IEC 62860-1:2013

Overview

IEC 62860-1:2013 (based on IEEE Std 1620.1‑2006) defines recommended test methods and reporting practices for the electrical characterization of printed and organic transistor‑based ring oscillators. The standard addresses measurement challenges unique to printed electronics and organic transistors - in particular the high‑impedance nature of many devices - and provides guidance to minimize and quantify measurement artifacts so results are reproducible and comparable across labs.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and purpose: Systematic characterization of organic transistor‑based ring oscillators, with emphasis on reproducibility and clear disclosure of test procedures and environmental conditions.
• Measurement accuracy: Test instrumentation should provide at least ±0.1% accuracy/resolution for signal level and timing/frequency measurements. Instruments must be calibrated against a recognized standard (e.g., NIST traceable).
• Recalibration triggers: Recalibration is required per manufacturer recommendations or when test conditions change significantly (example thresholds given: temperature change >10 °C, relative humidity change >30%).
• Required measurements: At minimum, measure time‑domain output (voltage vs. time) from a single node of a ring oscillator composed of an odd number (≥3) of inverter stages; the standard recommends using as many stages as practical (ideally seven or more) to obtain robust oscillation characteristics.
• High‑impedance measurement guidance: Identification of common error sources for high‑impedance printed circuits and organic transistors, and recommended practices to minimize leakage, parasitic coupling, probe loading, and other artifacts.
• Reporting and design‑of‑experiment (DoE): Standardized reporting fields including environmental conditions, measurement setup, instrumentation calibration status, device layout, and DoE details to enable interpretation and replication of results.

Practical applications and users

IEC 62860-1 is intended for:

• Research laboratories characterizing organic field‑effect transistors (OFETs) and printed ring oscillators.
• Printed electronics and organic semiconductor manufacturers validating circuit performance.
• Test laboratories and contract engineering groups developing test protocols for high‑impedance devices.
• Standards writers and reviewers comparing published data across publications and product datasheets.

Practical benefits include improved data comparability, reduced measurement uncertainty for high‑impedance printed devices, and a clearer path from lab characterization to manufacturing readiness.

Related standards

• IEC 62860-1:2013 is published under the IEC/IEEE dual‑logo agreement and is based on IEEE Std 1620.1‑2006. The standard also references other applicable measurement and environmental control standards where relevant (see the normative references in the publication).

Keywords: electrical characterization, high‑impedance printing, organic transistor, printed electronics, ring oscillator.