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Which B1506A document should you use?
| Document | Publication/date | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| User’s Guide | B1506-90000; October 1, 2025 indexed edition | Product overview, installation, hardware and general operation |
| Operation Guide | B1506-90500; August 24, 2016 | Practical curve-tracing methods and device-specific tips |
| Datasheet | 5991-4441 | Ratings, accuracy conditions, environmental limits and calibration requirements |
| Accessories Guide | 3123-1125 | Fixtures, sockets, thermal hardware and upgrade paths |
These documents are complementary, not interchangeable. Check the Keysight support page for software, calibration and service information. The version displayed there is 2.0.30.0, released September 15, 2022; that date identifies the listed package, not a guarantee that no newer region-specific package exists.
What the B1506A measures
The B1506A is a configurable power-device analyzer and curve tracer for circuit and product design. It applies a controlled voltage or current and measures the response, producing current-versus-voltage (I-V) curves. Depending on configuration, it supports:
- Power MOSFET, IGBT, diode and other power-semiconductor characterization
- Breakdown voltage, leakage current, threshold voltage, saturation voltage and on-resistance
- Output and transfer curves, including DC and pulsed I-V
- Three-terminal C-V and gate-charge measurements
- Thermal characterization and power-loss evaluation
- Incoming inspection and production screening
A curve is meaningful only with its conditions: sweep direction, compliance, pulse width, duty cycle, integration time, settling delay, contact resistance and DUT temperature. A 3 kV or 1,500 A rating is a maximum system capability, not a safe default or a promise that both limits are available simultaneously.
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- Clear LCD Display: 640 × 480 TFT color LCD display, user-friendly interface. English operation system.
- Digital Storage: This TCT (Transistor Curve Tracer) can store up to 10 graphics and can also store unlimited amounts to a computer through a USB interface. It can be saved in a specific file format, as well as in image formats such as JPG, BMP, etc. The data saved on the computer can be printed as images through a printer or downloaded to the instrument through a USB interface.
- Parameter Display: Automatically measure and display values of voltage, current, β, gm , support various parameters settings.
- Quick Filtering: You can set the upper and lower limits of a parameter under certain conditions. When the measured parameter exceeds this range, an audible and visual alarm will be triggered.
- Synchronous display: High speed USB communication can synchronously display graphics on the computer screen while testing devices, allowing for unlimited expansion of the display interface size.
Headline specifications and operating limits
| Item | Published detail |
|---|---|
| Maximum output voltage | 3 kV |
| Maximum output current | 1,500 A |
| Channels | Seven |
| Minimum current measurement resolution | 10 fA; resolution is not accuracy in every range or environment |
| Pulsed I-V | Pulse widths down to 10 μs are advertised |
| Thermal testing | Approximately −50 °C to +250 °C with suitable thermal equipment |
| Standard environment | +5 °C to +40 °C; 20%–70% RH, non-condensing |
| Warm-up before self-calibration | 40 minutes |
| Calibration interval | One year |
| Post-voltage-change timing | Under the datasheet’s specified drain-output condition, current accuracy may not be guaranteed until 20 seconds after a voltage change |
Thermal plates, Thermostream systems, fixtures, sockets and cables can impose narrower limits than the instrument’s headline ranges. Confirm the complete setup in the datasheet and accessories documentation.
Choose the correct H-series configuration
| Configuration | Current/voltage capability | Additional capability |
|---|---|---|
| H20 | 20 A / 3 kV | I-V only |
| H50 | 500 A / 3 kV | I-V only |
| H70 | 1,500 A / 3 kV | I-V only |
| H21 | 20 A / 3 kV | C-V, gate charge and thermal capability |
| H51 | 500 A / 3 kV | C-V, gate charge and thermal capability |
| H71 | 1,500 A / 3 kV | C-V, gate charge and thermal capability |
Choose H20, H50 or H70 when the requirement is primarily I-V. Choose the corresponding “1” package when C-V or gate charge is required. Also check DUT package, pulse demand, Kelvin wiring, thermal environment and socket availability; current rating alone is not a sufficient selection rule. The accessories guide documents upgrades between current capabilities and the associated hardware.
