Agilent B2901/02/11/12A Precision Source/Measure Unit
How to source pulses whenever it receives an external trigger signal
This material shows how to setup the instrument to source pulses by receiving a trigger signal without any measurement
using the B2901/02/11/12A, through example to source 2 V pulses whenever it receives an external trigger signal with
the timing parameters such as 300 us pulse delay, 200 us pulse width.
Figure 1 shows the timing chart for sourcing pulses whenever the instrument receives an external trigger signal.
TPD : Pulse Delay
V or I
TPW : Pulse Width
TSP
Pulse
Peak Value
TSP : Source Trigger Period
TSP
TSP
Source Value
Output
Off State
TPD
Output ON
TPW
TPD
TPW
TPD
TPW
Time
External Trigger
Figure 1. Timing chart for the continuous pulse source
Setting up the pulse condition
Step 1. Press
source.
to edit the source function, and then select
(1) Press Mode
Step 2.
Press
to set the source function to the voltage
(2) Press VOLTS (V)
to edit the source value, and then enter 0 V to set the source value to 0 V.
(1) Press Source
(2) Enter Source Value
Agilent B2901/02/11/12A Precision Source/Measure Unit
Step 3.
Press
to edit the limit value, and then enter 10 mA to set the limit value to 10 mA.
(1) Press Limit
Step 4.
Press
(2) Enter Limit Value
to change the keys shown in Assist keys, and then press
(1) Press Show Pulse
Step 5.
Press
, then press
(2) Pulse Sub-Panel appears
to set the pulse source ON. After turning on the pulse source, you can
see Source Shape which shows the pulse source mode.
(1) Press ON
Step 6.
Rotate
Source Shape
to select Channel 1 Pulse Parameters and set them up as below.
(Peak: 2 V, Delay: 300 us, Width: 200 us)
to show Pulse Sub-Panel.
Agilent B2901/02/11/12A Precision Source/Measure Unit
Setting up the trigger condition
Step 7.
Press
to show Trigger Sub-Panel.
(1) Press Show Trigger
Step 8.
Press
(2) Trigger Sub-Panel appears
to edit the trigger type, and then select
(1) Press
Rotate
to set the trigger type to MANUAL.
(2) Press MANUAL
to select the source trigger period and press
to edit it. Then enter 500 us to set the source
trigger period to 500 us, which is sum of the pulse delay and the pulse width.
(1) Rotate and press
Source Trigger Period
to edit
(2) Enter Source Trigger Period
Agilent B2901/02/11/12A Precision Source/Measure Unit
Step 9.
Rotate
to select the source trigger source and press
(1) Rotate and press
Step 10. Press
source to EXT1.
to edit Source Trigger Source
to change the keys shown in Assist keys, and then press
to set the source trigger
(2) Press EXT1
(1) Press More…
Step 11. If you aren’t on the top of the Function menu, press
Step 12. Press
to edit it.
repeatedly to return to the top level.
On the top level of the Function menu
Any tree structure can’t be seen
In the middle level of the Function menu
Some tree structure can be seen
,
,
, and then press
dialogue.
(1) Press More…
(2) Press I/O
(3) Press DIO
(4) Press Config
to open DIO Configuration
Agilent B2901/02/11/12A Precision Source/Measure Unit
Step 13. Press
and select
to specify the digital I/O pin number, the properties of which is
configured.
(1) Press
Step 14. Rotate
(2) Press Pin 1
to select the input/output function and press
to edit it. Then press
to set
it to the trigger input.
(1) Rotate and press
to edit
the input/output function
Step 15. Rotate
to select the polarity and press
(2) Press TRIGGER IN
to edit it. Then press
polarity.
(1) Rotate and press
the polarity
to edit
(2) Press POS.
to set it to positive
Agilent B2901/02/11/12A Precision Source/Measure Unit
Step 16. Press
to make the modification effective.
(1) Press OK to make the modification effective
Step 17. Rotate
to select the source trigger count and press
to edit it. Then enter the number of
trigger signals which will be sent to the instrument as the source trigger count.
(1) Rotate and press
Source Trigger Count
Step 18. Or press
to edit
(2) Enter Source Trigger Count
to set it to INFINITY if you’d like to continue to source pulses until it is aborted.
(1) Press INF.
It is required to abort the instrument to finish sourcing pulses when you set the source trigger count to INFINITY.
Agilent B2901/02/11/12A Precision Source/Measure Unit
Disabling source wait time
The B2901/02/11/12A has the internal wait time parameters to adjust the timing to source and measure in order to have
the measurements made under the exact source condition as specified. However, it is required to disable it to source
pulses at the exact timing as specified by an external trigger signals.
Step 19. If you aren’t on the top of the Function menu, press
repeatedly to return to the top level.
On the top level of the Function menu
Any tree structure can’t be seen
In the middle level of the Function menu
Some tree structure can be seen
Step 20. Press
,
and then press
to open Wait Control dialogue.
(1) Press Config.
(2) Press Common
(3) Press Wait
Step 21. Press
and select
to disable the source wait time.
(1) Press
Step 22. Press
(2) Press OFF
to make the modification effective.
(1) Press OK to make the modification effective
Agilent B2901/02/11/12A Precision Source/Measure Unit
Initiating the channel to wait for an external trigger signal
Step 23. If you aren’t on the top of the Function menu, press
repeatedly to return to the top level.
On the top level of the Function menu
Any tree structure can’t be seen
In the middle level of the Function menu
Some tree structure can be seen
Step 24. Press
,
,
, and then press
to start sourcing the
continuous pulses.
(1) Press Trigger
(2) Press Initiate
(3) Press Trans.
(4) Press Ch 1
Step 25. Now, the B2901/02/11/12A is waiting for an external trigger signal. Then send the external trigger signal to
the B2901/02/11/12A to source a pulsed signal.
Actual Output Example
Output from Ch1
External Trigger Signal
Agilent B2901/02/11/12A Precision Source/Measure Unit
Aborting the instrument to finish sourcing pulses
Step 26. If you aren’t on the top of the Function menu, press
repeatedly to return to the top level.
On the top level of the Function menu
Any tree structure can’t be seen
In the middle level of the Function menu
Some tree structure can be seen
Step 27. Press
,
,
, and then press
continuous pulses.
(1) Press Trigger
(2) Press Abort
(3) Press Trans.
(4) Press Ch 1
to stop sourcing the