For High Resolution Digitizing
• 16 bits at 100,000 samples/sec
• Effective rates to 100 Msamples/sec
• Signal bandwidth of 12 MHz
• 10 ns timing with <100ps jitter
Easily acquire waveforms
Direct sampling function
Sequential sampling function
Simple, application-oriented com-
mands in the Agilent Multimeter
Language (ML) make the task of
waveform digitizing as easy as meas-
uring dcV. Simply specify the sweep
rate and number of samples.
The 3458A has two sampling func-
tions for digitizing wave-forms:
direct sampling and sequential or
sub-sampling. With direct sampling,
the 3458A samples through the
12 MHz path followed by the 2ns
track-and-hold providing 16bits of
resolution. The maximum sample
rate is 50,000 samples/second or
20 µs between samples. Samples can
be internally paced by a 0.01% accu-
rate timebase with time increments
Sequential or sub-sampling uses the
same measurement path as direct
sampling; however sequential sam-
pling requires a periodic input
signal. The 3458A will synchronize
to a trigger point on the waveform
set by a level threshold or external
trigger. Once synchronized, the dmm
automatically acquires the waveform
through digitizing successive periods
with time increment steps as small
as 10 ns, effectively digitizing at
Integration or track-and-hold paths
The 3458A gives you the choice of
two configurations for high speed
measurements: a 150 kHz bandwidth
integrating path with a variable
aperture from 500ns to 1 second or
a 12 MHz bandwidth path with a
fixed 2 ns aperture and 16-bit track-
and-hold. Use the integration path
for lower noise, but use the track-
and-hold path to precisely capture
the voltage at a single point on a
waveform.
in 100 ns steps. Data transfers directly rates up to 100 Msamples/second.
to your computer at full speed or into All you specify is the effective time-
the dmm’s internal reading memory.
Waveform reconstruction consists of
simply plotting the digitized voltage
readings versus the sampling interval
of the timebase.
base and the number of samples
desired, the 3458A automatically
optimizes its sampling to acquire the
waveform in the least amount of
time. Then, for your ease of use, the
3458A automatically re-orders the
data in internal memory to recon-
struct the waveform.
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AGILENT [ AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES, LTD. ]