Fixtures and modules
Depending on configuration, the system may include or require a blank silicon plate, three-pin inline-package socket module, universal socket module, curve-tracer socket adapter, gate-charge socket adapter, thermal test enclosure, digital-I/O and interlock cables, capacitance-meter cable, and composite triaxial/GNDU/HVSMU cable sets. The universal socket and gate-charge adapter are associated with C-V/gate-charge configurations; verify the exact bill of materials before ordering or accepting used equipment.
Safe installation before applying power
This is high-voltage, high-current laboratory equipment. Follow the current User’s Guide, site electrical rules and qualified-engineer procedures; this article does not replace them.
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- Confirm that the fixture, socket module, cables and DUT ratings match the planned test.
- Install the interlock and keep the enclosure closed whenever outputs can energize.
- Mount the DUT with correct polarity and terminal assignment. Use the specified Kelvin, guard and return connections.
- Inspect insulation, socket pressure, contact cleanliness and high-current paths; never improvise exposed conductors.
- Set conservative voltage, current and power-compliance limits before defining a full sweep.
- Provide a controlled discharge path for the DUT and fixture, and verify zero energy before opening the enclosure.
- Allow thermal stabilization, especially after changing temperature, fixture or DUT mounting.
High-level I-V measurement workflow
Exact screen names can differ by software and configuration, so verify each step in the B1506-90000 edition.
- Identify the installed H-series package and confirm its voltage/current capability.
- Inspect the DUT, socket, fixture, cables and interlock.
- Install the appropriate socket or custom fixture and connect the DUT with the required polarity and terminal mapping.
- Power up and allow at least 40 minutes before self-calibration.
- Run self-calibration as specified, then plan measurements within the datasheet’s generally stated one-hour post-calibration window.
- Open Easy Test Navigator and select the device type and characterization or I-V test.
- Choose DC or pulsed operation; enter conservative start, stop, step, compliance, integration and settling values.
- Preview polarity and expected sweep direction. Confirm that the selected fixture and limits cannot exceed DUT ratings.
- Run the test while watching interlock state, compliance indicators and waveform behavior.
- Check for clipping, ringing, contact resistance, self-heating, oscillation and unexpected breakdown.
- Save raw data together with settings, DUT identifier, calibration state, temperature and fixture information.
- Stop outputs, discharge the DUT and return the fixture to a verified safe state.
DC versus pulsed I-V
DC sweeps are simple to interpret but can heat a power device enough to move threshold, resistance, leakage or breakdown results during the sweep. Keysight advertises pulses as short as 10 μs in its B1506A brochure. Short pulses can reduce instantaneous self-heating and better represent an operating point, but they do not automatically reproduce a DC curve.
- Repeated pulses, high duty cycle and inadequate fixture cooling can still heat the DUT.
- Fast edges expose wiring inductance, parasitic capacitance, triggering and settling problems.
- Allow enough delay for the measurement path to settle; the datasheet’s 20-second caveat is especially important when interpreting changed drain voltage.
- Use Oscilloscope View to inspect actual voltage and current waveforms when a curve rings, steps or shows apparent negative resistance.
Easy Test Navigator and automated characterization
Easy Test Navigator provides a menu-driven, datasheet-style workflow for device characterization. A manually defined I-V sweep gives direct control over points and limits. A guided datasheet-characterization test selects a sequence of conditions and extracts parameters such as breakdown, leakage or on-resistance. Automated switching and repeated thermal sequences are useful for screening, but available functions depend on installed options; C-V and gate-charge workflows require compatible H21, H51 or H71 hardware.
Thermal measurements
With compatible Thermostream or thermal-plate equipment, the B1506A system can support approximately −50 °C to +250 °C. That range applies to a suitable system combination, not automatically to every socket, cable, fixture or DUT. Stabilize the platform and allow the DUT to soak before measuring. At elevated temperature, review compliance, sweep speed, contact resistance and insulation. Thermal expansion can change socket pressure and Kelvin resistance, so repeatability checks should include the fixture as well as the semiconductor.
