Keysight N6784A ±20 V, ±3 A, 20 W Source/Measure Unit Module

Key Features At A Glance

• 4-quadrant general-purpose Source/Measure Unit module rated ±20 V, ±3 A, 20 W for the N6700 Modular Power System
• Available in 2-quadrant and 4-quadrant variants for combined source and sink (charge/eLoad) operation; the N6784A is the 4-quadrant member of the N6780 Series
• Built-in 18-bit digitizers measure and log voltage, current, and power every ~5 µs (~200 kHz)
• User-selectable emulation modes (power supply, CC/CV load, voltmeter, ammeter) configure the unit for common use cases
• Zero-burden current shunt (ammeter) mode supports real-world battery rundown tests
• 4-wire remote sensing on every output for improved voltage measurement accuracy
• 1U-high modular mainframe holds 1 to 4 DC power or electronic load modules; mix and match from over 30 module types spanning 50 W to 500 W and voltages up to 150 V
• GPIB, USB 2.0, and 10/100 Base-T Ethernet LAN standard; fully compliant to the LXI Class C specification, with SCPI / IEEE 488.2 programming and VXIplug&play and IVI-COM drivers
• Per-module over-voltage, over-current, and over-temperature protection with 10 µs cross-module fault detection
• In the N6705C DC Power Analyzer, modules add front-panel scope view, arbitrary waveform generation, and internal/external data logging

The Keysight N6784A is a 4-quadrant general-purpose Source/Measure Unit (SMU) module for the N6700 Modular Power System. It pairs a controllable power source with integrated, high-resolution measurement in a single unit, so a device under test can be driven and characterized without a separate supply and meter. The N6784A belongs to the Keysight N6780 Series, a family of SMUs that combine precise sourcing, sinking, and measurement and let you visualize current drain from nA to A in one pass to gain insight into a device's power consumption. The N6784A is designed as a versatile tool for general-purpose applications in automated test systems or on an R&D bench.

The N6700 itself is a low-profile Modular Power System (MPS) — a 1U-high, multiple-output programmable DC power supply and electronic load system that lets test system integrators optimize performance, power, and price to match their test needs. A single mainframe holds one to four modules, and the system lets you mix and match from over 30 different DC power and electronic load modules to create a 1- to 4-channel system tailored to specific test requirements. Test engineers can invest in high-performance outputs where speed and accuracy are needed, or choose basic outputs for simple DC power requirements. The same modules also install in the N6705C DC Power Analyzer, which brings them to the R&D bench combined with the functions of a DMM, oscilloscope, arbitrary waveform generator, and data logger, presenting all sourcing, loading, and measurement directly from the front panel.

The N6700 MPS is designed for automatic test equipment (ATE) systems in R&D, design validation, and manufacturing. Power supplies and electronic loads of this kind are a fundamental component of test systems across aerospace and defense, consumer electronics, computers and peripherals, communications, semiconductor, and automotive electronics, where designers must reduce the rack space occupied by multiple supplies while increasing test system throughput. Within the family, precision modules are suited to semiconductor and passive device testing where a precisely controlled output and highly accurate measurements are needed, while the source/measure unit modules support applications such as battery drain analysis and functional test.

ValueTronics stocks and holds its own test and measurement inventory in a 20,000 sq ft secure warehouse at 1675 Cambridge Drive in Elgin, Illinois. Holding inventory under our own roof lets us confirm configuration and condition directly and ship quickly to the engineers, labs, and production teams who rely on us.

Brand Heritage

Keysight Technologies traces its test-and-measurement heritage to Hewlett-Packard, whose test and measurement business was spun off as Agilent Technologies in 1999. Agilent's electronic measurement division was then established as Keysight Technologies in 2014, the brand under which this product family is offered today. Documentation and ordering references issued before that transition may carry the earlier brand names.

Compare Other Models in This Series

The N6784A is one of five Source/Measure Units in the Keysight N6780 Series, each combining a controllable source with integrated measurement for the N6700 Modular Power System. The series comprises the N6781A 2-quadrant SMU for battery drain analysis (20 W), the N6782A 2-quadrant SMU for functional test (20 W), the N6784A 4-quadrant general-purpose SMU (20 W), the N6785A 2-quadrant SMU for battery drain analysis (80 W), and the N6786A 2-quadrant SMU for functional test (80 W). The models differ along three lines the series defines: output power (20 W or 80 W), quadrant operation (2-quadrant or 4-quadrant), and the application each is tuned for — battery drain analysis, functional test, or general-purpose use.

