Functional Overview

Every MF Instrument (MFLI, MFIA) described on Figure 1 consists of several internal units (light blue color) surrounded by several interface units (dark blue color) and the front panel on the left-hand side and the back panel on the right-hand side. The orange blocks are optional units that can be either ordered at the beginning or upgraded later in the field. The arrows between the panels and the interface units indicate the physical connections and the data direction flow. Only a small subset of internal connections is depicted.

The MFIA 5 MHz Precision LCR Meter and Impedance Analyzer provides fast and accurate measurements over a wide impedance range. Unlike other impedance analyzers the MFIA measures the voltage and the current signals directly without the need of a feedback loop, e.g. balanced bridge configuration. As a result the MFIA is capable of measuring at frequencies as low as 1 Hz and to provide reliable impedance measurements up to 10 GΩ.

The device-under-test is connected to the low-noise inputs and outputs L_CUR, H_CUR, L_POT, H_POT via the MFITF Impedance Test fixture. If a different test fixture is used, the Compensation Advisor makes it easy to obtain accurate measurement data. The measurement signals are amplified to an appropriate range and digitized at very high speed. The resulting samples are fed into the digital signal processor with dual-phase demodulators for independent current and voltage measurement. The measurement signals are further processed on the embedded processor that provides the LabOne Web Server. Any device running a browser (PC, tablet or smart phone) can connect to the Web Server and no software installation is required. Both Ethernet and USB interfaces are supported. The measurement data are also available as analog signal on the auxiliary outputs on the front panel of the MF Instrument. When the MF-MD option is installed, the drive output H_CUR is capable of generating a multi-frequency output signal which enables impedance measurements at a second independent frequency.

The MFIA Impedance Analyzer provides full lock-in functionality equivalent to the MFLI Lock-in Amplifier. Several trigger and reference connections provide the associated functionality for purposes such as triggering demodulation, triggering oscilloscope data acquisition, or to generate external reference clocks or triggering signals to other equipment.

Impedance Analyzer features

Medium Frequency Voltage Input L_POT, H_POT

Medium Frequency Current Input L_CUR

Medium Frequency Signal Output H_CUR

Auxiliary Input, Outputs and Triggers

High-speed Connectivity

LabOne Toolset

Software Connectivity

The front panel BNC connectors and control LEDs are arranged as shown in Figure 2 and listed in Table 1.

Please refer to the troubleshooting section for further information regarding the meaning of the Power LED colors.

The back panel is the main interface for power, control, service and connectivity to other ZI instruments. Please refer to Figure 3 and Table 2 for the detailed description of the items.

The MFIA Impedance Analyzer is sold in combination with the MFITF Impedance Test Fixture. The test fixture shown in Figure 4 is to be directly connected to the L_CUR, L_POT, H_POT, H_CUR BNC connectors on the MFIA front panel. The spacing of the BNC connectors is compatible with established standards for LCR meter and impedance analyzer test fixtures. The MFITF comes with a set of low-capacitive and low-loss DUT carriers for surface-mounted devices (SMD) and for through-hole components. Using the MFIA together with the MFITF and these carriers ensures the best possible accuracy.

The MFITF front panel as shown in Figure 5 integrates an 8-pin connector (Sullins PPPC081LFBN-RC, Digikey part number S7041-ND) providing four signal contacts and four guard contacts for customized DUT holders.

The PCB-based carriers delivered with the MFITF are described in the following table.

Table 4 provides an overview of the available MF products. Upgrade options can be purchased at any time without need to send the Instrument to Zurich Instruments.

The MF product line consists of the MFLI Lock-in Amplifier series and the MFIA Impedance Analyzer series. The combination MFLI 5 MHz + MF-IA is equivalent to the MFIA 5 MHz product, and the combination MFLI 500 kHz + MF-IA is equivalent to the MFIA 500 kHz product. The following table gives an overview of the features for the most important product configurations.

Parts for mounting the MFIA in a 19" rack are available from Zurich Instruments upon request under support@zhinst.com. Rack mount of a single MFIA as well as two MFIA instruments side-by-side is possible and explained in the following instructions.