Spotlight on Test and Measurement

Power Component Reliability Tester

Intepro Systems' SEMTest stress-screening system performs accelerated lifetime testing of power semiconductors and modules incorporating IGBT, MOSFET, SCR, diode and bipolar parts. Standard systems can be configured with 20 to 1000 test cells, and larger systems are available. Primary capabilities include: power cycling for thermal and electrical stressing of devices under test; trend monitoring with user-defined warning and control limits; rapid device-temperature cycling and ambient-temperature profiling; measuring junction temperatures; detecting nascent failures and automatically sending alerts. Test configurations are programmed through a graphical user interface. System prices start at $100,000.
Intepro Systems
Santa Ana, Calif.
www.inteproate.com

Torque-Measuring Software

ZES Zimmer Electronic Systems is offering a software module that calculates torque and speed of three-phase asynchronous motors from motor current and voltage. This module, which runs on the company's LMG 500 multichannel precision power meter, enables users to determine torque without opening the motor. The software can be downloaded from the company's website.
ZES Zimmer Electronic Systems
Oberursel, Germany
www.zes.com

DC Power Analyzer

Agilent Technologies' N6705A integrated dc power analyzer combines up to four advanced dc power supplies, DMM, oscilloscope, arbitrary waveform generator and data logger. It provides an easy-to-use interface with all sourcing and measuring functions available from the front panel. The analyzer eliminates the need for transducers, such as current probes and shunts, to measure current into the device under test. It also eliminates the need to develop and debug programs that control a collection of instruments to take measurements. The N6705A is priced at $6500 and dc power modules range from $450 to $2250.
Agilent Technologies
Santa Clara, Calif.
www.agilent.com

Mixed-Signal Oscilloscopes

LeCroy's WaveRunner Xi and WaveSurfer Xs mixed-signal oscilloscopes feature UART, RS-232, and LIN trigger and decode capability, in addition to I²C, SPI and CAN. The LIN trigger and decode solution supports LIN 1.3, 2.0 and J2602. These units can analyze data captured on digital inputs, leaving the oscilloscope channels free. The UART/RS-232 TD and LIN TD packages for trigger and decode are available for WaveRunner Xi and WaveSurfer Xs. The UART/RS-232 D and LIND packages for decode only are available on WaveRunner 6000A, WavePro 7000A and WaveMaster 8000A platforms.
LeCroy
Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.
www.lecroy.com

Device Characterization System

Cascade Microtech's Tesla power-device characterization system addresses on-wafer probing challenges. The Tesla system include both a high-current probe that reduces the potential for probe and device destruction during testing and a high-voltage probe that ensures a high-performance electrical measurement path at high voltages. The high-current probe can support 10 A continuous and 60 A peak. To reduce device heating, the probe tip is designed to minimize contact resistance at the wafer-to-probe interface. The high-voltage probe allows coaxial measurements to 3000 V, and triaxial measurements to 1100 V.
Cascade Microtech
Beaverton, Ore.
www.cascademicrotech.com

Low-Cost Power Analyzer

The PPA2500 KinetiQ power analyzer series from Newtons4th provides high accuracy and precision over a wide frequency range at a low cost. The series measures power, phase, harmonics and impedance. It provides a true-rms multimeter, as well as a real-time digital, tabular, graphic and oscilloscope displays. The external current and voltage inputs support 100 mAPK to 300 APK (30 A), 1 VPK to 3000 VPK (1000 Vrms), and dc, as well as standard torque and speed inputs. Typical pricing for the standard three-channel KinetiQ PPA2530 with internal shunts is $8995, and $4995 for the single-channel unit.
Newtons4th
Arlington Heights, Ill.
www.newtons4th.com

Cordless Benchtop Supply

R&R Technologies' PS-1 is a portable benchtop power supply with built-in rechargeable batteries for immunity to power outages or glitches. The PS-1 has an adjustable output voltage from 1.2 V to 15 V. The unit includes a three-digit LED display and has an adjustable current-limit range of 10 mA to 1 A. The unit alerts users to overload conditions with a beeping alarm and flashing light, and cuts power to the device being tested. The unit also includes a power mains cord and a jack on the front panel. The PS-1 retails for $179; adding RS-232- or USB-interface options is $40.
R&R Technologies
Portland, Ore.
www.rnrtech.com

Power Amplifier

Trek's high-voltage power amplifier (Model PZD2000A) can be used for testing power components and devices. The model's four-quadrant output stage enables precise control of output voltages (in the range of 0 Vdc to ±2000 Vdc) when driving resistive (linear or nonlinear) or reactive loads. Model PZD2000A features an output current range of 0 mA to ±400 mA and a large signal bandwidth capability.

The unit incorporates an all-solid-state design for high-reliability and low-noise operation, while its four-quadrant output stage sinks and sources load current throughout the output-voltage range, thus achieving accurate output response and high slew rates, even into highly capacitive loads. The output stage is fully protected against overvoltage and overcurrent conditions that may be generated by active loads, overloads or arcing to ground.
Trek
Medina, N.Y.
www.trekinc.com