Did You Know Introspect Makes Programmable Device Power Supplies?

In a previous article, we showed how the Introspect M Series testers can perform advanced shmoo tests, and we illustrated a popular shmoo plot that included device power supply sweeps. You might wonder how these high-precision power supply sweeps were made, and this is the topic of our current article. Read on to learn about this new product capability from Introspect Technology!

Introspect’s Device Power Supply Module

True to Introspect’s design mantra, we wanted to make a device power supply that was compact and truly flexible. Figure 1 shows an illustration of such a device power supply that is loaded directly on top of a device test board. As can be seen, the module is quite small. More importantly, it is fully integrated with Pinetree™, thus allowing for an amazing range of features.

Figure 1: Example of a device power supply installed on a test board for the M Series.

The Features at a Glance

Programmable Levels

Naturally, for a power supply to enable shmoo plots, it needs to have programmable levels, and the resolution needs to be quite high. Introspect’s device power supplies offer millivolt resolution while still achieving ultra low noise performance for enabling the most advanced device testing. Devices like LPDDR5 or LPDDR6 require very low voltages and also low noise, and this is a critical feature for any device power supply.

Programmable Sequence and Sequence Delays

Figure 2 shows two rails that are started at a specific delay between each other. As can be seen, both are programmed to the same level, but one is starting later by about 1.8 ms.

Figure 2: Two power supplies starting with a specific delay between them.

Programmable Ramp Speed

Figure 3 shows two rails with one having a slow ramp time. Note how the ramp is as slow as 2 ms, yet it is very smooth and linear all the way to the top.

Figure 3: Two power supplies with one having a 2 ms ramp time.

Arbitrary Waveform Shaping

Finally, here is a really cool feature in Introspect’s power supply modules. Because they are integrated so deeply with Pinetree, they can be programmed so rapidly and create arbitrary waveform shapes. Figure 4 shows an example of a triangular wave generator on the power supply. Remember, this is a power supply and it is delivering current to the device under test. Yet, it is able to dynamically adjust its voltage level.

Figure 4: Triangular wave generation in the programmable power supply module.

You can also watch this video to see this programmability in action!

Summary

In this article, we showed our brand new capability in the area of device power supplies. Are you looking for a power supply to integrate within your automation environment? We would love to have a conversation with you about this topic. Please reach out to us at info@introspect.ca for more information and to book an appointment for a deep dive into this exciting new area for Introspect.