NI PXIe-4139 40W SMU Module 100FA

It supports ±60 V, ±3 A DC output, up to ±10 A pulse output, 40 W DC power and 500 W extended pulse power, and boasts a current sensitivity of up to 100 fA. The NI PXIe-4139 40W SMU Module 100FA integrates the power, accuracy, and speed of a traditional benchtop SMU into a single PXI module. Combined with NI's proprietary SourceAdapt technology, it allows for adjustable transient response for any load characteristics, from purely resistive to highly capacitive, maximizing system stability and measurement accuracy. The module features a built-in high-performance analog-to-digital converter, enabling both high-precision measurements at 100 fA resolution and high-speed waveform acquisition up to 1.8 MS/s.

The PXIe-4139 is suitable for manufacturing testing, board-level testing, laboratory characteristic analysis and other scenarios. The objects under test include IC (integrated circuit), PMIC (power management integrated circuit), RFIC (radio frequency integrated circuit) and other devices, as well as discrete components such as LEDs and optical transceivers. It is a core source test instrument for modern automated testing and semiconductor parameter testing systems.

MXTD Wholesaler

Xi'an Mingxi Taida Information Technology Co., Ltd. (MXTD) is a premier, full-scale industrial hardware provider and system vendor backed by a distinguished 12-year track record of engineering innovation. Serving heavy industries and advanced smart factories worldwide as a primary turnkey system partner, our operational model seamlessly bridges pioneering product R&D, state-of-the-art manufacturing, and localized field engineering into a highly cohesive, client-centric framework.

With a robust distribution network and logistical footprint actively spanning North America, South America, Europe, and Africa, MXTD commands a highly resilient international commercial reach. To augment our powerful in-house engineering and customization capabilities, we maintain authorized distribution mandates for top-tier multinational brands, establishing our enterprise as a highly efficient, single-source procurement hub for high-stakes industrial programs. Our workflows are governed by an uncompromising, multi-tier quality assurance matrix and rigorous precision verification protocols, guaranteeing that every hardware deployment delivers unmatched reliability, flawless data continuity, and absolute peace of mind in severe deployment environments.

Features of The NI PXIe-4139

A System SMU is designed to provide high-power, high-precision, and high-speed source-to-measure capabilities on a single SMU channel. Representative models include PXIe-4135, PXIe-4137, and PXIe-4139.

Position within the NI System SMU family

The NI PXIe-4139 40W SMU Module 100FA differentiates itself by its larger DC current (±3 A) and pulse current up to ±10 A, coupled with a higher voltage range, making it particularly suitable for testing devices that require high current excitation, such as high-brightness LEDs, power transistors, and optical transceivers.

When the PXIe-4139 (40W) is used in a chassis with a slot cooling capacity of <58W, the DC output drops to 20W and the power absorption drops to 12W.

Functions of The NI PXIe-4139

Four-quadrant Source Measurement

• Provides voltage/current source and measurement functions simultaneously in a single channel, supporting four-quadrant operation.

• Can be used as a constant voltage source or constant current source to excite the device under test, and can also accurately measure voltage, current, and power.

High-precision Measurement

• 100 fA current sensitivity with multiple current ranges (9 ranges from 3 A to 1 µA)

• Voltage ranges of 60 V, 6 V, and 600 mV

• High-precision measurement via adjustable measurement aperture (e.g., multiple NPLC integration times)

High-speed Acquisition and Waveform

• 1.8 MS/s maximum sampling rate, enabling the SMU to be used as a high-voltage/current digitizer

• 100 kS/s maximum update rate, combined with customizable response, allows for the generation of arbitrary waveforms or rapid scanning of large sequences

• Direct DMA transfer via PCI Express backplane eliminates data transmission bottlenecks

SourceAdapt Transient Optimization

• Digital control loop technology allows for customized transient response for any load, from purely resistive to highly capacitive.

• Offers multiple response levels: Slow / Normal / Fast / Custom (SourceAdapt), balancing stability and speed.

Extended range pulse

• A single device can generate short pulses up to 500 W (up to 10 A, length 50 µs~1 ms)

• Suitable for testing high-brightness LEDs and power transistors, minimizing heat dissipation of the device under test

• Reduces the need for parallel stacking of multiple SMUs and external thermal management systems

Hardware timing and synchronization

• Supports hardware timing and triggering, enabling synchronization with other instruments (oscilloscopes, RF generators/analyzers, digital instruments) on the PXI backplane.

• Enables the construction of mixed-signal test systems, supporting parallel testing of multiple devices to improve throughput.

Notes:

To achieve the full 40W DC output/40W drain power for the PXIe-4139 (40W), it is recommended to use a chassis with a heatsink capacity of ≥58W per slot (such as NI PXIe-1095, PXIe-1084, PXIe-1081, etc.). When used in a chassis with a slot heatsink capacity of <58W, the DC output drops to 20W and the drain power drops to 12W.

Technical Specifications

DC Output Range

DC Source/Power Absorption

Pulse Output Specifications

Extended range pulse limits for PXIe-4139 (20W) / (40W)

Isolation and Safety

Advanced Hardware Tailoring & Strategic OEM/ODM Engineering

Dissolving the Boundaries of Traditional Commercial Hardware

Standard, mass-produced components should never constrain the capabilities of your proprietary network architecture. Our elite systems engineering division delivers comprehensive, build-to-order OEM and ODM customization services designed specifically to align critical technical infrastructure with your precise operational specifications.

