title: A compact 45 kV curve tracer with picoampere current measurement capability.
abstract: This paper discusses a compact high voltage curve tracer for high voltage semiconductor device characterization. The system sources up to 3 mA at up to 45 kV in dc conditions. It measures from 328 V to 60 kV with 15 V resolution and from 9.4 pA to 4 mA with 100 fA minimum resolution. Control software for the system is written in Microsoft Visual C# and features real-time measurement control and IV plotting, arc-protection and detection, an electrically isolated universal serial bus interface, and easy data exporting capabilities. The system has survived numerous catastrophic high voltage device-under-test arcing failures with no loss of measurement capability or system damage. Overall sweep times are typically under 2 min, and the curve tracer system was used to characterize the blocking performance of high voltage ceramic capacitors, high voltage silicon carbide photoconductive semiconductor switches, and high voltage coaxial cable.
authors.affiliation: Center for Pulsed Power and Power Electronics, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, USA. william.sullivan@ttu.edu
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mauch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bullick
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hettler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neuber
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dickens