GW Instek rolls out the AFG-3021 20 MHz Single Channel arbitrary function generator, designed to meet industry, scientific research, and education applications. In the design of isolated output, all output channels are earth ground isolation, which is suitable for test applications of floating circuit. For instance, connecting an AFG-3000 with a power supply’s DC voltage, the maximum AC-DC cascaded output reaches +42V or -42V. Applications are, for instance, the ignition control or transmission device of automotive electronics. The AFG3021 features a sample rate of 250 MSa/s, 16-bit resolution, and 8M point memory depth for arbitrary waveform generation. Users not only can save the edited waveforms to the memory to build arbitrary waveforms, but also rebuild waveforms by the AFG-3021 built-in DSOLink function with a GW Instek digital storage oscilloscope.

The AFG-3021 supports synchronized phase for multi channel operation up to 6 units and 12 channels. A reference input connector is available allowing an external 10 MHz time base to synchronize the internal clock and elevate the frequency output accuracy. It also supports frequency sweep and amplitude sweep that can also integrate other functions, including linear/logarithm, one-way (saw tooth)/two-way (triangle), continuous/single trigger/gated trigger to meet various application requirements by applying different sweep methods. Frequency sweep tests the frequency response of electronic components such as filter and low frequency amplifier. Amplitude sweep simulates vibration tests (requires a vibration tester), and it also conducts aging tests of various materials and linearity tests of low frequency amplifier.

The main features of the AFG-3021 include output amplitude from 1mVpp to 10Vpp (connected with a 50 ohm load); frequency range from 1 uHz to 20 MHz; 1 uHz frequency resolution; and built-in sine, square, pulse, triangle, ramp, DC voltage, harmonic and noise. The waveform width, rise edge time and fall edge time of pulse waveform can be adjusted flexibly. Pulse waveform, with duty cycle from 0.017% to 99.983%, can be applied as trigger signals. Users can conduct arbitrary editing via 65 built-in function waveforms. The series supports AM/FM/PM/FSK/PWM modulation, frequency sweep, amplitude sweep and burst to satisfy industrial application requirements. Dual channel models provide SUM modulation, coupling, tracking, and phase to meet the test requirements of differential signal, phase control and amplifier distortion. Built-in 8th harmonic signal generator simulates harmonic signal of switching power supplies and it also tests EMI power filter characteristics. The AFG-3021 provides free arbitrary waveform editing software (AWES) for users to quickly edit waveforms from the built-in diagrams so as to execute measurements.

Circuit Design for Ground Isolation among Output/Input Terminal, Instrument Chassis, and Dual Channels

Channel 1, channel 2, reference 10 MHz input, synchronization and modulation input/output connector grounding are isolated from instrument chassis. The output channels of dual channel models are independently isolated. These connectors can sustain maximum isolation voltage up to ±42Vpk (DC+ AC peak value) to earth ground that is ideal for floating circuit tests. Multi units output can be executed without factoring in grounding reference issue. The built-in DC bias voltage of the AFG-3021 can be applied on various waveforms. The DC bias voltage is ±5V under 50 ohm load. Automotive electronic applications such as ignition controller or transmission devices require higher DC bias voltage. As shown in the following diagrams, when the Voffset of the power supply is 32VDC, the maximum output of the AFG is 20Vpp, and the maximum voltage output to the ground is 42V. If Voffset is 41Vdc, the maximum output of the AFG is 2Vpp and the maximum voltage output to the ground remains to be 42V. Therefore, an external power supply can be used to bring up the DC bias voltage to ±42Vpk (DC+ AC peak value).

Connection diagram for AFG connecting with power supply to increase D.C. bias.

The Vout of AFG is 20/2 Vpp when DC bias is 32/41 Vdc.

Test settings: power supply output -31.8V, and AFG-3032 output 20Vpp, 1kHzz sine wave.

The test result obtained from an oscilloscope (high impedance load). The lowest voltage was -42.4V.

Harmonic Signal Generator

Harmonic signal generator simulates the harmonic signal of switching power supplies and conducts characteristics tests on EMI power filter. Users can set order number and phase for harmonic signals to obtain desired signals. The following diagrams show 8th harmonic signal.

Harmonic signal generator

Harmonic signal

Pulse Generator

The output frequency for pulse reaches 25 MHz and its duty cycle is from 0.017% to 99.983%. Users can set pulse width, duty cycle, rise edge time, fall edge time and edge time to support trigger signal. The following diagrams show settings for pulse signal.

Pulse generator

Pulse

Versatile Output Waveform Selections

65 built-in function waveforms include engineering applications, medical electronics, mathematics, and standard waveforms such as sine, square, triangle, ramp, pulse, noise, harmonic, and DC voltage that allow users to easily select desired waveforms. Users can select and edit 65 function waveforms from the arbitrary function.

Sine

Square

Triangle

Ramp

Pulse

Noise

Harmonic

DC Voltage

Modulation Function

The AFG-3021 supports AM, FM, PM, FSK, PWM and SUM modulation. Modulation source can be from inside or outside. Applications include the baseband of communications systems, motor control and light adjustment.

Amplitude modulation

Frequency modulation

Phase modulation

Frequency-shift keying modulation

Pulse width modulation

SUM modulation

Burst Function

The AFG-3021 supports N-period or gated trigger. Phase angle, duration time, frequency, waveform infinite can be adjusted to meet non-continuous output applications.

Burst setting

Burst signal

Sweep Function

The AFG-3021 supports frequency sweep and amplitude sweep that can also integrate other functions, including linear/logarithm, one-way (saw tooth)/two-way (triangle) waveforms, continuous/single trigger/gated trigger to meet various application requirements by different sweep methods. Frequency sweep carries out tests on the frequency response of electronic components such as filter and low frequency amplifier. Amplitude sweep simulates vibration tests (requires a vibration tester), and it also conducts aging tests of various materials and linearity tests of low frequency amplifier.

Amplitude sweep setting

Amplitude sweep signal

Frequency sweep setting

Frequency sweep signal

Flexible Arbitrary Waveform Editing

Four methods to obtain arbitrary waveforms.

Front Panel Operation

Via single unit’s panel, arbitrary waveforms can be selected, edited, stored, recalled, output, triggered from 65 built-in waveforms.

CSV File Upload

Support CSV file upload produced by MATLAB and Excel.

Direct Waveform Reconstruction

Collocate with GDS series digital oscilloscopes to retrieve waveforms and upload them to arbitrary generator to achieve direct waveform reconstruction.

Arbitrary Waveform Editing PC Software

Use AWES to edit complex waveforms. The software supports waveform mathematical operation. The waveform series includes Uniform Noise, Gaussian Noise, Rayleigh Noise, various digital codes such as non zero code, Manchester and RS-232, etc.