30 GHz bandwidth in a compact USB instrument

30 GHz bandwidth in a compact USB instrument

PicoScope 9300 Series sampling oscilloscopes use triggered sequential sampling to capture high-bandwidth repetitive or clock-derived signals without the expense or jitter of a very high-speed clocked sampling system such as a real-time oscilloscope. 30 GHz bandwidth allows measurement of 14 ps transitions, and low sampling jitter enables timing resolution down to 0.064 ps. Sequential sampling rate of 1 MS/s, unsurpassed by other sampling oscilloscopes, enables rapid building of waveforms, eye diagrams and histograms.

These two and four channel units occupy very little space on a workbench and are small enough to carry with a laptop for on-site testing. Furthermore, instead of using remote probe heads attached to a large bench-top unit, you can position the PicoScope 9300 right next to the device under test and connect to it with short, low-loss coaxial cables.

Everything you need is built into the oscilloscope, with no expensive hardware or software add-ons to worry about. Alternatively, you can use your PicoScope 9300 with a stand-alone PG900 TDR/TDT differential fast pulse generator to gain the extra versatility and configurability of independent high-performance source and measurement instruments.

Trigger modes

2.5 GHz direct and up to 18 GHz prescaled trigger

Sampling oscilloscopes accept their trigger from a separate input, either directly for repetition rates up to 2.5 GHz or via a prescaling divider input, for repetition rates up to 18 GHz (14 GHz on 20 GHz models).

Built-in 11.3 Gb/s clock data recovery trigger

To support serial data applications in which the data clock is not available as a trigger, or for which trigger jitter needs to be reduced, the PicoScope 9302 and 9321 include a clock recovery module. This continuously regenerates the data clock from the incoming serial data or trigger signal and can do so with reduced jitter even over very long trigger delays or for pattern lock applications. A divider accessory kit is included to route the signal to both the clock recovery and oscilloscope inputs.

9.5 GHz optical model

The PicoScope 9321-20 includes a built-in precision optical-to-electrical converter. With the converter output routed to one of the scope inputs (optionally through an SMA pulse shaping filter), the PicoScope 9321-20 can analyse standard optical communications signals such as OC48/STM16, 4.250 Gb/s Fibre Channel and 2xGB Ethernet. The scope can perform eye-diagram measurements with automatic measurement of optical parameters including extinction ratio, S/N ratio, eye height and eye width. With its integrated clock recovery module, the scope is usable to 11.3 Gb/s.

The converter input accepts both single-mode (SM) and multi-mode (MM) fibres and has a wavelength range of 750 to 1650 nm.

TDR/TDT analysis

The PicoScope 9311 oscilloscopes feature built-in step generators for time-domain reflectometry and transmission measurements. The 9311‑20 features deskewable rising and falling step generators suited to single-ended and differential measurements. These features can be used to characterise transmission lines, printed circuit traces, connectors, and cables with 16 mm resolution for impedance measurements and 4 mm resolution for fault detection.

The PicoScope 9311-20 generates 2.5 to 7 V steps with 60 ps rise time from built-in step recovery diodes. It is supplied with a comprehensive set of calibrated accessories to support your TDR/TDT measurements, including cables, signal dividers, adaptors, attenuator, and reference load and short.

The PicoScope 9311-20 TDR/TDT model includes source deskew with 1 ps resolution and comprehensive calibration, reference plane, and measurement functions. Voltage, impedance, or reflection coefficient (ρ) can be plotted against time or distance.

An alternative approach to TDR/TDT capability is to pair any 9300 Series scope with a stand-alone PG900 pulse generator. These instruments include similar differential step recovery diode step generators and also offer an option of 40 ps tunnel diode step generation. This brings extra flexibility and the ability to remotely position the pulse source. The generators also enable TDT and TDR with the PicoScope 9301, 9302 clock recovery, 9321 optical, and 9341 4-channel sampling oscilloscopes.

Built-in signal generator

All the PicoScope 9300 Series scopes can generate industry-standard and custom signals including clock, pulse and pseudo-random binary sequence. You can use these to test the instrument’s inputs, experiment with its features and verify complex setups such as mask tests. AUX OUTPUT can also be configured as a trigger output.

PicoConnect® 900 Series: the shape of probes to come

The PicoConnect 900 Series is a range of low-invasive, high-frequency passive probes, designed for microwave and gigabit applications up to 9 GHz and 18 Gb/s. They deliver unprecedented performance and flexibility at a low price and are an obvious choice to use alongside the PicoScope 9300 Series scopes.

Features of the PicoConnect 900 Series probes:

• Extremely low loading capacitance of < 0.3 pF typical, 0.4 pF upper test limit for all models
• Slim, fingertip design for accurate and steady probing or solder-in at fine scale
• Interchangeable SMA probe heads at division ratios of 5:1, 10:1 and 20:1, AC or DC coupled
• Accurate probing of high-speed transmission lines for Z0 = 0 Ω to 100 Ω
• Class-leading uncorrected pulse/eye response and pulse/eye disturbance

PicoSource® PG900 Series differential pulse generators

For greater versatility than a built-in signal generator can offer, you may want to separate your high-performance fast-step TDR/TDT pulse source from the sampling oscilloscope and have two instruments to use either stand-alone or together as required.

The PicoSource PG900 Series generators contain the same step recovery diode pulse source as the PicoScope 9311, or slightly faster but reduced amplitude tunnel diode pulse heads, rehoused in a separate USB-controlled instrument. All are supplied with PicoSource PG900 control software.

SMA Bessel-Thomson pulse-shaping filters

For use with the 9321-20 optical-to-electrical converter, a range of Bessel–Thomson filters is available for standard bit rates. These filters are essential for accurate characterisation of signals emerging from an optical transmission system.

The first diagram shows the ringing typical of an unequalised O/E converter output at 622 Mb/s. The second diagram shows the result of connecting a 622 Mb/s B-T filter.

The first eye diagram, above left, shows the ringing typical of an unequalised O/E converter output at 622 Mb/s. The second eye diagram, above right, shows the result of connecting the 622 Mb/s B-T filter. This is an accurate representation of the signal that an equalised optical receiver would see, enabling the PicoScope 9321 to display correct measurements.