Model 6517B Electrometer Reference Manual
Section 7: Triggering
6517B-901-01 Rev. C / August 2015
7-9
Trigger configuration
Basic trigger configuration
The following information explains how to configure the Model 6517B for basic triggering. If you
instead wish to use advance triggering, see
Advanced trigger configuration
(on page 7-9). Basic
triggering is configured from the BASIC item of the CONFIGURE TRIGGER menu, which is displayed
by pressing the
CONFIG
key and then the
TRIG
key.
The BASIC TRIGGERING menu items are explained as follows:
MODE
Use this menu item to select the trigger mode for basic triggering.
CONTINUOUS: Use this trigger mode to place the instrument in the continuous measurement mode.
ONE-SHOT: Use this trigger mode to place the instrument in the one-shot measurement mode. In
this mode, the instrument waits for the selected control source event to occur before making a
measurement.
SOURCE
Use this menu item to select the control source event for one-shot triggering:
IMMEDIATE: With this selection, events (such as TIMER and EXTERNAL triggers) do not control the
measurement interval. Once the Model 6517B starts measuring, it takes readings as fast as its
measurement configuration allows.
MANUAL: With this selection, the front panel
TRIG
key controls the measure source. A device action
is performed when the
TRIG
key is pressed. The front panel
TRIG
key is active when EXT,GPIB, or
TIMER is selected.
GPIB: With this selection, bus triggers control the measurement interval. When the Model 6517B
receives a bus trigger (GET or *TRG), it performs a measurement. The front panel TRIG key (see
MANUAL) is active with bus triggering selected. Pressing the TRIG key performs a measurement.
EXT: With this selection, external triggers are used to control the measurement interval. Each trigger
stimulus applied to the Model 6517B results in a measurement. The external trigger is applied to the
rear panel trigger link connector. The front panel
TRIG
key (see MANUAL, above) is active with
external triggering selected. Pressing the
TRIG
key performs a device action.
TIMER: Use the timer to control the time interval between measurements. The timer can be set for an
interval from 0.001 seconds (1ms) to 999999.999 seconds with 1ms resolution. The first
measurement occurs immediately, while all subsequent measurements occur at the end of the
programmed timer interval. If however, the programmed timer interval is shorter than the time it takes
to complete a single measurement, the next measurement does not start until the previous one is
done. The front panel
TRIG
key (see MANUAL, above) is active with the time selected. Pressing the
TRIG
key after the completion of a measurement starts the next measurement.
Advanced trigger configuration
The following information explains how to configure the Model 6517B for advanced triggering. If you
instead wish to use basic triggering, refer to
Basic trigger configuration
(on page 7-9). Advanced
triggering is configured from the ADVANCED item of the CONFIGURE TRIGGER menu, which is
displayed by pressing the
CONFIG
key and then the
TRIG
key.
