Sourcing Precise Current/Voltage Sinusoidal Waveforms Using the B2961A/62A

Keysight Technologies

Sourcing Precise Current/Voltage Sinusoidal Waveforms Using the B2961A/62A

B2961A/62A 6.5 Digit Low Noise Power Source

Introduction

The Keysight B2961A/62A 6.5 Digit Low Noise Power Source is a bench-top power supply with revolutionary capabilities and functions not previously available. It can source either voltage or current with 6.5 digits of resolution while also monitoring them, which is essential for a variety of measurement applications.

It also has an arbitrary waveform generation function that allows it to source current/ voltage waveforms in formats such as sinusoid, square, trapezoid, ramp, triangle, and exponential. In addition to these commonly used waveforms, user-defined arbitrary waveforms with up to 100,000 points can be specified. These flexible output capabilitiespermit more thorough evaluation of circuits/devices/samples than are possible with other instruments such as power supplies and sources.

This demonstration guide highlights the excellent arbitrary waveform generation functions of the B2961A/62A Power Source. The methodology involves sourcing a sinusoidal current/voltage waveform through a 1.1 kΩ resistor and monitoring the outputs through an oscilloscope.

Required Instrument and Accessories

All of the accessories required to perform the primary demos described in this demonstration guide are provided in a demo kit that is included with Keysight B2961A/62A demo units. The kit includes items such as a banana cable, a 1.1 kΩ resistor, etc., so the only additional item needed is an oscilloscope.

However, some of the optional demos require special cables or wiring to send phase markeroutputs or to receive trigger signals. These optional items are the N1253A-100 Digital I/OT-cable or (alternatively) the N1294A-031 GPIO - BNC Trigger Adapter and a BNC cable. Aninstrument that can send the external trigger signal to the B2961A/62A will be also required for the optional demos.

Setup

Oscilloscope Setup

1. Set Ch1 vertical scale to 500 mV/div and horizontal scale to 5 ms/div.
2. Set Ch1 Input Impedance to 1M Ohm.

B2961A/62A Setup

1. Connect the banana cables to the B2961A/62A’s Ch1 High/Low Force Terminals
2. Connect the alligator clips to the ends of the 1.1 kΩ resistor.
3. Probe across the 1.1 kΩ resistor to monitor the output using the oscilloscope.

Why use the B2960A Series’ Arbitrary Waveform Generation Function?

Some conventional power suppliescan also generate waveforms but the signal integrity is not good. For example, although the B2960A Series can supply clean & smooth waveforms as shown below, a conventional power supply output has discontinuities.