar cells