Rohde & Schwarz Releases NGU201, NGU401 Source Measure Units

By Perry Cohen

Associate Editor

Embedded Computing Design

February 25, 2021

News

Rohde & Schwarz Releases NGU201, NGU401 Source Measure Units
(Image courtesy of Rohde & Schwarz)

Rohde & Schwarz announced the release of its R&S NGU201 and R&S NGU401 source measure units (SMU). The new SMUs allow for simultaneous sourcing and measuring of currents and voltages with high precision.

The purpose of the two-quadrant R&S NGU201 is to address wireless device battery tests and automatic switches from source mode to sink mode at a defined positive input voltage. As for the NGU401, it can also switch at negative voltages, which supports source measurements for a number of power supply types.

Per a company press release, the R&S NGU SMUs include six current ranges from 10 µA with 100 pA resolution, to 10 A with 10 µA resolution. For all ranges, accuracy up to 0.025 % is achieved. Voltage is measured with 10 µV resolution in the 20 V range and 1 µV resolution in the 6 V range. For the typical measurement problem of capacitance at the input to the device under test, the R&S NGU features a variable capacitance mode adjustable in steps from 1 µF to 470 µF, compensating the capacitance, so that the current is displayed as if it was measured directly at the device under test. Devices up to 20 V, 8 A, and 60 W are all supported.

The company also noted that the NGU401 is the “specialist” for semiconductor testing. The device provides the measurements for equipment requiring source and sink voltages in the range from –20 V to +20 V.

The two-quadrant R&S NGU201 is optimized for battery drain analysis of any battery-powered device.

For more information, visit https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/product/ngu.html.

Perry Cohen, associate editor for Embedded Computing Design, is responsible for web content editing and creation, podcast production, and social media efforts. Perry has been published on both local and national news platforms including KTAR.com (Phoenix), ArizonaSports.com (Phoenix), AZFamily.com, Cronkite News, and MLB/MiLB among others. Perry received a BA in Journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State university.

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