With the addition of these new devices, Semtech has developed the industry’s largest portfolio of standard PPMU products, with six off-the-shelf devices. This product range allows Semtech to offer the optimum PPMU for all types of memory and SoC testers, and other precision ATE applications.

The new products include the E4237, E4257 and E4287, all of which feature dual-channels per chip for forcing or measuring voltage and current over a -3.25V to +13V range at currents up to 40mA. The extremely fast settling times of these devices dramatically shortens the application test time, which increases a tester’s throughput and facilitates a decrease in the cost of test associated with an ATE system.

Both the E4237 and the E4257 are offered in a small, 9mm x 9mm 64-pad LPCC package, making them 70 percent smaller per channel than competing 40mA products.  The E4287 is offered in a 14mm x 14mm MQFP package.

“Because our new PPMUs are single-chip solutions – with optimized loop compensations – we can offer customers the small form factor and fast settling times they need to deliver the performance for increasingly complex devices under test,” said Tim Wilhelm, marketing director for test & measurement products at Semtech.  “The devices’ BiCMOS design allows them an ultra-wide 16.25V range for added flexibility.”

The E4237 features two current ranges up to 4mA, low output capacitance, integrated voltage clamps and short circuit protection, and is designed for use in relayless tester architectures. The two new products targeted for general-purpose, high pin count testers are the E4257, which has the same feature set, but supports four current ranges up to 40mA and the E4287, which offers the same four current ranges, along with an analog multiplexer for FLASH programming, and a driven guard pin for more accurate low current measurements.

Key Features of the E42x7 PPMU Family
• Wide 16.25V  I/O range
• Four current ranges on E4287 and E4257: 40µA, 400µA, 4mA, and 40mA
• Two current ranges on E4237: 40µA and 4mA
• Low power dissipation
• FV linearity to 0.025% FSVR
• Central PMU switches and routing for external PMU: -4.75V to +14.5V, 40mA ranges
• Switches for pin driver super voltages and driven guard pin (E4287)
• Test head ground sense
• On-chip voltage clamps protect the device under test (DUT) from stress/damage
• Stable for up to 300pF capacitive loads with no external compensation capacitors
• Digitally selectable compensation enable use with capacitive loads to 10nF