The Keithley 6517A is a high-performance electrometer and high resistance meter engineered for precision measurement of low currents, high resistances, charges, and voltages across demanding research and industrial applications. It measures current from 1 fA to 20 mA, voltage from 10 µV to 200 V, resistance from 50 Ω to 10¹⁶ Ω, and charge from 10 fC to 2 µC. The instrument delivers up to 125 readings per second with exceptionally low input bias current below 3 fA and input impedance exceeding 200 TΩ, making it ideal for materials science, semiconductor testing, and quality control. A built-in voltage source provides ±1 kV output with integrated sweep capability for leakage, breakdown, and resistivity measurements. The half-rack form factor integrates IEEE-488 (SCPI) and RS-232 connectivity for automated control and data acquisition, while onboard environmental monitoring captures temperature and optional humidity alongside timestamped readings in the data logging buffer.
Technical Specifications
• Current: 1 fA to 20 mA
• Voltage: 10 µV to 200 V
• Resistance: 50 Ω to 10¹⁶ Ω (to 10¹⁷ Ω)
• Charge: 10 fC to 2 µC
• Reading Rate: Up to 125 readings/second; 115 readings/second to IEEE-488 bus
• Input Bias Current: < 3 fA (temperature coefficient 0.5 fA/°C)
• Input Bias Current Noise: 200 TΩ (voltage/resistance mode); 1 MΩ with zero check enabled
• Voltage Burden (lowest current ranges): < 20 µV
• Built-in Source: ±1 kV; ±10 mA (100 V range), ±1 mA (1000 V range); settling < 8 ms (100 V), < 50 ms (1000 V)
• Source Noise: < 150 µV p-p (100 V), 55 dB (200 V) at 50/60 Hz ±0.1%; > 95 dB on pA ranges
• CMRR: > 120 dB at DC and 50/60 Hz
• Temperature Probe: Type K thermocouple, −25°C to 150°C (supplied)
– Key Features
• Trigger-to-reading response: 150 ms typical (external trigger)
• Half-rack size: 90 mm H × 214 mm W × 369 mm D; < 4.6 kg
• IEEE-488 (SCPI) and RS-232 serial control
• Built-in data logging with time, temperature, and humidity stamping
• Optional humidity probe and plug-in scanner cards (Models 6521, 6522)
– Typical Applications
• Materials resistivity and breakdown testing
• Semiconductor leakage current characterization
• Surface and volume resistivity measurements
• Production quality control and reliability screening
– Compatibility & Integration
Optional Model 6524 software package supports simplified computer-based operation. Scanner cards enable multi-device configurations with up to ten devices per card. RS-232 supports baud rates from 300 to 19.2k with selectable parity and data width.
