25 Common Things You Can Do With an Arbitrary/Function Generator

Embedded and Semiconductor Test Applications

Clock Source

What for – Frequency margining: Test clock frequency operating range of circuit boards. Substitute

unavailable clock source for function test of device.

Benefit of using AFG325x– Cost savings over dedicated pulse generators.– Ease of use, compact form factor

Target company– Companies that develop embedded and digital communication circuitry.

Target customer– Electronic Test and Design Engineers.

Digital Circuit

Characterization of Logic Devices - Timing Margin Test

What for – Stimulate logic device with data and clock signal to characterize set-up and hold time.

Why for AFG– Synchronized, dual channels.– Ease of use and compact form factor.

In what place– Companies designing and using logic circuits.

Who is Target customer– Electronic Design and Test Engineers

Characterize Phase Locked Loop (PLL) Circuits

What for – Measure Bandwidth and Jitter transfer of Phase Locked Loop (PLL) Circuit .

Benefit of using AFG3252– Dual channels.– Ease of use.– Compact form factor.

Target company– Semiconductor companies that develop PLLs.– Datacommunication equipment manufacturers.

Target customer– Electronic design and test engineers

PLL Circuit

Aux. Clock

Main Clock

Spectrum AnalyzerJitter Analyzer

Characterizing Operational Amplifiers

What for – Measure phase shift, gain, overshoot, slew rate performance of operational amplifiers and

buffer circuits.

Benefit of using AFG3xxx– Dual channels to generate differential signal.– Ease of use, compact form factor.

Target company– Semiconductor manufacturers who develop operational amplifiers.

Target customer– Electronics Design and Test Engineers.

Timing Margin Test of AFE for CCD Sensor

What for – Determine sensitivity of AFE to falling edge time of input signal.

Benefit of using AFG3252– Pulse frequency up to 120 MHz. Falling edge time is adjustable conveniently and

independently from rising edge time.

Target company– Semiconductor and electronics companies that develop digital imaging products.

Target customer– Electronic Design Engineer.

Characterizing CCD Sensor – Delay Margin Test

What for – Test delay margins of the clock input of the CCD circuit.

Benefit of using AFG3252– Square wave up to 120 MHz, dual channels, convenient short-cut keys and fine adjustability of

delay between channels 1 and 2.

Target company– Semiconductor and electronics companies that develop digital imaging technology.

Target customer– Electronic Design Engineer.

Testing Audio DAC

What for – Functional test of audio ADC and DAC.– Evaluate clock frequency operating range of audio ADC and DAC.

Benefit of using AFG3252– Dual channels. Good noise and jitter specifications.

Target company– Semiconductor companies that design audio ADCs and DACs.

Target customer– Electronic Design Engineer

Control Signal

Audio Analyzer

DAC

Clock

DC Power Supply Test

What for – Determine response of electronic system (PC motherboard, automotive electronic device, etc.)

to transients and disturbances in power supply.

Benefit of using AFG3xxx– Powerful waveform creation and editing capability of ArbExpress.– Ease of use and compact form factor of instrument.

Target company– Companies that design computers, peripherals, embedded systems, automotive electronics

Target customer– Electronic design engineers.

DC Power Supply

ElectronicSystem

+–

RF Related Applications

Measure Frequency Response of Bandpass Filter

What for – Stimulate filter with swept sinewave and measure filter’s frequency response with spectrum

analyzer.

Benefit of using AFG3xxx– Ease of use.– Compact form factor.

Target company– Filter vendors.– Wireless communication equipment vendors.– Student labs in universities.

Target customer– Electronic design engineers.– Professors, lab managers.

Bandpass Filter

Spectrum Analyzer

Measure Intermodulation Distortion of RF Components

What for – Stimulate RF components with dual tone to measure second and third order intermodulation

distortion with a spectrum analyzer.

Benefit of using AFG3252– Create dual tone conveniently via waveform math in ArbExpress.– Ease of use reduces set-up time– Compact form factor saves room on the bench.

Target company– Companies that design or use RF amplifiers, gain blocks, mixers, modulators, connectors,

splitters, couplers, relays, attenuators, PIN diodes, carbon resistors, coaxial cable, and others.

Target customer– Electronic design engineers.

