Where are SMUs / source meter used?
In the test field, DUTs are specifically energized and measured simultaneously. In order to serve this complex requirement, SMUs were developed, and today they are mainly used in functional testing (FKT) and In-Circuit Testing (ICT).
The combination of different devices in one has many advantages:
- Very space-saving
- Wiring of several devices is no longer necessary
- Communication between different devices becomes unnecessary
- Repairs and calibration are less time-consuming
Due to the wide range of measurement characteristics, SMUs such as the GSM-20H10 from GW Instek are well suited for analyzing component and material properties, e.g. in the testing of semiconductor architectures or the production of nanomaterials.
The sampling rate of the device defines how precisely the properties of a DUT can be analyzed.