Designation:F769M–95METRICStandardTestMethodforMeasuringTransistorandDiodeLeakageCurrents[Metric]1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationF769M;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(e)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.1.Scope1.1Thistestmethodcoversthemeasurementofleakagecurrentsoftransistorsanddiodes.Theseproceduresareintendedforthemeasurementofcurrentsintherangefrom10−11to10−3A.1.2Thistestmethodmaybeusedwitheitheravirtual-groundcurrentmeteroraresistance-shuntcurrentmeter.1.3Thisstandarddoesnotpurporttoaddressallofthesafetyconcerns,ifany,associatedwithitsuse.Itistheresponsibilityoftheuserofthisstandardtoestablishappropriatesafetyandhealthpracticesanddeterminetheapplicabilityofregulatorylimitationspriortouse.2.Terminology2.1Definitions:2.1.1resistance-shuntmeter—ameterthatdeterminescurrentbymeasuringthevoltagegeneratedacrossshuntresistorsbythecurrent.2.1.2virtual-groundmeter—ameteremployingfeedbacktotheamplifierinsuchawayastomakethemeterinputappeartobeatgroundpotential.3.SummaryofTestMethod3.1Ajunctionwhoseleakageistobedeterminedisreverse-biasedwithapowersupply.Acurrentmeterisplacedinserieswiththejunctionandtheappropriaterangeisselectedonthemeter.Thecurrentisreaddirectlyfromthemeterreadout.4.SignificanceandUse4.1Knowledgeofdiodeandtransistorleakagecurrentsisveryimportanttothecircuitdesigner.Propertransistorbiasingdependsonaccurateleakagecurrentdata.Inaddition,thesecurrentsareofspecialinteresttotheradiationeffectscommunitybecauseleakagecurrentisaffectedbytotaldose.5.Interferences5.1Noisegeneratedbythermalagitationinthevariousresistancesinthetestcircuitsetsanultimatelimitofinstrumentresolution.Thenoisecurrentgeneratedinacurrentmetershuntresistorisproportionaltotheinversesquarerootoftheresistance,soahighshuntresistancevalueisdesirable.5.2Othersourcesofnoisearea–csignalspropagati...