The clearest differences across the family are output power and quadrant operation. The N6781A, N6782A, and N6784A are 20 W modules, while the N6785A and N6786A are 80 W modules with higher current ranges. The N6784A is the only 4-quadrant model and the only one that does not support seamless measurement ranging; the N6781A, N6782A, N6785A, and N6786A are 2-quadrant units whose top three current ranges do support it. Application tuning further separates the models: the N6781A and N6785A add programmable output resistance and battery emulator/charger modes for battery drain analysis, while the N6782A and N6786A add output modulation up to 100 kHz for functional test. Within this series, the N6781A and N6785A are tuned for battery drain analysis of devices from 20 W to 80 W — including e-Book readers, MP3 players, wireless mice, mobile phones, large smartphone phablets, tablets, military radios, and pacemakers — and the N6782A and N6786A are tuned for functional test of devices such as DC/DC converters, power management units (PMUs), power management ICs (PMICs), and power amplifiers.

Beyond the N6780 SMUs, the wider N6700 catalog organizes modules into distinct series: basic DC power modules (the N6730, N6740, and N6770 ranges), high-performance autoranging modules (N6750 series), precision modules (N6760 series), application-specific modules (N6783A), and DC electronic loads (N6790 series). Basic DC power modules cover 50 W, 100 W, and 300 W outputs up to 150 V and up to 20 A; high-performance autoranging and precision modules span 50 W to 500 W up to 60 V and up to 50 A and add autoranging outputs that deliver maximum power across a range of voltage and current combinations; the application-specific N6783A modules target battery and mobile-communications testing at 18 W to 24 W; and the electronic loads provide 100 W and 200 W modules with constant voltage, current, resistance, and power modes. Each module occupies one mainframe slot, except the double-wide N6753A–N6756A, N6763A–N6766A, N6785A–N6786A, and N6792A, which occupy two of the four slots.

Mainframes are offered in several tiers. The low-profile N6700-series mainframes provide 400 W, 600 W, or 1200 W of total available output power within a single 1U chassis, while the N6705C DC Power Analyzer is a four-slot, 600 W mainframe for the bench. The N6705C is ordered together with modules as separate items; the N6715C is the build-to-order version shipped fully assembled with one to four modules installed. Both share 600 W of total available mainframe power and the same module catalog. Module capability depends not only on the module's own hardware but also on the mainframe in which it is installed — modules placed in an N6705C gain front-panel scope view, arbitrary waveform generation, and data logging that are not present in the lower-profile N6700-series mainframes. Across the low-profile mainframes, output sequencing can be synchronized between multiple units by wiring the rear-panel I/O ports together; the 1200 W mainframe additionally senses the available AC line power at turn-on and automatically scales back output to 600 W to avoid overloading a standard AC outlet. High-Speed Test Extensions, output disconnect relays (option 761), and output disconnect/polarity reversal relays (option 760) are available according to each module's row in the options table; High-Speed Test Extensions are standard on the precision, SMU, application-specific, and load modules and optional on the basic, high-performance, and 300 W modules.

Each new model linked below is its own dedicated product page with condition-matched pricing. Select the specific mainframe or module that fits your configuration to see its availability and price.

Additional differences in specifications beyond the few shown above are not listed here — see each model's full specifications below.

Product Core & Specifications

Important: The N6780 Series SMUs are plug-in modules for the N6700 Modular Power System; an N6700 Series mainframe (such as the N6705 DC Power Analyzer) is required for operation and is not included with the module. The DC power and load modules (N6731B–N6792A) are not standalone instruments and require an N6700C, N6701C, N6702C, or N6705C mainframe (sold separately) to operate.

Important: N6784A note: when sinking power, the unit can operate at its maximum rated output power for only a limited amount of time. If the output power exceeds its safe limits (internal temperature exceeds its safe limit), the output latches off (annunciated by the OT status bit) and a protect clear is required to resume normal operation.

Important: Output current is derated 1% per °C above 40 °C ambient temperature.

