The Keithley 6430 Sub-femtoamp Remote SourceMeter is a single-channel precision instrument for ultra-low current measurements spanning 10 aA to 100 mA. It integrates four-quadrant voltage and current sourcing with high-resolution measurement, delivering up to 6½ digits of resolution and 2000 readings per second into internal memory. The instrument sources voltage from ±200 mV to ±200 V and current from ±1 pA to ±100 mA, with maximum output power of 2.2 W and four-quadrant source/sink capability.
A defining feature is the Remote PreAmp, which positions signal conditioning at the measurement point to minimize cabling noise and preserve signal integrity for sub-femtoampere measurements. Input current remains below 3 fA at 23 °C and <40% RH, with typical current noise of 0.4 fA p-p across the 0.1 Hz–10 Hz band on the 1 pA range. Input resistance exceeds 10¹⁶ Ω for voltage measurements. Voltage regulation achieves 0.01% of range; current regulation reaches 0.01% of range plus 1 fA.
Current programming accuracy with remote preamp spans ±(1.0% + 10 fA) on the 1 pA range to ±(0.066% + 50 µA) on the 100 mA range. Voltage measurement extends from 1 µV to 200 V with 4-wire sensing. Output settling time ranges from <2 s on the 1 pA and 10 pA ranges to 10¹⁶ Ω (voltage mode)
• Input current: <3 fA @ 23 °C, <40% RH
• Current noise: 0.4 fA p-p (0.1 Hz–10 Hz, 1 pA range)
• Output settling time: <2 s (1–10 pA ranges); <50 ms (100 pA–10 nA); 20 TΩ
– Typical Applications
• Semiconductor characterization at ultra-low currents
• Leakage current measurement in advanced materials
• Scientific research requiring sub-femtoampere sensitivity
• High-impedance material analysis
– Compatibility & Integration
IEEE-488 (SCPI-1996.0) and RS-232 interfaces enable integration into automated test systems and data acquisition networks.