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- curve tracer with screen digital curve tracer tester Durable And Reliable Construction: Constructed with materials, the VI Curve Tester is designed for longevity and consistent performance. Its robust design ensures that it can withstand the rigors of daily use in both laboratory and field settings.
Troubleshooting common results
| Symptom | Likely causes | Corrective direction |
|---|---|---|
| Test will not start or has no output | Open interlock, unrecognized fixture, wrong socket or unsafe state | Check interlock, fixture recognition, cabling and selected configuration |
| Horizontal or vertical clipping | Voltage or current compliance reached | Increase the limit only if safe and rated; otherwise label the curve compliance-limited |
| On-resistance is higher than expected | Contact resistance, weak socket force, poor Kelvin path or heating | Inspect and clean contacts, verify topology and consider pulsed measurement |
| Breakdown appears early | Polarity error, damaged DUT, leakage path, insulation problem or transient | Stop, verify polarity and insulation, then inspect DUT and fixture |
| Pulsed curve rings or oscillates | Cable/fixture inductance, DUT instability, overshoot or unsuitable pulse | Inspect Oscilloscope View, shorten current loops and review pulse settings |
| Results drift between sweeps | Self-heating, thermal drift, moving contact or insufficient settling | Reduce duty cycle, use pulsed mode, stabilize temperature and inspect the socket |
| Current appears delayed | Instrument settling, integration or delay settings | Allow adequate settling and apply the datasheet timing qualification |
| Thermal results vary | Insufficient soak, poor thermal contact or platform limitation | Verify stabilization, contact and enclosure/platform compatibility |
| Curve does not match a semiconductor datasheet | Different temperature, pulse width, gate resistance, sweep rate, compliance or fixture | Reproduce the complete published test conditions, not just endpoint voltage and current |
Is the B1506A the right instrument?
Choose it when
- You need high-voltage and high-current power-device I-V testing with an integrated fixture ecosystem.
- Guided circuit-design characterization and automated parameter extraction matter.
- C-V, gate charge, thermal testing or power-loss analysis may be added later.
- A scalable path from 20 A to 500 A or 1,500 A is valuable.
Consider alternatives when
- You test only low-current devices and need a general-purpose SMU.
- Your primary work is dynamic switching rather than static or pulsed I-V.
- Your laboratory cannot provide high-voltage safety infrastructure.
- The selected high-current package is far beyond the DUT’s needs.
The B1505A is the closer Keysight alternative: Keysight positions it toward power-device manufacturers and advertises up to 10 kV and 1,500 A, while the B1506A is aimed at circuit and product design with a 3 kV maximum. See the Keysight power-device analyzer family page.
Tektronix/Keithley’s modular parametric curve-tracer configurations trade an integrated B1506A workflow for reusable SMUs. The configurations page lists systems from 200 V/10 A through 3 kV/120 mA and up to 40 V/50 A, with displayed prices of US$32,200 to US$112,000 on August 18, 2026: official configurations page. A lower-cost SMU rack can suit low-power devices, but requires additional fixture, safety, software and validation engineering.
Keysight does not publish a standard public B1506A price on the reviewed pages; use its quote, buy or rent workflow. For used equipment, verify the exact H-series fixture, socket modules, cable sets, calibration records, firmware support, interlock and thermal hardware before purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the B1506A a curve tracer?
Yes. It is a configurable power-device analyzer and curve tracer supporting DC and pulsed I-V, with optional C-V, gate charge and thermal capabilities.
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- Works with diodes, NPN and PNP transistors, and P- and N-Type FETs
- J2 connector for E / C / B / E connections
- 10 kΩ Internal Resistor for Rb
- 100Ω Internal Resistor for Rc
- Compatible with Analog Discovery 3, Analog Discovery 2, and Analog Discovery (Legacy)
What is the difference between H20 and H21?
Both are 20 A/3 kV packages; H20 is I-V only, while H21 adds C-V, gate-charge and thermal capability.
Can every B1506A measure gate charge?
No. Gate-charge capability depends on the appropriate H21, H51 or H71 hardware and associated adapter.
Why can a pulsed curve differ from a DC curve?
Pulse width, duty cycle, settling, waveform parasitics and reduced self-heating change the measured operating condition.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