Important: Output terminal isolation: no output terminal may be more than ±240 VDC from any other terminal or chassis ground. Each module output is fully isolated and floating from ground and from one another.

Important: Series and parallel operation: the maximum series operation is 240 V, and the maximum rated parallel operation is 100 A per N6705 mainframe.

Important: Front-panel binding posts are rated for 20 A per post; modules rated above 20 A, such as the N6753A or N6792A, require high-current wiring routed through the rear panel.

Important: Each N6705C / N6715C mainframe has 4 module slots and provides 600 W total available output power. If the sum of the installed modules' power exceeds the mainframe's available output power, use Keysight's power management capability to allocate mainframe power to the outputs where it is needed.

Important: Each module occupies one module slot, except for the N6753A–N6756A, N6763A–N6766A, N6785A–N6786A, and N6792A, which each occupy two module slots. When configuring a mainframe with fewer than four filled module slots, you must order a filler panel kit (N6708A); each kit contains three filler panels, and every empty slot must be filled for proper operation.

Important: If you will be rack mounting the N6700, you must order the rack mount kit; standard rack rails or slides are not compatible with the N6700 because of its 1U size and airflow requirements.

Important: Installing a 500 W module in a 400 W mainframe may prevent that module from running at its full rated output power.

Important: When the 1200 W mainframe is plugged into a standard AC outlet, it automatically senses the available AC line power at turn-on and limits output power to 600 W to prevent overloading the AC line; to achieve full 1200 W output you must use option 929 and operate at 200 VAC.

Important: Output current is limited on some modules when option 760 (Output Disconnect/Polarity Reversal Relays) is installed; option 760 limits output current to 10 A maximum on Models N6742B and N6773A, and is not available on Models N6741B, N6751A, N6752A, N6761A, N6762A, and N6781A–N6786A.

Important: Option 2UA (200 µA measurement range) is available only on Models N6761A and N6762A.

Important: Keysight N6783A modules cannot be used in series with other N6783A modules or any other N67xx module. The Keysight N6791A and N6792A Electronic Load Modules are not supported on the previous Keysight mainframes N6700B, N6701A, N6702A, N6705A, and N6705B.

Important: Multi-mainframe output sequencing synchronization is supported on the N6700B, N6701A, and N6702A mainframes; it is not supported on the discontinued N6700A mainframe. Arbitrary waveform generation, scope view, and the related oscilloscope measurement capabilities apply only when the power modules are installed in a Keysight N6705 DC Power Analyzer.

Important: In the DC power module specification table, values for the N6761A–N6766A precision modules and the N6781A/N6782A/N6784A/N6785A/N6786A SMU modules (and the N6783A application-specific modules) are shown for the highest output/measurement range; these modules have multiple ranges.

Important: Specifications are warranted over the ambient temperature range of 0 to 55 °C after a 30-minute warm-up period, and apply at the mainframe output terminals with local sensing unless otherwise noted. This datasheet lists an abbreviated set of specifications and characteristics; for the full list, see the Keysight N6700 Series Power Modules Specifications Guide, literature number N6700-90001.

Recommended pairing: the N6780 Series SMUs install in the N6705 mainframe, and the BV9200B/BV9201B PathWave BenchVue power control and analysis software adds advanced battery drain analysis when used with the N6781A or N6785A; the BV9200B software can control up to four mainframes and as many as 16 installed modules from a single PC. (The earlier 14585A Control and Analysis Software likewise controls the family's modules across up to four N6705 mainframes — up to 16 modules — from a single PC.)

About this Pre-Owned unit

This is a Pre-Owned Keysight N6784A. Every used unit we sell is inspected and functionally verified in-house at our 20,000 sq ft secure facility in Elgin, Illinois before it ships, so you receive an instrument whose condition we have confirmed directly. For the exact configuration, available options, included accessories, calibration status, or current lead time for your application, our Test Architects can confirm the details before you order.

ValueTronics supplies both new and used test and measurement equipment. Every used unit is inspected and functionally verified in-house at our 20,000 sq ft secure facility in Elgin, Illinois before it ships. Our Test Architects can help you select the condition, calibration, and configuration that fit your application.

Please review the Manufacturer's Data Sheet to verify published specifications. Feedback on this webpage is always welcome — please reach out to your Test Architect at any time for questions or concerns. Thank you, we truly appreciate you being our customer.