While arbitrary function generators continue playing an important role in generating waveforms for various electronics testing applications, these instruments have often lagged behind oscilloscopes and other test instruments, hampered by usability issues such as small displays and relatively small memory capacity. Tektronix is trying to break that mold with its new AFG31000 series, which according to the company has the industry’s largest touchscreen and designed for maximum usability
Electronics testing is being challenged by increasing design complexity, faster time-to-market requirements, and demand for lower cost options to larger automatic waveform generators, notes Wilson Lee, Tektronix technical marketing manager, in a recent interview with ECN. These demands are being encountered in applications such as neurological research, noise tolerance testing, and power system testing. In response, Tektronix has designed, from the ground up, what they consider to be a new generation of advanced arbitrary function generator with enhanced usability features.
Tektronix has coupled these features with higher instrument performance. According to Lee, the AFG31000 exhibits 10x less noise, 40x lower jitter, and 1,000x greater memory capacity than AFGs available previously from Tektronix.
Advanced capabilities
The new arbitrary function generator’s most significant feature is a 9-in. capacitive touchscreen (see figure) , which Tektronix claims is the largest available on an AFG. The touchscreen enables users to see all related settings and parameters on a single screen within a shallow menu tree. Similar to the modern touch-enabled smart devices, users can tap or swipe to easily select, browse, locate and change settings. Tektronix believes the intuitive user interface saves users time in both learning and operating the instrument for greater productivity and efficiency. The instrument’s front panel retains knobs and buttons for users wishing to interface through traditional methods.
Another key enhancement is what the company terms as the InstaView feature, which displays the waveform at the device under test (DUT) without the need for additional cables or instruments. The waveform shown on the display instantly responds to changes in frequency, amplitude, waveform shape, as well as the DUT’s impedance. According to Tektronix’s Wilson Lee, this overcomes the absence of a 50- Ω impedance at most devices under test, which traditional AFGs assume is present.
Another interesting enhancement is an integrated waveform sequencer, which Tektronix claims reduces the cost of generating waveforms with complex timing. The ArbBuilder tool in the AFG31000 series enables users to create and edit arbitrary waveforms directly on the instrument, without needing to create the waveforms on a PC and transfer them to the instrument. This feature improves test efficiency, especially for arbitrary waveforms that need to change frequently. For users who wants to replicate waveforms captured by an oscilloscope, they can save waveforms as .csv files and use ArbBuilder to load them directly into the AFG31000.
In addition to traditional AFG operation modes, the AFG31000 series offers an Advanced or waveform sequencer mode. In the Advanced mode, the instrument’s up-to 128 Mpts of waveform memory can be segmented into up to 256 entries, and users can drag and drop long waveforms, or multiple waveforms in the sequencer and define how they are output.
The AFG31000 is available in one- or two-channel configurations and deliver 14-bit vertical resolution along with 250 MSa/s, 1 GSa/s, or 2 GSa/s sample rate performance. Additionally, in traditional AFG mode, users can change frequency without worrying about waveform length and sample rate. Output amplitude range is 1 mVP-P to 10 VP-P into 50-Ω loads.
The AFG31000 series arbitrary/function generator models with 25, 50 or 100 MHz bandwidth are available now globally. Models with 150 or 250 MHz bandwidth are scheduled for release in November. Prices start at $2,210 US MSRP.