Keysight (Agilent) 4288A 1 kHz/1 MHz Capacitance Meter

The Keysight (Agilent) 4288A is a dual-frequency capacitance meter engineered for high-speed production testing of capacitors with exceptional accuracy. Operating at 1 kHz and 1 MHz, it delivers measurement results in as little as 6.5 ms (Short Mode) or 16.5 ms (Long Mode) - approximately 30% faster than the 4278A - while maintaining a compact footprint ideal for automated test equipment integration. The instrument measures capacitance, dissipation factor, quality factor, and multiple resistance and conductance parameters across a wide range from 0.00001 pF to 20 µF at 1 kHz and 0.00001 pF to 1.50000 nF at 1 MHz.

Technical Specifications

• Measurement Frequencies: 1 kHz, 1 MHz


• Measurement Parameters: Capacitance (Cp, Cs), Dissipation Factor (D), Quality Factor (Q), Equivalent Parallel Resistance (Rp), Equivalent Parallel Conductance (G), Equivalent Series Resistance (Rs/ESR)


• Capacitance Range: 0.00001 pF to 20.000 µF (1 kHz); 0.00001 pF to 1.50000 nF (1 MHz)


• Basic Accuracy (Long Mode): ±0.07% capacitance, ±0.0005 dissipation factor


• Basic Accuracy (Short Mode): ±0.085% capacitance, ±0.00065 dissipation factor


• Measurement Speed: 6.5 ms ±0.5 ms (Short), 16.5 ms ±1.0 ms (Long)


• Display Resolution: 6-digit, user-selectable to 5 or 4 digits


• Power: 90–132 V and 198–264 V AC, 47–66 Hz; 35 W / 100 VA maximum


• Operating Conditions: 0 °C to 45 °C, 15–95% RH (non-condensing at ≤40 °C)

Key Features

• Nine-bin comparator with high/low secondary sorting limits and data buffer storage (up to 1000 sets)


• Open/short/load calibration with multi-channel compensation (up to 64 channels)


• Cable compensation for 0, 1, and 2 m lengths


• Software-selectable frequency shift (±2%, ±1%, −1% from nominal)


• Stores up to 10 instrument configurations in EEPROM

Typical Applications Production line testing of ceramic and film capacitors; ATE system integration; high-volume component quality assurance.

Compatibility & Integration GPIB remote control (IEEE 488.1/488.2, SCPI); multi-channel scanning support with external trigger capability.