Download JUL 182005

An Automated Bench Testing System
for Direct Current Parameters of Instrumentation Amplifiers
by
Arthur Musah
Submitted to the
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
May 18, 2005
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Bachelor of Science in Computer [Electrical] Science and Engineering
and Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
ABSTRACT
Electrical testing is performed at multiple stages in the production of analog integrated
circuits (ICs). An efficient system for low-volume IC testing is one that automates bench
tests and provides good measurement precision and accuracy, while costing far less than
the standard automated test equipment (ATE) used for high-volume manufacturing
purposes. This thesis describes the design and implementation of an automated bench
system for measuring the important direct current parameters associated with analog
instrumentation amplifiers: voltage offset, input bias currents, input offset current, output
swing, common mode rejection, power supply rejection, quiescent current and gain error.
The system is developed on the PXI platform and consists of measurement and signal
generating hardware modules, a Windows-based computer, a resource printed circuit
board (PCB), a test-configuration PCB and LabVIEW-based software. The system is
versatile and supports the testing of different instrumentation amplifier types and pinouts. The performance of the system is characterized with respect to ATE results for the
Texas Instruments instrumentation amplifier INA126.
Thesis Supervisor: Stephen K. Bums
Title: Senior Lecturer, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences & Technology
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