Analog and Mixed Signal Sources

Arbitrary Function/Waveform Generators

Tektronix offers a wide variety of Arbitrary Function and Arbitrary Waveform Generators that have the capabilities to earn the title of "Mixed Signal Source". From the 16 MS/s Bench AFG 300 to the 4.0 GS/s programmable AWG 710, Tektronix has an Arbitrary signal source to solve your application requirements.

Arbitrary waveform generators are used to generate "real world" signals. They can generate signals with all the glitches, drift, noise and other anomalies that a device under test will encounter when it leaves the lab or manufacturing floor. In addition to creating standard functions like Sine, Square, Triangle, Noise, and DC, AWGs are being used for disk drive testing, serial data communication, Base band/IF modulation testing, anti-lock braking, engine control, transducer and biomedical simulations and much more.

"What if" scenarios are straightforward since waveforms can be captured from a digital scope and then modified to see when a device under test fails. They also import waveforms from simulation tools like Mathcad and Matlab for easy connectivity to your DUT.

Arbitrary Waveform Generators have evolved from simple D/A converters to sophisticated signal sources with powerful creation, editing, triggering and real-time sequencing capabilities.

AWG Overview

Standard function generators offer limited capability when compared to the robust capabilities offered in modern Arbitrary Generators. Today, in fact, we can consider the powerful AWG Series as truly Mixed Signal Sources. In addition to the AWG's ability to replace conventional generators in applications, AWGs also provide other powerful capabilities.

For example, designers must test their products to operate under the actual conditions which their design will encounter in the “real world.” However, real-world test signals are often not ideal and may have undesirable components or impurities. These conditions may also be observed as either repetitive or infrequent amplitude and/or frequency anomalies. Modern Arbitrary Waveform Generators are ideally suited to simulate all of the conditions encountered including both ideal and anomalies.

	AWG710	AWG610	AWG510/520	AWG410/420/430	AWG2021	AWG2005	AFG310/320
Maximum Clock Rate (Point Rate)	4.0 GS/s	2.6 GS/s	1 GS/s	200 MS/s	250 MS/s	20 MS/s	16 MS/s
Output Channels	1	1	1 or 2	1, 2 or 3	1 std.; 2 total opt.	2 std.; 4 total opt.	1 or 2
Ampl V p-p into 50 Ohm	2 V^p-p	2 V^p-p	2 V^p-p	2 V^p-p	5 V^p-p	10 V^p-p	10 V^p-p
Region Shift	300 fs	400 fs	2 ps	5 ps	4 ps	50 ps	Phase Shift
Vertical Resolution (bits)	8-Bit	8-Bit	10-Bit	16-Bit	12-Bit	12-Bit	12-Bit
Execution Memory	16 M point or 32 M point (Opt. 01) /CH	8 M point	4 M point	4 M point or 16 M point (Opt. 01)/CH	256 point/CH	64 point/CH	16 point/CH (4 pages total)
Waveform Editing	Built in: Graphical, Equation, Digital Timing, Table, Autostep Sequencing, Enhanced Math						External: with SW
Direct DSO Transfer	TDS200-TDS700, TDS820, TDS3000, TDS5000, TDS7000				TDS200-TDS700, TDS820, TDS3000
Parallel Digital Output	2-Bit	2-Bit	12-Bit @ 1 GHz	16-Bit CMOS + 2 markers/CH (Opt. 03)	12- or 24-Bit (TTL @ 100 MHz) 12-Bit (ECL @ 250 MHz) + 2 markers (Opt. 03 or 04)	24-Bit TTL+ 2 markers (Opt. 04)	No
Software Support	ARB-link	ARB-link	ARB-link	ARB-link	WaveWriter	WaveWriter	WaveWriter
Temperature	Operating: +10°C to +40°C
Temperature	Nonoperating: -20°C to +60°C
Humidity	Operating: 20% to 80% (no condensation)
Humidity	Nonoperating: 5% to 90% (no condensation)
Altitude	Operating: To 4.5 km (15,000 ft.)¹ ²
Altitude	Nonoperating: To 15 km (50,000 ft.)*²
Vibration	Operating: 0.33 mm p-p, 10 Hz to 55 Hz for 15 minutes*²
Shock	Nonoperating: 30 G (1/2 sine) 11 ms duration
Safety	UL3111-1, CSAC22.2 No 1010.1, EN61010-1	UL3111-1, CSA1010.1, ENG61010-1, IEC61010-1	UL3111-1, CSA1010.1, ENG61010-1, IEC61010-1	UL3111-1, CSA1010.1, ENG61010-1, IEC61010-1	UL1244, CSA231, EN61010-1, IEC61010-1	UL1244, CSA231, EN61010-1, IEC61010-1	UL1244, CSA231, EN61010-1, IEC61010-1
Voltage Range	90 to 250 VAC
Line Frequency	48 Hz to 63 Hz
Where to find more info	4 GS/s Arbitrary Waveform Generator, AWG710	2.6 GS/s Arbitrary Waveform Generator, AWG610	1 GS/s Arbitrary Waveform Generator, AWG510, AWG520	200 MS/s Arbitrary Waveform Generator, AWG400 Series	250 MS/s Arbitrary Waveform Generator, AWG2021	20 MS/s Arbitrary Waveform Generator, AWG2005	16 MS/s Arbitrary Function Generator, AFG310, AFG320

*¹Maximum operating temperature decreases 1°C for each 300m above 1.5 km.

*² Specifications for AWG400 and AWG710 are: Altitude (operating) – Up to 3 km (10,000 ft); Altitude (non-operating) Up to 12 km (40,000 ft.); Vibration (operating) – .27 GRMS from 5 Hz to 500 Hz for 10 minutes.