RF Component

Dual tone

Pulsed Noise-Figure Measurement

What for – AFG3252 generates two synchronous pulse signals to power up RF amplifier and trigger noise

figure measurement on spectrum analyzer.

Benefit of using AFG3252– Dual channels. Ease of use.– Saves cost and bench space compared to dedicated pulse generators.

Target company– Companies that develop components and systems for wireless communications for burst-type

standards (TDMA, GSM, …), as well as radar and electronic warfare.

Target customer– RF design and test engineers

Functional Test of RFID Receiver ICs

What for – AFG simulates 4 bit RFID pattern and provides trigger signal for functional test of 134.2 kHz

RFID receiver ICs.

Benefit of using AFG3022B– Dual channels to generate RFID signal and synchronous trigger signal.

ArbExpress to define RFID pulses via mathematical formulas.

Target company– Semiconductor companies that design RFID ICs. Designers of RFID readers.

Target customer– Electronic design engineer.

Transformer RFID Receiver IC

Trigger

EMC Radiation Testing

What for – Measure radiation of ATIS* audio signal inside aircraft. AFG3252 feeds 130 MHz carrier

modulated with audio signal from into communication system of aircraft .

Benefit of using AFG3xxx– Dual channels, sine wave frequency range, external modulation capability, compact form

factor. AFG3252 replaced PC playing audio file, audio amplifier and RF generator.

Target company– Aircraft manufacturers. Companies that test aircraft communication systems.

Target customer– EMC test engineers.

*Automated Terminal Information System

Aircraft Comms SystemModulated RF

Audio Signal

Ext. Modulation

Spectrum Analyzer

Characterizing I/Q Modulators

What for – Measure quadrature error, frequency response, up-converter losses.

Benefit of using AFG3xxx– Synchronized dual channels.– Phase delay between channels adjustable on the fly.– 240 MHz sine .

Target company– Semiconductor and wireless communication equipment manufacturers.

Target customer– Electronic Design and Test Engineers.

Education Related Applications

Measure Frequency Response of Bandpass Filter

What for – Stimulate filter with swept sinewave and measure filter’s frequency response with spectrum

analyzer.

Benefit of using AFG3xxx– Ease of use.– Compact form factor.

Target company– Filter vendors.– Wireless communication equipment vendors.– Student labs in universities.

Target customer– Electronic design engineers.– Professors, lab managers.

Bandpass Filter

Spectrum Analyzer

AM/FM Radio Test and Alignment

What for – Measure IF bandwidth, align RF stage, measure audio bandwidth of FM receiver.

Benefit of using AFG3xxx– Ease of use.– Compact form factor.

Target company– AM/FM radio manufacturers.– Student labs in universities.

Target customer– Professors, lab managers.

Automotive and Transportation Applications

Test & Optimization of Engine Control Units

What for – Simulate various automotive sensor signals, such as pressure, temperature, speed, rotation

and angular position for functional test and optimization of engine control units (ECU) for automotive applications.

Benefit of using AFG302xB, AFG3011– Large display confirms all settings at a single glance. Amplitude can be entered as Vpp/Offset

or as High/Low values. ArbExpress to create sensor signals. Amplitude up to 20 Vpp eliminates need for external amplifier.

Target company– Automotive electronics companies

Target customer– Electronic Design Engineer

cam shaft

Engine Ignition

fuel injectiontiming control

ignitionanalog

DSP Platform(ECU Emulator)

Simulation of Automotive Sensor Signals

What for – Simulate crankshaft, camshaft, wheel, knock and other automotive engine sensor signals.

Benefit of using AFG3xx2– Dual channels– Powerful waveform creation and editing capability of ArbExpress.– Ease of use and compact form factor of instrument.

Target company– Companies who design electronic engine control systems for automobiles.

Target customer– Electronic Design Engineers

Power Train Control Module

Camshaft Signal

Crankshaft Signal

Characterize and optimize Power MOSFET circuitry in Automotive Electronics

What for – Stimulate Power MOSFET circuitry with pulse signal to measure turn-on and turn-off delay, as

well as rise and fall time.

Benefit of using AFG3011– 20 Vpp output level eliminates need for external amplifier.– Ease of use reduces set-up time– Compact form factor saves room on the bench.

