Measuring electronic components - Part 1: Methods and precautions

The performance of electronic devices has made considerable progress in recent years: in terms of miniaturization, communication, power consumption... Of course, this increase in performance is closely linked to improvements in the characteristics of electronic components. Verifying these characteristics can be very tricky, and depends very much on the type of component to be tested.

This measure is essential in more ways than one:

• it defines features and functionality;

• it is necessary for the development of manufacturing processes;

• it guarantees production quality by highlighting any deviations in product characteristics at each stage of the process;

• it ensures quality monitoring on both the manufacturer's and the user's side, and facilitates the establishment of a climate of trust between customer and supplier.

For component measurements, there are many measuring devices available, which can be complex to use. The first step is to choose the right device. It's also important to observe measurement precautions, as failure to do so will result in measurement errors.

• In the first paragraph, we describe the measurement means and methods used to measure voltage and current, time and frequency, and the different principles used by impedance measurement devices.

• In the second paragraph, we describe the precautions to be taken to ensure reliable measurements. These are very important, and concern the connection of the measuring device, the description of the calibration and compensation phases, and spike measurements.

• The third and fourth paragraphs describe noise measurement and electromagnetic compatibility measurement respectively.

• Subsequent issues of [R 1 079] and [R 1 080] will focus on the measurement of passive components, followed by active components.

This text is a new edition of the article Mesure des composants électroniques,...