The Keithley KICKSTARTFLSUITE KickStart Instrument Control Software (Perpetual Floating License) simplifies what users need to know about an instrument accelerates the path to the measurements they want - take the instrument out of the box and get real data on a compatible device in minutes. By plotting data immediately and offering quick statistical summaries of the data in the reading table, KickStart allows users to gather insights faster and make the decisions needed to move on to the next stage of device and product development. KICKSTARTFL-SUITE saves time by facilitating quick replication of tests and comparison of results using convenient export features. With KickStart, users can focus on interpreting the test results so that teams can meet their innovation goals.

Minimized Time to Results

Connect the instrument to a PC and have KICKSTARTFL-SUITE discover it in seconds. KICKSTARTFL-SUITE supports instruments connected using GPIB, LAN, and USB interfaces. With a simple drag of the mouse, launch an app to control and collect data from an instrument. KickStart can collect millions of readings from each instrument, which makes it a great solution for long-term datalogging, for capturing transient events with a digitizing DMM, I-V characterization with SMUs, and for capturing waveforms with oscilloscopes. KICKSTARTFL-SUITE presents the data in tabular and graphical formats. In the table, KickStart presents a statistical summary of the data in each column. Users can hide non-essential data, and the statistics automatically update to reflect only data visible in the table. This can be quite useful for applications in which users would like to monitor devices after they have reached thermal stabilization.

KICKSTARTFL-SUITE provides a test solution even when the tests involve the control of multiple instruments. Users can launch and run up to eight apps at the same time. They can see results from multiple instruments in a single easy-to-view format.

Reading Table

Calculates Basic Statistics

Discovers Connected Instruments

Faster Insights into Data

KickStart plots data immediately so that users can quickly discover anomalies or trends and make the needed decisions to get to the next phase of development of the user's material, device, or module. Getting insights quickly is most important, so a large portion of the viewing area is dedicated to the graph. There are built-in tools to compare and overlay data from previous test runs. Users can mark or highlight points of interest in the graph and use cursors to view details on multiple data series at once.

Discover Measurement Trends/Anomalies

Graph Markers

Horizontal Scale

Peace of Mind. Confidence. Reliability.

Proving that the device or module complies with industrial and regulatory standards is an important part of ensuring that the device or electronic module will meet the customer's requirements. Safe archival of test data is essential in compliance testing. KickStart streams and auto-exports data in .csv and .xlsx formats from the instrument to PC storage media, so, even in the event of a power outage, any data-logging data is preserved.

Save tests and share data for easy collaboration between multiple development sites.

Additionally, users can save any test project that has been create to re-use later, or to share with others. This allows users to replicate tests easily at other locations, which is essential when working on a global development team.

KICKSTARTFL-SUITE even allows users to prepare tests using simulated instruments so that they are ready to test once the actual instrument arrives. Users can quickly swap the actual instrument in the test configuration later. The use of simulated instruments also allows offline viewing of the data and test setup.

Power Supply App

Power Supply App

This app simplifies supplying power to a device or system:

Precision Digital Multimeter App

This app affords users a simple way to log data using a Keithley DMM or sensitive measurement instrument.

Capture waveforms with the DMM6500 Digitizing DMM using KickStart’s Precision Multimeter App.

Data Logger App

Use the KickStart Data Logger App to set up and control multi-channel data acquisition instruments. This app is designed to help users configure all channels very quickly and even validate connections during test configurations. It allows users to set up multiple channels with the same configuration, but give each channel a meaningful label so that users can quickly scan results and grab the necessary information. Configure pass/fail limits for each channel in order to set alarm conditions and obtain quick visual verification of test results.

Plot and View Multiple Channels

Quick Setup and Control

Personalized Labels

I-V Characterizer App

Use the I-V Characterizer App to perform current vs. voltage (I-V) test on a variety of materials, two-terminal and multi-terminal semiconductor devices, solar cells, and much more. Users can configure each SMU for a variety of bias and sweep sourcing operations, including linear, log, list, and dual sweeps.

Current vs. Voltage Characteristics

SourceMeter SMU Instruments

Pulsing Capability

Scope App

Use the Scope app for data capture and datalogging of waveforms, measurements, and screenshots. This app offers three modes of operation:

Setup Window

Table View

The Scope app supports data retrieval from Analog Channels, Reference Channels and Math Channels. The app will either capture present data (without waiting for a trigger) or will arm the scope to wait for a trigger, stop the capture to gather data once scope has been triggered and re-arm scope to wait for next trigger after data is captured.

Screen Capture of Scope

Display Analog Data

Reports and Journal

High Resistivity Test

High Resistivity App for 6517B Electrometer (Optional)

The optional high resistivity application (HRMA) for KICKSTARTFL-SUITE is designed for use with Keithley's 6517B Electrometer/ High Resistance Meter. The 6517B along with the 8009 Resistivity Test Fixture is a laboratory standard for volume and surface resistivity measurements on insulating materials. Together, they can be used to measure resistance up to 1018 Ω at up to 1000 V.

Note: The KickStart High Resistivity Application requires a license, either the KICKSTARTFL-HRMA2 floating perpetual license, or the KICKSTARTFL-HRMA2-AN 1-year time-based license. A floating license allows selected users to manage the transfer of individual license to different PCs.

The KickStart high resistance measurement option makes it easier for users to:

View Step Response in real time

Modern Alternative

I-V Tracer App (Optional)

Keithley I-V Tracer Software leverages the unique touchscreen interface of the Graphical 2400 Series SourceMeter SMU instruments to recreate the familiar user experience of a curve tracer for two-terminal devices. Adding the I-V Tracer software to a SourceMeter instrument gives users a dedicated user interface for tracing the characteristics of the devices through both current and voltage. With a range of compatible instruments, I-V Tracer can utilize the full capabilities of each source measure unit, including the dual high-speed digitizers of the 2461 to perform tracing with AC polarity and pulsed DC, in addition to standard DC polarity.

Front Panel Knob

Share Equipment

Teaching Solution