2-channel precision current-voltage measurement system

OTTER I-V EXPERT

Two source-measure channels, so a transistor is characterised with a single instrument.

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Otter I-V Expert unit, with a power button and Ch. A, GND and Ch. B BNC connectors on the front

2 CH: Independent source-measure channels
±80 V: Source voltage per channel
< 100 pA: Noise (NPLC 1 or more)
AI: CLI · MCP server

Measurement results

Raw data from off-the-shelf devices

Measured values vary with the measurement setup and the state of the device.

Transfer characteristic of a commercial n-MOSFET. Gate voltage swept from 0 to 5 V at drain voltages of 0.1, 1 and 5 V, with the current axis reaching down to 10 to the minus 12 A — **FET transfer characteristic** — commercial n-MOSFET, NPLC 10. One sweep spans the pA-level noise of the off state through to mA in the on state.

Five cycles of the cyclic current-voltage characteristic of a commercial memristor on a log axis — **Memristor I-V (5 cycles)** — commercial memristor. Five repeated cyclic sweeps drawn on a log axis.

Measurement software

Enter the conditions, press run, and the curve is drawn as it is measured

Choose one of nine measurement routines from the tabs. When it finishes, the data (csv), the measurement conditions (md) and the screen (jpg) are saved together under one name, so months later you still know which conditions produced a result.

The FET transfer tab of the Otter I-V Expert application: channel and sweep settings on the left, drain current in the middle and gate current on a log axis on the right

FET transfer measurement screen — drain voltage 0.1, 1 and 5 V, gate voltage 0 to 5 V, Smart NPLC with the median filter. The screen exactly as the application saved it after the measurement.

AI friendly

Measure together with AI

The measurement software runs from its window, from the command line, and from an AI agent.

Let your agent run the machine.

MCP server

An AI agent checks the conditions, runs the measurement and reads the result.

CLI

The same executable runs in a terminal (--json, --dry-run). All nine measurements run with no window at all.

An AI agent finishing a 753-point measurement with otter_cli fet-transfer in a terminal and opening a window with the CD4007 transfer characteristic on linear and log axes

An AI agent measured 753 points of a CD4007 transfer characteristic from the command line and plotted the data. The screen is shown as captured.

Specifications

Channels	2 (independent source-measure)
Voltage	±80 V per channel, up to 160 V between channels
Current	±20 mA max, 4 ranges + AUTO compliance settable up to 25 mA
Noise	below 100 pA (NPLC 1 or more, after zeroing)
Integration time	NPLC 0.01 – 25
Connectors	BNC (Ch. A, Ch. B, GND)
Interfaces	USB · SCPI · CLI · MCP server
Power	USB-PD, 45 W or higher
Data	csv (data), md (measurement conditions) and jpg (screen) saved together under one name

Connectors

Three BNC connectors

Ch. A	BNC, ±80 V source-measure assigned to drain or gate in the software
Ch. B	BNC, ±80 V source-measure up to 160 V between channels when both are used
GND	BNC ground electrode
Power · PC	USB-C (PD 45 W) · USB-B power and the PC connection are separate

Nine built-in measurement routines

Start measuring without writing a script, and run the same nine routines from the command line when you want to.

General	I-V, FET Transfer, FET Output, I-t
Synaptic devices	EPSC / PPF, LTP / LTD
Memristors	Endurance, Retention, LTP / LTD
Pulses	Pulse Sequence (an arbitrary pulse train read from a file)

Download the software

Use it safely

This instrument outputs up to ±80 V, and with both channels in use the potential difference between them reaches 160 V.

Do not touch the centre conductor of a BNC connector or a device electrode while the output is on.
Turn the output off before connecting or disconnecting a device, and check that the screen shows output OFF.
Always connect the ground electrode to the GND connector.
Use a USB-PD charger rated at 45 W or higher.

Get the full user manual

Considering the instruments for your lab?

We arrange demonstrations, quotations and technical support for Otter I-V and Otter I-V Expert.

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