Keithley KickStart Software

Drive innovation through faster test & measurement with KickStart Software. KickStart simplifies what you need to know about the instrument so that in just minutes you can take the instrument out of the box and get real data on your device. By plotting data immediately and offering quick statistical summaries of the data in the reading table, KickStart allows you to gather insights faster and make the decisions you need to move on to the next stage of device development. KickStart enables you to focus your time on interpreting the test results so that your team can meet its innovation goals.

Beyond Keithley power supplies, digital multimeters (DMMs) and source measure units (SMUs), KickStart can also be used as oscilloscope software to control Tektronix bench oscilloscopes.

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Datasheet Manual

Base Price

US $45 - US $1,130

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Keithley KickStart Software

Automated data collection from multiple instruments without expert knowledge

Highlights

Collect millions of readings that are streamed to PC disk media for safe archiving
Run tests on multiple instruments independently or simultaneously

Simple tools for visualizing data quickly

Highlights

Large viewing area for data
Access information about multiple tests in one window
Highlight data of interest using markers
Compare data from multiple test runs in a single plot

Fast and easy test replication and sharing of results

Highlights

Configure tests using simulated instruments and swap in real instruments when available
Save test configuration in KickStart project and export along with data for test documentation
Auto export data in .csv and .xlsx formats
Auto export graphs in picture format

Supported instruments

Instrument Type	Model	KickStart App
SMU Instruments	2400 Series, 2600 Series, 2650 Series, 6430	I-V Characterizer
Oscilloscopes	3 Series MDO, MDO3000 Series, MDO4000 Series, MSO3000 Series, MSO4000 Series, DPO3000 Series, DPO4000 Series, TBS1000 Series, TBS2000 Series, TDS1000 Series, TDS2000 Series, TDS200 Series	Oscilloscopes
Data Acquisition Units	DAQ6510, DMM6500, 2700, 2701, 2750, 3706A	Data Logger
DMMs	DMM6500, DMM7510, DAQ6510, 2700, 2701, 2750, 2000, 2010, 2110	Precision DMM
Power Supplies	2280S-32-6, 2280S-60-3, 2281S-20-6, 2220 Series, 2230 Series	Power Supply
Sensitive	6517B, 6514, 6485, 6487, 6517A	Precision DMM

Kickstart Suite Bundle

$460

Subscription

$1,130

Perpetual

Includes the following Apps:

I-V Characterizer
Scope App
Data Logger
DMM
Power Supply
Includes 1 Year of Maintenance

About Tektronix Software Licensing

View Kickstart Datasheet

View Individual Suite Apps

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KickStart Individual Apps

Purchase the App or Apps you need individually
Licensing options to fit your budget
Includes 1 Year of Maintenance

About Tektronix Software Licensing

View Kickstart Datasheet

Questions? Contact Us

I-V Characterizer

$790

Subscription

$1,990

Perpetual

Select license option to continue

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Scope

$790

Subscription

$1,990

Perpetual

Select license option to continue

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Data Logger

$790

Subscription

$1,990

Perpetual

Select license option to continue

Get a Free Trial

DMM

$790

Subscription

$1,990

Perpetual

Select license option to continue

Get a Free Trial

Power Supply

$790

Subscription

$1,990

Perpetual

Select license option to continue

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Kickstart Specialty Apps

The optional high resistivity application for KickStart is designed for use with Keithley’s 6517B Electrometer/ High Resistance Meter.
Keithley I-V Tracer Software leverages the unique touchscreen interface of the 2400 Series Graphical SourceMeter® Source Measure Unit (SMU) instruments to recreate the familiar user experience of a curve tracer for two-terminal devices.
Includes 1 Year of Maintenance

About Tektronix Software Licensing

View Kickstart Datasheet

Questions? Contact Us

High Resistivity

$790

Subscription

$1,990

Perpetual

Select license option to continue

Get a Free Trial

I-V Tracer

US $1,560 - US $5,200

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Maintenance Plans

About Tektronix Software Licensing

Apply to perpetual licenses only. A maintenance license is an extension license that extends the period of support of an original perpetual license for 12 months.

Note: Perpetual licenses include maintenance for the first year but will require a new maintenance license every 12 months to continue to receive updates after the first year.