Operating as a transparent, high-value extension of your in-house R&D teams, we specialize in the engineering, adaptation, and precision fabrication of mission-critical hardware assets, expertly managing:

• Signal Integrity & Fidelity Tuning: Precision-tuned frequency scaling profiles and low-latency, dedicated triggering matrices.
• Structural Ruggedization & Enclosure Form: Application-specific physical chassis and fortified structural mountings built to withstand severe industrial environments.

Through an agile, highly collaborative co-development framework, we work directly alongside your technical personnel from initial proof-of-concept design to final deployment-ready certification. This streamlined lifecycle eliminates your most complex integration bottlenecks while enforcing strict compliance with global industrial metrics and our uncompromising, zero-defect quality assurance benchmarks.

The MXTD Advantage: Cultivating Operational Certainty & Enterprise Value

• Over Twelve Years of Validated Market Tenure: Command a competitive edge by leveraging our 12+ year trajectory of deep-tier mastery in the architecture, deployment, and optimization of high-fidelity metrology platforms.
• Pioneering Technical & R&D Prowess: Accelerate your milestones through an agile research and development division structurally configured to systematically push past conventional technology limits and outpace emerging industry demands.
• Uncompromising Quality & Risk Mitigation: Eradicate operational vulnerabilities in severe field environments via our exacting manufacturing protocols and multi-phase environmental stress-testing regimes.
• Full-Lifecycle Engineering Consultation: Access uninterrupted, end-to-end technical counsel and rapid, decisive expert intervention at every developmental stage of your mission-critical initiatives.
• Fortified & Insured Global Supply Chains: Secure total operational continuity across your global assets through our highly traceable international distribution infrastructure, airtight cross-border logistics, and comprehensive cargo protection.
• Client-First Synergistic Alignment: Partner with a highly flexible, solution-oriented service framework engineered from the ground up to harmonize with and drive your long-term commercial goals.

FAQs:

Q: If a module frequently enters overload protection mode, how can I clear the error and reset it using code in LabVIEW?

A:  

When an overcurrent (OCP) or overvoltage (OVP) event occurs during testing, the board's output disconnect switch will automatically open to protect the DUT.

NI-MAX Troubleshooting: The "Reset" button can be clicked directly in the software to reset.

LabVIEW Code: The regular general reset VI cannot be used. The niDCPower driver-specific "niDCPower Reset Device" or "niDCPower_Reset" function must be called in the exception handling branch of the code to clear the protection deadlock state and restore channel output.

Q: Why do readings show obvious steps or abrupt errors when configuring the IV curve of a single-channel scan LED in Instrument Studio 2022?

A: 

IV curve (current-voltage characteristic curve) testing, which spans multiple orders of magnitude, most commonly encounters the problem of insufficient setting time. When configuring the scan interval in InstrumentStudio, if there is a large capacitance in the test loop (such as long cables or parasitic capacitance of the DUT), the slow charging of the capacitor will cause measurement distortion. Users must appropriately increase the hardware setting time in the configuration panel, or use the PXIe-4139's unique Source Adaptor technology to dynamically adjust the transient response characteristics to obtain a smooth and accurate curve.

Q: In schematic design, if two PXIe-4139s are connected in series (cascaded) to increase the voltage range, how can the common-mode capacitor load be optimized?

A: 

When two SMUs are connected in series, the accumulation of common-mode capacitance may slow down signal setup time.

Polarity Reversal Method: The official recommendation is to reduce common-mode capacitance load by reversing the connection of the bottom SMU (sharing the Lo terminal), but this requires synchronously reversing the set current sign in LabVIEW programming.

Parallel Resistor Method: Impedance matching in series architectures using a built-in programmable parallel resistor (e.g., 14 MΩ) is only supported by the PXIe-4139. Note that this will result in a slightly lower actual current delivered to the load than the programmed value due to shunt effects (e.g., approximately 3.6 μA current loss at 50V).

Q: Why is the voltage reading so inaccurate when measuring small resistances or outputting large currents using the PXIe-4139? How should the preamp pins be connected?

A: 

This is because the four-wire remote sensing was not used correctly.

Two-wire connection: If HI and LO are directly connected to the DUT, the voltage drop across the cable resistance caused by the large current (maximum 3 A continuous or 10 A pulse) will be directly added to the measurement results, leading to severe accuracy degradation.

Four-wire connection: The Sense HI and Sense LO pins of the PXIe-4139 front-panel interface must be connected forward. Extending these two high-impedance sensing lines directly to the pin roots of the device under test allows the internal feedback loop of the board to directly compensate for the cable voltage drop, thus fully unleashing the 100 fA level of precision measurement capabilities.

Q: The circuit board has been used for more than a year, and zero-point drift was found when measuring small currents. Can it be calibrated by myself?

A: 

Self-Calibration: Users can invoke the self-calibration VI at any time in the NI-MAX software or in code. This digitally compensates for the current temperature drift using the onboard internal high-precision voltage reference. It is recommended to perform this when the ambient temperature changes by more than 5°C.

External Calibration: To adjust the As-left external gain limit, annual periodic calibration must be performed strictly according to the official guide "PXIe-4139 Calibration Procedure," using a standard digital multimeter (such as an 8.5-digit NI PXIe-4081 or HP 3458A) and a precision current calibration source.

Contact Us

Ready to integrate reliable SMU Module control into your system? Our team is here to help you select the right configuration and provide ongoing support.

Contact our technical specialists at manager03@mxtdinfo.com  / manager02@mxtdinfo.com for detailed specifications, pricing information, or to discuss your custom requirements. We're committed to delivering the perfect NI PXIe-4139 40W SMU Module 100FA ​​​​​​​counter /timing solution for your application needs.