Tektronix AFG31000 Arbitrary Function Generator

The Tektronix AFG31000 Arbitrary Function Generator is a waveform generation platform designed for the demanding expectations on performance and versatility throughout the whole process of product realisation. It is suitable for engineers and researchers who need to generate complex test cases for debugging, troubleshooting, characterising and validating devices under test to focus on the task at hand without having to learn how to use the tool.

The series incorporates a 9″ capacitive touch display and a shallow menu tree that makes locating and changing settings fast, while also making browsing easy. An advanced sequence mode for creating long or complex waveforms meanwhile makes the device suitable for users who need long, non-repeating waveforms or multiple waveforms with complex timing.

The product has the ability to monitor the generated waveform on the device under test in real time using InstaView. This simplifies the user’s job by verifying what the generated waveform looks like in real time when the signal is output from the device to the test point in the circuit under test. InstaView eliminates the need to use an oscilloscope to probe at that test point.

Users have the ability to ‘draw’ a waveform on-screen with their fingertips using the built-in waveform creation tool. The built-in ArbBuilder enables arbitrary waveform creation and editing software eliminates the need to connect to a PC or use a USB memory to load arbitrary waveforms.

The generator is available in 1- and 2-channel models, each having an output amplitude range from 1 mVP-P to 10 VP-P into 50 Ω loads. A wide range of operating modes is available, including: sine waves from 25 to 250 MHz; sampling (at 14-bit vertical resolution) from 250 MS/s to 2 GS/s; and continuous, modulation, sweeping and burst run modes (with 128 kpoints arbitrary waveform memory on each channel). A variety of more complex waveforms are available in the advanced sequence mode, which helps design or failure analysis engineers verify whether their circuit will operate as planned or how it will respond under extreme conditions.