Questions? Contact Us

Suite Bundle Maintenance

US $1,560

Purchase a Maintenance License

I-V Characterizer Maintenance

US $1,560

Purchase a Maintenance License

Scope Maintenance

US $1,560

Purchase a Maintenance License

Data Logger Maintenance

US $1,560

Purchase a Maintenance License

DMM Maintenance

US $1,560

Purchase a Maintenance License

Power Supply Maintenance

US $1,560

Purchase a Maintenance License

High Resistivity Maintenance

US $1,560

Purchase a Maintenance License

I-V Characterizer

Highlights

Configure and control up to four Series 2400 Graphical, Series 2600B, 2651A, and 2657A SMU instruments for DC or Pulsed I-V test in either the same app, same project, or a combination of the two.
Enables quick pulse test setup and analysis for the new Model 2601B-Pulse 10us Pulser/SMU for outputting pulses as short as 10us at 10A and 10V.
Perform current versus voltage (I-V) testing on a variety of materials and devices
Use up to four SourceMeter® SMU instruments in each test

See supported models

Oscilloscope

Highlights

Three modes of operation enable data capture and datalogging of waveforms, measurements, and screenshots
Supports data retrieval from analog channels of supported Tektronix scopes, as well as from reference and math channels
Capture present data or arm to wait for a trigger, capture data, and re-arm for next trigger

See supported models

Data Logger

Highlights

Quickly configure multi-channel data acquisition instruments
Stream millions of readings directly to PC disk media for safe data archival
Automatically export data in ready-to-use formats for reports and additional analysis - even while the test is running

See supported models

Precision Digital Multimeter (DMM)

Highlights

Run independent or simultaneous tests that log measurements from one or more DMMs
Get a quick summary of data using statistics built into the data table

See supported models

Power Supply

Highlights

Easy access to control voltage bias and current limit while viewing data from primary measurement instrument in main viewing area
Configure list sweep to automate tests, such as monitoring power consumption or stability of load current

See supported models

High Resistivity App with 6517B Electrometer

The optional high resistivity application (HRMA) for KickStart 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 1000V.

The KickStart High Resistance Measurement Option makes it easier for you to:

Quickly and reliably determine resistivity of material using tests that conform to ASTM D257 standard
Perform a Step Response test to identify electrification time appropriate to the material’s time constant
Observe resistivity dependence on temperature and relative humidity of environment using optional probes 6517-TP and 6517-RH
Use alternating polarity measurement technique to eliminate inherent background currents for the most accurate resistivity measurements.

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 transfer of individual license to different PCs.

KickStart High Resistivity Application

Measuring the Electrical Resistivity of Insulating Materials

I-V Tracer Software for 2400 Series Graphical SMUs

Keithley I-V Tracer Software leverages the unique touchscreen interface of the 2400 Series Graphical SourceMeter^® Source Measure Unit (SMU) instruments to recreate the familiar user experience of a curve tracer for two-terminal devices. Adding the I-V Tracer to your SourceMeter instrument gives you a dedicated user interface for tracing the characteristics of your 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.

