4 Operating the Power System
72
Keysight N6700 User’s Guide
Programming Output Lists
NOTE
The Output List function described in this section is not available on all
models. Refer to the Test Extensions feature under “Model Differences”
in chapter 1,
The List Function
Either output voltage or output current or both, may be list-controlled.
For Keysight Models N678xA SMU, only the parameters associated with
one
of the priority modes (either voltage priority or current priority) may
be list controlled. List mode lets you generate complex sequences of
output changes with rapid, precise timing, which may be synchronized
with internal or external signals. Lists can contain up to 512 individually
programmed steps, and can be programmed to repeat themselves.
The voltage and current lists are paced by a separate list that defines the
duration or dwell of each step. Each of the up to 512 steps can have an
individual dwell time associated with it, which specifies the time in
seconds that the list will remain at that step before moving on to the
next step. Dwell times can be programmed from 0 to 262.144 seconds.
The default dwell time is 0.001 seconds.
If you need an output list to closely follow external events, then a
trigger-paced list is more appropriate. In a trigger-paced list, the list
advances one step for each trigger received. As previously discussed, a
number of trigger sources can be selected to generate triggers. With a
trigger-paced list, you do not need to program a dwell time for each
step. If you do program a dwell time, triggers that are received during
the dwell period are ignored.
Voltage and current lists can also be configured to generate trigger
signals at specified steps. This is accomplished by two additional lists: a
beginning-of-step (BOST) and an end-of-step (EOST) list. These lists
define which steps will generate a trigger signal and if the trigger occurs
at the beginning or end of the step. These trigger signals can be used to
synchronize other events with the list.
When either a voltage or current list is programmed, the associated
dwell, BOST, and EOST lists must all be set to the same number of steps,
otherwise an error will occur when the list is run. For convenience, a list
may be programmed with only one step or value. In this case, a single-
step list is treated as if it had the same number of steps as the other
lists, with all values being equal to the one value.
NOTE
List data is not stored in non-volatile memory. This means that list data
that is sent to the instrument either from the front panel or over the bus
will be lost when the power system is turned off. However, list data can
be saved as part of a saved instrument state. Refer to “Instrument State
Storage” later in this chapter.
