Early signal generators, dependent upon vacuum-tube technology and subject to failure, were ancestors of today’s far more precise and durable arbitrary function generators. These instruments have advanced modes and functions that figure prominently in research and product development as well as troubleshooting and repair. Here the word “arbitrary” means the instrument is capable of generating […]
Tektronix
Tektronix signal separation software earns 2019 Leap Award
The votes are in. Business-to-Business publisher WTWH Media, LLC, has announced the winners of the second-year Leadership in Engineering Achievement Program (LEAP) Awards, a design engineering product competition honoring the most exciting new products in a host of technology areas: Additive Manufacturing, Advanced Materials, Analog Electronics, Connectivity, Embedded Computing, Fastener Technology, Hydraulics, Industrial Automation, Mechanical, […]
SMU modules handle tests involving low current, high capacitance
Two new source measure unit (SMU) modules for the Keithley 4200A-SCS Parameter Analyzer can perform low-current measurements even in the presence of high load capacitance due to long cables and complex test setups. Among the notable test applications facing this challenge are LCD display manufacturing and nano FET device testing on a chuck. The new […]
Checking power line quality with test instruments
The average homeowner probably doesn’t think about the quality of the electrical power coming out of household wall sockets. But that’s not the case for large industrial facilities where capacitive, inductive, and non-linear electrical loads can be large enough to distort the ac waveform. In those cases, electrical power quality becomes an important measurement. Electric […]
Understanding instrumentation for measuring total harmonic distortion
When discussing total harmonic distortion (THD), the fundamental of the wave in question is known as the first harmonic. Quantifying THD, therefore, begins with the second harmonic. Theoretically, the number of harmonics is limited only by some maximum frequency based on minimum quantum wavelength. In reality, however, we are interested in a relatively small number […]
Software speeds double-pulse testing with AFGs
A new software plugin for the AFG31000 Arbitrary/Function Generator makes it possible to perform crucial double pulse testing in less than a minute, saving a significant amount of time when compared to alternative methods. With the new Double Pulse Test software, engineers can quickly define pulse parameters from a single window on the AFG31000’s large […]
Basic instrumentation for the electronics workbench
Engineers and technicians doing design, development, and testing have a wide range of instrumentation available for use on the test bench. So it might be useful to consider which instruments are considered the “basics” for the general case. Here are a few nominations along with the device properties that are generally considered “must-haves.” The unassuming […]
New approach to frequency analysis on oscilloscopes
It has often been the case that optimizing scope setting to display a detailed view of an FFT results in a time-domain view that is suboptimal. Not anymore. Gary Waldo, Tektronix The debugging of embedded systems often involves looking for clues that are hard to discover when examined one domain at a time. The ability […]
The difference between a pulse generator, a signal generator, an AFG, and an AWG
There are a variety of instruments available to generate electronic signals these days. They go by different names and provide different kinds of outputs. Differences between the various kinds of instrumentation aren’t always obvious, so here is a short primer. Signal generators make available at their outputs sinusoidal waveforms with a settable frequency or amplitude. […]
Setting up a serial or parallel bus in the Tektronix MDO3000 Series oscilloscope
The buttons that access digital functions in the Tektronix MDO3000 Series oscilloscope are grouped together near the bottom of the front panel, just above the analog ports and the Analog Channel One input. Nearby is an insulated cover over the digital input ports and the digital D15-0 button. You may wonder how it is possible […]