Model 6517B Electrometer Reference Manual
Section 7: Triggering
6517B-901-01 Rev. C / August 2015
7-7
Idle
The instrument is considered to be in the idle state whenever it is not operating within one of the three
layers of the trigger model. The front panel
ARM
indicator is off when the instrument is in the idle
state. While in the idle state, the instrument cannot perform any measurement or scanning functions.
From the front panel there are three ways to put the instrument into idle:
Select
RESET GPIB
from the
SAVESETUP
option of the main menu. Press the
TRIG
key to take
a reading. After each reading, the instrument returns to the idle state.
Select
HALT
from the
ADVANCED
item of
CONFIGURE TRIGGER
menu. Press the
TRIG
key to
resume triggering. The
INIT
(ON) option of the
ADVANCED
trigger menu structure also takes the
instrument out of idle.
Press the
OPTION CARD
key to place the Model 6517B in the scan mode. Triggering resumes
when the scan is started or if the scan is aborted by pressing
EXIT
.
Trigger model layers
As described in the previous topic, the trigger model uses three layers: Arm Layer1, Arm Layer 2, and
the trigger layer. For front panel operation, these layers are known as the arm layer, scan layer, and
measure layer.
Once the Model 6517B is taken out of the idle state, operation proceeds through the layers of the
trigger model down to the device action where a measurement occurs.
Control sources
Control sources: In general, each layer contains a control source which holds up operation until the
programmed event occurs. The control sources are described as follows:
Immediate: With this control source selected, event detection is immediately satisfied allowing
operation to continue.
Manual: Event detection is satisfied by pressing the TRIG key. Note that the Model 6517B must
be taken out of remote before it responds to the TRIG key. Pressing LOCAL takes the instrument
out of remote.
GPIB: Event detection is satisfied when a bus trigger (GET or *TRG) is received by the Model
6517B.
RT-Clock: Event detection in the arm layer is satisfied when the programmed time and date
occurs. The real-time clock control source is not available in the scan layer and measure layer.
Timer: Event detection is immediately satisfied on the initial pass through the layer. Each
subsequent detection is satisfied when the programmed timer interval (1 to 999999.999 seconds)
elapses. A timer resets to its initial state when operation loops back to a higher layer (or idle).
Note that a timer is not available in the arm layer.
External: Event detection is satisfied when an input trigger through the EXTERNAL TRIGGER
connector is received by the Model 6517B.
Triglink: Event detection is satisfied when an input trigger through the trigger link is received by
the Model 6517B.
Hold: With this selection, event detection is not satisfied by any of the above control source
events and operation is held up.
