Agilent Technologies B2201A manual Ground Mode

Front Panel Operation

Switch Control Functions

Ground Mode

Ground mode operation is similar to the bias mode operation. The ground mode is useful for connecting the same input to multiple channels (output ports) and the unused input ports simultaneously. And the connections will be kept until the other input port connection will be changed. The ground mode is especially useful for settling the potential of the unused input/output paths.

If you assign the input port 12 (AUX Input 12) as the ground port, open the input port 12. This ground port will be internally connected to the ground when the ground mode is set to ON.

When the ground mode is ON, the input ground port is connected to all ground enabled input ports (unused ports) and the ground enabled output ports that are not connected to any other input ports. You cannot directly control which output ports are connected to the input ground port:

•If another input port is disconnected from a ground enabled output port, the output port is automatically connected to the input ground port.

•If another input port is connected to a ground enabled output port, the output port is automatically disconnected from the input ground port.

•Ground disabled output ports are never connected to the input ground port when the ground mode is ON.

•You can independently set the ground port and control the ground mode for each module when the configuration mode is normal.

When the ground mode is OFF, the input ground port is the same as the other input ports, so relays can be controlled directly to connect to output ports.

NOTE	Connection rule cannot be specified for the input ground port, which can always be
	connected to multiple output ports.
	Connection sequence (to connect input ground port to output ports) is always
	Break-Before-Make.
	Ground mode cannot be set to ON when the bias mode is ON.
	The input ground port and a ground enabled input port cannot be assigned to the
	same input port.
	If the ground input port and a couple port have been assigned to the same input port,
	the ground mode and the couple mode cannot be used in parallel.
	If a ground enabled input port and a couple port have been assigned to the same
	input port, the ground mode and the couple mode cannot be used in parallel.

3-18 Agilent B2200 User’s Guide, Edition 2