A Fast Pulse Oscilloscope Calibration System

Published

May 1, 1998

Author(s)

J. P. Deyst, Nicholas Paulter, T. Daboczi, Gerard N. Stenbakken, T. M. Souders

Abstract

A system is described for calibrating high-bandwidth oscilloscopes using pulse signals. The fast pulse oscilloscope calibration system (FPOCS) is to be used to determine the step response parameters for digitizing oscilloscopes having bandwidths of 20 GHz. The system can provide traceability to the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). It is comprised of fast electrical step generation hardward, a personal computer (PC) and software, and a reference waveform, I.e., a data file containing an estimate of the step generator output signal. The reference waveform is produced by prior measurement of the step generator output signal (calibration step signal) by NIST. When the FPOCS is in use, the calibration step signal is applied to the device under test, which is an oscilloscope sampling channel. The measured step waveform is corrected for timebase errors, then the reference waveform is deconvolved from it. The results are impulse, step, and frequency response estimates, and their associated parameters (e.g., transition duration transition amplitude, -3 dB bandwidth) and uncertainties. The system and its components are described, and preliminary test results are presented.

Proceedings Title

Proc. IEEE Instrumentation and Technology Conference (IMTC)

Volume

1

Conference Dates

May 18-20, 1998

Conference Location

St. Paul, MN

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

ocilloscope, pulse, step, calibration, transition, risetime, deconvolution

Citation

Deyst, J. , Paulter, N. , Daboczi, T. , Stenbakken, G. and Souders, T. (1998), A Fast Pulse Oscilloscope Calibration System, Proc. IEEE Instrumentation and Technology Conference (IMTC), St. Paul, MN, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=17975 (Accessed October 31, 2024)