EEVblog #607 - Agilent B2912A Source Measure Unit SMU Teardown

What's inside a $13K Agilent Source Measure Unit capable of 15fA and 100nV resolution?
Plus triaxial cables, and low current measurement connection.
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[AdamSkubel]

I'm really interested in seeing how this thing is used in the real world. That's the sort of esoteric knowledge one can't readily find on google.

[ChipGuy]

Cool ! Yes, please make a vid with that LED and how this would be used. That will help many viewers to understand datasheets better.

[michaelhawthorne]

That's why I love watching and listening to you Dave in your videos, You are clearly very knowledgeable in the world of Electronics but some of your phrases kills me.  When you were talking about the TI OPA 1611 opamp (30:32)  and saying you could 'Fart half way across the solar system and generate less distortion' while LMAO funny, pretty much tells you without any compromise the spec of that poor sucker. By the way, you must be doing something right for HP (They are still HP in my book, we mainly used HP at GEC in the 80s) to loan you not 1 but 2, $13K test units.... (Just wiping the drool off my chin there).. 
Thumbs up for everything Dave....

Oh by the way, the other video you made which featured Sagan opening your 'Mail on Monday' you revealed he was 3?... that meant he wasn't even a glint in the proverbial eye when you started your has he got some catching up to

I hope he takes up Electronics, he has a good start after all with you there.

[ddustind]

Thanks for making your videos — have you on the background as I’m tackling tedious circuit stuff. You make it more entertaining to do the work without distracting me — and sometimes I learn something! Or just get to appreciate cool stuff. Thanks man.

[andrewmcneil]

Dave if someone told you 5 years ago that Agilent would be sending you such expensive equipment to take apart you would have thought they were mad!

[ickipoo]

Kudos to Agilent for letting us see inside this.

[tigereyec]

The expression on his face is insane during the "take it apart" part. love your Tuesdays.

[UberAlphaSirus]

Hey Dave, Can you ask Agilent how much out of cal your tear down caused. That would be quite interesting.

[OneBiOzZ]

do it do it DO IT DO IT ... would love to see an LED and a 3904 characterized! 

[DrSpeed]

The quality on the macros is amazing! Nice video!

[aserta]

Whilst the electronics enthusiast in me appreciates the layout simplicity, the designer part of me is drooling at the "mechanical" part of this machine.

That fan cooling design, the latch in boards, the slide cover...pure technological machine porn.

[DarkInsanePyro]

Beautiful piece of tech. right there. Thanks for the teardown!

[petersage]

37:52 TIL small E96 series resistors use a 3-digit alphanumeric code that you need a table to decipher. Never would have guessed that 25X = 17R8. Wonder what those little resistors are doing there.

[Lehibob]

I was taking a drink when he mentioned that "...fart half way across the solar system and generate more distortion than this..."   OH MY ! ! !   Watching the video had to take a back seat to cleaning my keyboard and monitor.  I wish Dave would take the time to print a warning regarding his comments PRIOR to starting the tear down.  I'll just consider myself forewarned and be more careful in the future.  GREAT JOB ! ! !

[Mtaalas]

I really would like to see a real world scenario and a good review of this thing :)

[MrPolluxxxx]

Seeing that much hardware in a machine that modern means it's something special.

[bgdwiepp]

Measure the input impedance + leakage of one SMU with the other SMU!

[ovalwingnut]

Who knew a new SMU! Very COoL. Did not know about the TriaX BNC's.... Youch 😲 But loved it. Thank you Ausi Man! ❤

[jastervoid]

Check out the poorly soldered connection on the rightmost lead of the 10M ceramic resistor at 25:52

[ecsciguy]

At 23:20 I see two traces that seem to just wander off the board to the left. Are those for panel testing? Before the board was cut out of a larger carrier panel?