Keithley KICKSTARTNL-ACT1 I-V Tracer Application

Overview

I-V Tracer is a specialized software application for Keithley SourceMeter Source Measure Unit (SMU) instruments that recreates the functionality of traditional curve tracers for two-terminal devices. The software leverages the touchscreen interface of Keithley 2400 Series SMU instruments to provide an intuitive, modern interface for tracing device characteristics through voltage and current sweeps. I-V Tracer offers a modern alternative to legacy curve tracers with full source, sink, and measure capabilities of SourceMeter instruments.

Key Features

• Real-time current and voltage sourcing with independent sweep control
• DC, +DC, and -DC polarity modes for comprehensive device characterization
• AC polarity mode on compatible 2461 SMU instruments
• Dual high-speed digitizers on 2461 for pulsed DC and AC measurements
• Touchscreen pinch-and-zoom interface for dynamic graph analysis
• Real-time knob control responding to operator input speed
• Compare mode to display reference device characteristics alongside measured data
• Save curve data to disk for analysis in Excel or via CSV export
• Screen capture functionality for direct curve documentation

Compatible Instruments

• Keithley 2450 SourceMeter SMU
• Keithley 2460 SourceMeter SMU
• Keithley 2461 SourceMeter SMU (AC polarity and pulsed DC capable)
• Keithley 2470 SourceMeter SMU

Applications

• Semiconductor device characterization and validation
• Diode and transistor curve tracing
• Component quality assurance and acceptance testing
• Device breakdown and turn-on behavior analysis
• Laboratory research and development testing