Section 13: LPT library function reference
Model 4200A-SCS Parameter Analyzer Reference Manual
13-168
4200A-901-01 Rev. C / February 2017
bsweepX
This command supplies a series of ascending or descending voltages or currents and shuts down the source
when a trigger condition is encountered.
Usage
int bsweepi(int
instr_id
, double
startval
, double
endval
, long
num_points
, double
delay_time
, double *
result
);
int bsweepv(int
instr_id
, double
startval
, double
endval
, long
num_points
, double
delay_time
, double *
result
);
instr_id
The instrument identification code of the sourcing instrument
startval
The initial voltage or current level applied as the first step in the sweep; this value
can be positive or negative
endval
The final voltage or current level applied as the last step in the sweep; this value
can be positive or negative
num_points
The number of separate current and voltage force points between the
startval
and
endval
parameters (
1
to
32,767
)
delay_time
The delay in seconds between each step and the measurements defined by the
active measure list
result
Assigned to the result of the trigger; this value represents the source value applied
at the time of the trigger or breakdown
Details
bsweepi
is only available for SMUs.
The
bsweep
X
command is used with the
trig
X
g
,
trig
X
l
, or
trigcomp
command. These trigger
commands provide the termination point for the sweep. At the time of trigger or breakdown, all
sources are shut down to prevent damage to the device under test. Typically, this termination point is
the test current required for a given breakdown voltage.
Once triggered, the
bsweep
X
command terminates the sweep and clears all sources by executing a
devclr
command internally. The standard
sweep
X
command continues to force the last value. This
is useful for device characterization curves but can cause problems when used in device breakdown
conditions.
The
bsweep
X
command can also be used with the
smeas
X
,
sintg
X
,
savg
X
, or
rtfary
command.
Measurements are stored in a one-dimensional array in the consecutive order in which they were
made.
The system maintains a measurement scan table consisting of devices to test. This table is
maintained using calls to the
smeas
X
,
sintg
X
,
savg
X
, or
clrscn
command. As multiple calls to
sweep
X
commands are made, these commands are appended to the measurement scan table.
Measurements are made after the time programmed by the
delay_time
parameter has elapsed at
the beginning of each
bsweep
X
command step.
When multiple calls to the
bsweep
X
command are executed in the same test sequence, the arrays
defined by calls to the
smeas
X
,
sintg
X
, or
savg
X
command are all loaded sequentially. The results
from the second call to the
bsweep
X
command are appended to the results of the previous
bsweep
X
command call. This can cause access violation errors if the arrays were not dimensioned for the
absolute total. The measurement scan table remains intact until a
devint
,
execut
, or
clrscn
command completes.