Target company– Companies that design motion control, power management, climate control, electronic stability

systems, or integrated starter/alternators for automobils.

Target customer– Electronic Design Engineers.

Analyzing Switching Waveforms of IGBT circuitry

What for – Measure on and off switching characteristics of IGBT circuitry for ignition coil drives, motor

controllers, safety related systems in automobiles, and various industrial applications.

Benefit of using AFG3011– 20 Vpp output level eliminates need for external amplifier.– Ease of use reduces set-up time– Compact form factor saves room on the bench.

Target company– Automotive electronics vendors who design motion control, power management, climate

control, electronic stability systems, or integrated starter/alternators for automobiles.– Manufacturers of induction heating and welding equipments

Target customer– Electronic Design Engineers.

What for – Test and service of train speed control systems.

Benefit of using AFG3022B / AFG3011– Generate dual synchronous or independent signals (AFG3022B)– >10 Vpp amplitude (AFG3011)

Target company– Designers of train speed control systems– Companies that service and repair locomotives and trains

Target customer– Design engineer, service & test engineer

Testing of Train Speed Control Systems

Train Speed Control System

Axis 1

Axis 2

Medical Applications

Testing Pacemakers, Cardioverter Defibrillators, and other Implantable Medical Devices

What for – The AFG3022B simulates normal and irregular biomedical signals (e.g. heart fibrillation) for the

functional test of medical devices .

Benefit of using AFG3xxx– Tightly synchronized dual channels, floating output to generate differential signals.– Instrument’s ease of use and compact form factor.

Target company– Companies that design medical devices.

Target customer– Electronic design and test engineers.

Medical Device

Isolation C

ircuit

µV Level

Testing Medical Ultrasound Equipment

What for – Drive ultrasound transducer with sine wave bursts to test medical imaging system.

Benefit of using AFG310x– Ease of use.– Compact form factor.

Target company– Companies developing medical ultrasound equipment.– Universities engaged in ultrasound research.

Target customer– Electronic design engineers, researchers.

Trigger

Ultrasound ImagingSystem

Ultrasound Transducer Detector

Power Amplifier

Testing Detector Circuit of Medical Ultrasound Equipment

What for – Simulate ultrasound detector signal to characterize input circuit of medical ultrasound system.

Benefit of using AFG310x– Ability to add noise and jitter internally.– Ease of use.– Compact form factor.

Target company– Medical diagnostic equipment manufacturers.– Universities engaged in ultrasound research.

Target customer– Electronic design engineers, researchers.

Ultrasound Diagnostic

System

Arbitrary waveform

Industrial Applications

Characterizing Dynamic Performance of Hydraulic Servo Valves

What for – AFG stimulates servo valve with square wave to determine actuating time (step response),

frequency response (Bode plot) and other specifications for datasheet.

Benefit of using AFG3xxx– Versatility (square, ramp, sine, arb)– >10 Vpp to determine valve characteristics in overdrive.– Ease of use

Target company– Companies that design and manufacture hydraulic servo valves.

Target customer– Electromechanical design engineers

Dynamic Signal

Analyzer

Process

Hydraulic Servo Valve

Analyzing Switching Waveforms of IGBT circuitry

What for – Measure on and off switching characteristics of IGBT circuitry for ignition coil drives, motor

controllers, safety related systems in automobiles, and various industrial applications.

Benefit of using AFG3011– 20 Vpp output level eliminates need for external amplifier.– Ease of use reduces set-up time– Compact form factor saves room on the bench.

Target company– Automotive electronics vendors who design motion control, power management, climate

control, electronic stability systems, or integrated starter/alternators for automobiles.– Manufacturers of induction heating and welding equipments

Target customer– Electronic Design Engineers.

Research Applications

Driving and Modulating Laser Diodes

What for – Drive laser diodes and electro-optical modulators for laser based communication

systems.

Benefit of using AFG3252– Dual channels, arbitrary waveforms up to 125 MHz, versatility, ease of use.

Target companies– Universities, research institutes who are involved with optical communication

Target customers– Researchers

PC with MatLab

Waveform

Electro Optical

Modulator

Electro Optical

ModulatorLaser Diode

AM PM

Photo Diode