Section 4: Basic measurements
Model 6517B Electrometer User's Manual
4-14
6517B-900-01 Rev. B August 2022
To cancel leakage current:
1. Press the
OPER
key to place the voltage source in standby (VOLTAGE SOURCE OPERATE
LED off).
2. Remove the device from the test fixture.
3. Press the
ZCHK
key to enable zero check.
4. Press the
I
key to select the current function.
5. Press the
OPER
key to source the programmed voltage source level to the test fixture.
6. Use the
RANGE
▼ key to select the lowest possible measurement range. The displayed reading
is the leakage current in the test fixture.
7. Press the
ZCHK
key to disable zero check.
8. Press the
REL
key to cancel the leakage current.
9. Press the
OPER
key to place the voltage source in standby and enable zero check.
10. Press the
CONFIG
key.
11. Press the
R
key. The CONFIGURE OHMS menu is displayed.
12. Select
AMPSREL
. Press the
ENTER
key.
13. Select
ENABLED
to establish the relative offset value for the current reading. Press the
ENTER
key.
14. Use the
EXIT
key to return to the measurement display.
15. Re-install the device under test (DUT) in the test fixture.
16. Press the
R
key and proceed to the step in
(on page 4-11) that
disables zero check.
Resistivity measurements
The 6517B can make surface resistivity measurements from 10
3
to 10
17
ohms and volume resistivity
measurements from 10
3
to 10
18
ohms-cm.
Typical resistivity test fixtures, such as the Keithley Instruments Model 8009, use circular electrodes.
To use these test fixtures, the insulator sample must be large enough that all the surfaces of the
electrodes make contact with the sample. For volume resistivity, you need to know the thickness
(in mm) of the sample. The 6517B automatically performs the calculation and displays the reading.
For additional information on resistivity measurements, refer to the application note “Volume and
Surface Resistivity Measurements of Insulating Materials Using the 6517B Electrometer/High
Resistance Meter,” document number 1KW-61175, available at
For detail on calculating the effective area and effective perimeter, refer to the ASTM International
Standard Test Methods for DC Resistance or Conductance of Insulating Materials
,
ASTM Designation D257.