Title	Type	Number	Release Date
Recommended Electronics Engineering Benches for Education Whether you are teaching engineering fundamentals or more advanced topics like mixed-signal or RF analysis, Tektronix has a bench configuration for your education lab. Start with one of these recommended configurations for your engineering lab and c …			06 Oct 2021
Pulsed I-V Characterization of MOSFETs Using Keithley KickStart Software This application note discusses the reasons why pulse-based testing might be beneficial for a semiconductor device and details the application of pulsed test for MOSFET transistors. Specifics are provided for using Keithley KickStart Software to esta …	Application Note	1KW-73840-0	14 Sep 2021
Keithley KickStart Quick Start Guide	Primary User	KKS-903-01K	14 Sep 2021
Pulsed Characterization of HBLEDs Using Keithley KickStart Software This application note discusses the reasons why pulse-based testing might be beneficial for a semiconductor device and details the application of pulsed test for high-brightness LEDs. Specifics are provided for using Keithley KickStart Software to es …	Application Note	1KW-73839-0	13 Sep 2021
KickStart Instrument Control Software Datasheet KickStart Software simplifies what you need to know about your instrument so that in just minutes you can take the instrument out of the box and get real data on your device. KickStart Software enables quick test setup and data visualization when us …	Datasheet	1KW-60965-8	13 Sep 2021
KickStart Instrument Control Software Version 2.6.0 (Windows 10, 8, 7 compatible) "KickStart Software for the PC enables quick test setup and data visualization when using one or more instruments.Key Features• Save time by automating data collection of millions of readings.• Set up a multi-instrument test with the ability to indep …	Application	KICKSTART-2.6.0	13 Sep 2021
How do I export data from KickStart? All export features can be accessed from the export button, found at the bottom of any open KickStart app. Export settings are configured for one app at a time. All apps feature the same options for exporting data and options are not affected by the …	Faq	469991	10 Aug 2021
2470 Breakdown and Leakage Current Measurements on High Voltage Semiconductor Devices Keithley has long had a strong presence in high power semiconductor device test. Most recently, Keithley introduced the 2470 1.1 kV Graphical SourceMeter® Source Measure Unit to address challenging measurements for SiC and GaN device testing. This ap …	Application Note	1KW-61601-0	04 Aug 2021
KickStart Instrument Control Software Version 2.5.0 (Windows 10, 8, 7 compatible) """KickStart Software for the PC enables quick test setup and data visualization when using one or more instruments.Key Features• Save time by automating data collection of millions of readings.• Set up a multi-instrument test with the ability to ind …	Application	KICKSTART-2.5.0	05 Apr 2021
KickStart Power Supply FAQs What power supplies are supported in the power supply app? The app supports the Keithley 2280S-32-6 and 22380S-60-3 Precision Measurement DC Power Supplies and the 2281S-20-6 as a power supply only; the Series 222x and 223x DC power …	Faq	783004	31 Mar 2021
KickStart Licensing FAQs 1. I see that KICKSTARTFL-BASE is going away. Will the existing KICKSTARTFL-BASE license still work in KickStart version 2.4.0? a. Yes. b. However, by October 2021, existing KICKSTARTFL-BASE users will need to purchase KICKSTARTFL-SUITE-UP to use t …	Faq	783002	30 Mar 2021
Measuring the Electrical Resistivity of Insulating Materials This application note explains how to make volume and surface resistivity measurements of insulators using the Keithley 6517B Electrometer/High Resistance Meter, 8009 Resistivity Test Fixture, and Kickstart High Resistivity Application that can be us …	Application Note	1KW-61175-1	26 Mar 2021
Which license for Kickstart 2.X.X should I purchase with my 6517B? Kickstart – KICKSTARTFL-SUITE or KICKSTARTFL-SUITE-AN License Gives access to the I-V Characterizer, DMM, Data Logger, Scope, and Power Supply applications in Kickstart. - Allows you to use the DMM application with the 6517B, which supports: V …	Faq	783005	04 Dec 2020
Why Won't My Meter Connect to KickStart? 1) Is the instrument supported? While several Tektronix and Keithley instruments are supported there are some instruments that are unsupported. i. Check KickStart webpage under supported instruments: ii. If you still cannot find your instrument, the …	Faq	783004	04 Dec 2020
KickStart High Resistivity APP FAQs 1. What enhancements to the High Resistivity App were made for KickStart version 2.4? Why should I upgrade my high resistivity app to the latest version? Fully supported software for updated versions of Windows KickStart 1.9.8 only allowed for alte …	Faq	783003	04 Dec 2020
I see that KICKSTARTFL-BASE is going away. Will the existing KICKSTARTFL-BASE license still work in KickStart version 2.4.0? a. Yes. b. However, by October 2021, existing KICKSTARTFL-BASE users will need to purchase KICKSTARTFL-SUITE-UP to use their Base licenses with KickStart software versions released after that date.	Faq	783001	04 Dec 2020
University of Oklahoma Case Study To get more students excited about engineering careers in RF and help them better understand Electromagnetics principles, University of Oklahoma Assistant Professor Jay McDaniel worked with Tektronix to devise a 10-workstation lab for experiential le …	Case Study	37W-61704-0	03 Nov 2020
Does KickStart support RS-232 communication? No. KickStart only communicates to instruments connected using USB, GPIB or LAN.	Faq	470096	07 Oct 2020
Does Kickstart support the 2600? The 2600A or 2600B? Keithley's Kickstart software supports the 2600A and 2600B Source Measure Unit models. Kickstart does not work with the non-A or non-B 2600 instrument models. This applies for version 1.9.8+	Faq	255366	07 Oct 2020
How do I create an I-V Characterizer test that uses more than one SMU Instrument? Use the “Instruments” button in the I-V Characterizer app toolbar to access the “Add Channels” button to add more SMU instruments to your test. You can add up to 4 SMU instruments in a single I-V Characterizer app.	Faq	470091	07 Oct 2020
After I place an order for a software-license for Kickstart, how do I get and install the license? If you ordered KICKSTARTFL-BASE that is used with the Kickstart 2.0 or higher software application. If you ordered KICKSTARTFL-HRMA that is used with Kickstart 1.9 software application> After you place an order for Kickstart 2.xx, you may receive u …	Faq	772141	07 Oct 2020
During KickStart version 2.0.0 installation, I receive an error message “The operating system is not adequate for running KickStart.” What are the PC system requirements for KickStart version 2.0.0? KickStart version 2.0.0 requires a 64-bit Windows Operating System. This version of KickStart supports Windows 7 and higher. Keithley recommends that you have at least 8 GB of PC disk space and at least 8 GB of RAM. If you need to run KickStart o …	Faq	470106	07 Oct 2020
My Model 2701 is not automatically discovered in the KickStart instrument pane. How do I connect to the Model 2701? The Model 2701 is not an LXI-C instrument. You must manually add its IP address in KickStart. Click on the “Advanced” section of the Instrument Pane in KickStart version 2.0.0. Enter the IP address for the Model 2701.	Faq	470101	07 Oct 2020
Testing Laser Diode Modules and VCSELs with the 2601B-PULSE SMU and KickStart Software This application note examines the hardware and software tools that are required for testing laser diodes and vertical cavity surface emitting lasers in today's R&D labs.	Application Note	1KW-61694-0	18 May 2020