Keithley 2601 Reference Manual page 201

Series 2600 System SourceMeter® Instruments Reference Manual
Load considerations
The boundaries the SourceMeter operates in depends on the load (DUT) that is connected to the
output.
respectively. For these examples, the SourceMeter is programmed to source 10V and limit 10mA.
In Figure
5mA. As shown, the load line for 2kΩ intersects the 10V voltage source line at 5mA.
Figure 8-10B shows what happens if the resistance of the load is decreased to 800Ω. The DUT
load line for 800Ω intersects the current compliance limit line placing the SourceMeter in
compliance. In compliance, the SourceMeter will not be able to source its programmed voltage
(10V). For the 800Ω DUT, the SourceMeter will only output 8V (at the 10mA limit).
Notice that as resistance decreases, the slope of the DUT load line increases. As resistance
approaches infinity (open output), the SourceMeter will source virtually 10V at 0mA. Conversely,
as resistance increases, the slope of the DUT load line decreases. At zero resistance (shorted
output), the SourceMeter will source virtually 0V at 10mA.
Regardless of the load, current will never exceed the programmed compliance of 10mA.
Figure 8-10
V-Source operating examples
2600S-901-01 Rev. C / January 2008
Figure 8-10 shows operation examples for resistive loads that are 2kΩ and 800Ω,
8-10A, the SourceMeter is sourcing 10V to the 2kΩ load and subsequently measures
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Section 8: Source-Measure Concepts
8-15