ADLINK unveils PXI Express SMU & chassis for testing

ADLINK has launched two PXI Express products for semiconductor and electronics test and measurement: an eight-channel source measurement unit (SMU) and a compact PXI Express chassis that is also available as a backplane-only option.

ADLINK is targeting precision measurement and scalable automated test, where teams need to move from engineering validation to production test without rebuilding the system architecture.

The releases are the PXIe-9908 Source Measurement Unit and the PXES-2596 PXI Express chassis. They expand ADLINK's PXI portfolio for modular test configurations that require synchronised measurements across multiple instruments.

SMUs combine sourcing and measurement for electrical characterisation. They are widely used in device and integrated circuit testing to apply controlled voltages or currents and measure responses with fine resolution.

SMU details

The PXIe-9908 is an eight-channel, four-quadrant SMU designed to source and measure both voltage and current. It targets device characterisation, IC testing and reliability validation.

ADLINK quotes an update rate of up to 100 ks/s and a sampling rate of 1M samples/s. It also emphasises sensitivity to low-level signals, a requirement in low-power electronics testing and measurements on small geometries and advanced process nodes.

Multi-channel SMUs can reduce switching and external cabling in a test rack. Depending on system architecture and the instrumentation mix, they can also increase parallelism during wafer sort or final test.

Chassis options

The PXES-2596 is a 3U PXI Express chassis offered in 9-slot and 12-slot configurations. It uses a Gen3 PXI Express backplane, with quoted system bandwidth of up to 16 GB/s for multi-module setups.

Alongside the standard chassis, ADLINK is offering a backplane-only variant with pre-installed heat sinks, on-board thermal sensors and fan-curve support. It is aimed at system builders integrating PXI Express into custom enclosures where airflow and thermal behaviour are defined by the wider system.

Backplane-only options are typically used by ODMs and system integrators that want control over front-panel layouts, connector access and packaging. They can also suit test cells that require a specific form factor for production lines or laboratory benches.

Target markets

ADLINK is pitching the combination for semiconductor and electronics testing, including optoelectronic component validation. These applications often require accurate electrical characterisation and stable measurement conditions over temperature and time, particularly for reliability work.

ADLINK is also positioning the products for modular test systems that need to scale. PXI-based architectures often start as smaller bench setups for validation, then expand into larger chassis and multi-chassis deployments for manufacturing, while keeping instrument control and synchronisation consistent.

"Modern automated test systems require both precision at the measurement level and scalability at the system level", said Andy Tseng, Senior Manager, Product Division at ADLINK Technology. "With the PXIe-9908 and PXES-2596, we are enabling customers to build flexible PXI platforms that scale efficiently from validation to high-volume production."

System integration

PXI Express platforms are widely used in automated test because they support tight timing and synchronisation between modules. They also let users mix instrument types in a single chassis-such as SMUs, digital pattern instruments and RF modules-depending on the device under test.

ADLINK says the new products are intended to simplify integration while improving measurement accuracy, synchronisation and overall test efficiency. It also expects them to suit customers building tailored systems in semiconductor and industrial testing environments.

ADLINK says the PXIe-9908 SMU and PXES-2596 PXI Express chassis are available now.