Source voltage, measure current, get data.
Whatever your experimental needs, the Ossila Source Measure Unitwill simplify & accelerate your data collection.
The ability to control instruments is a key skill for experimental scientists and engineers. We’ve designed the Source Measure Unit so that no matter what your skill level is, you can access affordable, precise instrumentation. Accelerate your data collection today with this high-performance, low-cost measurement equipment!
The Source Measure Unit incorporates two voltage source meters for measuring current and two voltage meters for measuring voltage. With it, you can measure a wide range of research devices including photovoltaics, LEDs and OLEDs, transistors, and more. This product is covered by our FREE 2-year warranty.
Features
Five current ranges - Choose between five separate current ranges to suit your experimental needs (refer to specifications).
User-friendly PC software - The Source Measure Unit can be used without any prior coding experience! The included PC software comes with pre-set modes, allowing you to perform simple measurements (e.g setting voltages, measuring currents). Data can be saved in csv format for convenient analysis.
Flexible & scalable communication - Connect the Source Measure Unit via USB or Ethernet. Several units can be used at the same time via Ethernet connection.
Software-controlled current ranges - For safety and convenience, the current range switches can be controlled using the included PC software - so there is no need for manual adjustment.
Wide language compatibility - All common programming languages (LabVIEW, Matlab, C, Java, Fortran, Python, Perl etc) are compatible with the unit.
The source measure unit contains four instruments on one board - two SMUs (voltage source, current sense) and two precision voltage sense channels. There Is also a general-purpose shutter/trigger which enables it to control (or be controlled by) other instruments.
Source Measure Units (SMU 1 & SMU 2)
The SMUs output a voltage and then measure both the voltage and current. The output voltage is always measured on the output to the BNC, rather than assuming it is at the set voltage. This is to account for any load effects, for example, short circuiting the output, or low impedance causing a small drop in voltage. Each source measure unit has multiple current ranges, so that you can measure both large and small currents with accuracy.
Voltage source specifications:
| Range | Accuracy | Precision | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| ± 10 V | 10 mV | 333 µV | 170 µV |
Voltage measure specifications
| Range | Accuracy | Precision | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| ± 10V | 10 mV | 50 µV | 10 µV |
Current measure specifications.
| Range | Max Current | Accuracy | Precision | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ± 150 mA | ± 200 µA | 10 µA | 1 µA |
| 2 | ± 20 mA | ± 10 µA | 1 µA | 100 nA |
| 3 | ± 2 mA | ± 1 µA | 100 nA | 10 nA |
| 4 | ± 200 µA | ± 100 nA | 10 nA | 1 nA |
| 5 | ± 20 µA | ± 10 nA | 1 nA | 0.1nA |
Precision Voltage Meter Specifications (Vsense 1 and Vsense 2)
The voltage meters are designed to accurately sense small voltages while also having a wide dynamic range (±10 V).
| Range | Accuracy | Precision | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|
| ±10 V | 10 mV | 50 µV | 10 µV |
Shutter/Trigger
The Shutter/Trigger can be used either as an input or an output. It can be used to send a trigger signal to other instruments or configured to wait for a trigger from other instruments. The voltage level of this BNC is 5V - any higher may cause damage to the port.
Programming Languages
The X200's user-friendly design will work almost any programming language (at least anything that supports either serial COMs or Ethernet, which is nearly everything commonly used). Common languages that can be used to interface to it are:
- Python
- LabVIEW™
- MATLAB
- Java
- VB
- Fortran
- C / C++
- Perl
Physical Specifications
| Computer Connectivity | USB-B and Ethernet |
| Measurement Connections | BNC connector |
| Dimensions | Width: 125 mm Height: 55 mm Depth: 185 mm |
The Ossila Source Measure Unit includes a software Front Panel that enables you to start taking measurements as quickly as possible. With the program you can control each SMU and Vsense channel independently, allowing you to perform many of the most common electrical measurements.
Key Features
- Set voltage and measure current with two independent SMU channels.
- Measure voltages with the two Vsense channels.
- Set sampling rates (OSR) for the SMUs and Vsense channels.
- Save data within easy-to-use spreadsheet (.csv) or text (.txt) files.
Other Software
We also have software for performing specific measurements with the Ossila Source Measure Unit. These can be downloaded for free from our software and drivers page. The currently available measurements are:
- I-V curves
- Solar cell characterisation and lifetime
- Four-point probe sheet resistance
Software Requirements
| Operating System | Windows Vista, 7, 8, or 10 (32-bit or 64-bit) |
| CPU | Dual Core 2 GHz |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Available Hard Drive Space | 116 MB |
| Connectivity | USB 2.0, or Ethernet (requires DHCP) |
You can use the Source Measure Unit in many applications, and some are mentioned below. Most lab-scale devices that require electrical characterisation in the DC (or low frequency) range (between ±10 V and ±150 mA per channel) can be measured with the source meter.
For complete 'out-of-the-box' measurements, please see the measurement systems on our Test and Measurement page. For guides on how to program the source measure unit, please see our Getting Started page. For programming in Python, please see our more extensive Scientific Python Tutorials.
| Devices & Uses | Example Measurement Types |
| Photovoltaics | IV Curves, lifetime measurements, maximum power point tracking etc |
| LEDs and OLEDs | IV Curves, Lifetime |
| Sheet Resistance | 4-Point Probe |
Product Reviews of the Ossila Source Measure Unit
"The Source Measure Unit is a professional alternative to old-fashioned and outdated bench top source-measure units at a fraction of cost. Ossila's product was thoroughly tested by us, it had to compete with state-of-art devices and to our surprise it won the race in all categories: precise PV measurements, networking capabilities, flexibility of programming language and smooth operation in pretty tough chemical/material science laboratories. The Ossila team has delivered a game changer for all of the PV community."
Adam Surmiak
- PhD Student in Excitonic Systems for Solar Energy Conversion, Monash University - Australia
To the best of our knowledge the technical information provided here is accurate. However, Ossila assume no liability for the accuracy of this information. The values provided here are typical at the time of manufacture and may vary over time and from batch to batch.
