Keithley 707B – Six-slot Semiconductor Switch Mainframe

Keithley 707B – Six-slot Semiconductor Switch Mainframe

The six-slot Model 707B and single-slot Model 708B Semiconductor Switch Matrix Mainframes extend Keithley’s decades-long commitment to innovation in switch systems optimized for semiconductor test applications.

These mainframes build upon the strengths of their popular predecessors, the Models 707/707A and 708/708A, adding new features and capabilities designed to speed and simplify system integration and test development.

New control options and interfaces offer system builders even greater flexibility when configuring high performance switching systems for use in both lab and production environments. Just as important, both new mainframes are compatible with the popular switch cards developed for the Models 707A and 708A, simplifying and minimizing the cost of switch system migration.
 

Faster Command-to-Connect

High performance Model 707B and 708B semiconductor switch matrix mainframes slash the time from command to connection, offering significantly faster test sequences and overall system throughput than Keithley’s earlier 707A and 708A mainframes.
 

Suited for Both Lab and Fab

Like their predecessors, the Models 707B/708B are specifically designed for the requirements of both semiconductor lab and production test environments, delivering ultra low current switching performance using standard triax connectors and cables. For automating smaller test systems with a limited number of pins and instruments, the Model 708B supports a single switch card with up to 8 rows and 12 columns (8×12). For applications requiring higher switch counts, the Model 707B can accommodate up to six 8×12 cards, which can be connected via an internal backplane or jumpers to form larger matrices. Both mainframes also support mixed signal switching for both DC and RF (up to 200MHz) signals.
 

Choice of Manual Operation or Remote Programming

Both mainframes offer a variety of manual operation and remote programming functions via either the front panel controls or a choice of interfaces. For example, for manual operation, such as when experimenting with a new switching configuration, the updated front panel interface allows labeling switch card rows (instruments) and columns (pins) alphanumerically, which simplifies keeping track of what’s connected to each crosspoint. An LED crosspoint display makes it easy to identify whether a specific channel is open or closed, as well as to determine which slots are occupied and which cards are currently in use. A two-line display shows both error messages and user-defined messages, and displays control menus and open/ closed channel messages.

An intuitive navigation/control knob allows scrolling through and opening/closing channels. Key pad controls support scrolling through menus, changing host interface settings, saving and restoring instrument setups, and loading and running factory and user-defined test scripts, etc.

The Models 707B and 708B include a built-in Web interface that offers a quick and easy method to control the instrument remotely. Interactive schematics of each card in the mainframe support point-and-click control for opening and closing switches.
 

Optimized for Easy Integration with Series 2600B-Based Systems

The Models 707B and 708B are ideal companion products for systems that incorporate Series 2600B instrumentation, such as Keithley’s ACS and S530 integrated test systems. These mainframes share the same TSP, Lua scripting language, and TSP-Link interface as the Series 2600B and support an ultra low current switch matrix (the Model 7174A) that complements the Model 2636B’s low current sensitivity. The Models 707B/708B offer test system builders a switch matrix that is fast, scriptable, and works seamlessly with all Series 2600B models.

In common with Series 2600B SMU instruments, the Models 707B/708B provide system builders with the advantages of the Keithley Test Script Builder (TSB) Integrated Development Environment (IDE). TSB IDE is a programming tool provided on the CD that accompanies each mainframe. It can be used to create, modify, debug, and store TSP scripts. It provides a project/file manager window to store and organize test scripts, a text-sensitive program editor (like Visual Basic) to create and modify test TSP code, and an immediate instrument control window to send GPIB commands and receive data from the instrument. The immediate window allows viewing the output of a given test script and simplifies debugging.