Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation

Chapter 3
Oscilloscope, Function generator, and Spectrum analyzer

Block Diagram of CRO OR Basic Block Diagram of CRO

Vertical Amplifier

 The input signal to be examining is fed to the vertical deflection plates via vertical amplifier
and delay line.
 The main function of these amplifiers is to amplify the weak signal so that the amplified
signal can produce the desirable output.
Delay Line

 It provides some amount of delay to the signal, in vertical section.

 This delayed signal is then applied to vertical deflection plates of CRT.

Time Base Generator

 Time base circuit uses a unipolar junction transistor, which is used to produce the sweep
(saw tooth waveform).
 The saw tooth voltage produced by the time base circuit is required to deflect the beam in
the horizontal section.
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Trigger Circuit

 It produces a triggering signal in order to synchronize both sweep in horizontal section and
input signal in vertical section.
Horizontal Amplifier

 The saw tooth voltage produce by the time base circuit is amplified by the horizontal
amplifier before it is applied to horizontal deflection plates.
Power Supply

 The voltages require by CRT, horizontal amplifier and vertical amplifier are provided by the
power supply block. Power supply block of oscilloscope is classified in to two types:
 Negative high voltage supply and Positive low voltage supply
 The voltages of negative high voltage supply are from -1000V to -1500V.
 The range of positive voltage supply is from +300V to +400V.

Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)

Heater: It heats the cathode

Cathode: Coated with barium oxide to emit electrons

Control Grid: Cylindrical in shape made of nickel with a hole in the centre. Has a negative
potential. Controls the electrons flowing from the cathode and thus control the number of
electrons directed towards screen.
Accelerating and Pre accelerating anode: Has positive potential of 1500 volts and they
accelerate the electrons.
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Focusing Anode: Connected to adjustable voltage of 500 volts and focus the electron beam.
Deflecting plates:
Horizontal deflecting plates: They cause electrons to move in horizontal plane left to right.

Vertical deflecting plates: They cause electrons to move in vertical plane, up and down.
Phosphorus Screen: Screen is coated with natural or synthetic phosphor. Phosphor electron
emits visible light when electron beam from the cathode sticks the phosphorous screen
(Fluorescence).

 Phosphor electron receives energy and get excited. Moves from lower energy state to
higher energy state.
 The excited electrons being unstable, comes back to its original state and give out energy
in form of light.

Types of CRO
 Dual Beam Oscilloscope
 Dual Trace Oscilloscope

The dual beam oscilloscopes are widely used, and are more versatile than the single
beam type. They have the advantage that two waveforms can be displayed
simultaneously. This enables waveforms to be compared, in terms of their amplitudes,
shape, phase angle or frequency.
Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation

Dual Beam Oscilloscope

 The dual beam oscilloscope uses two complete separate electron beams, two sets of
vertical amplifier and a single horizontal amplifier.
 For the two separate input signals, A and B, there are two separate vertical
sections/channels.
 Each channel consists of a delay line, main vertical amplifier and a set of vertical deflection
plates.
 The horizontal plates sweep both the beams across the screen at the same rate.
 The sweep generator can be triggered internally by the channel A and Channel B or
externally or through line supply, a switch S is used to do the selection.
Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation

Dual Trace Oscilloscope

 In this CRO has a single electron gun whose electron beam is split into two signals by an
electronic switch.
 For the two separate input signals, A and B, there are two separate preamplifiers and
attenuators.
 The outputs of these preamplifiers and attenuators are then provided to the electronic
switch via delay line.
 This switch passes only one single at a time to the vertical amplifier.
 The circuit also has a trigger selector switch that permits the circuit triggering with either
A or B channel input or with the line or externally applied signal.
 There are three common operating modes for the electronic switch, called alternate mode,
chop mode and X-Y mode

Alternate Mode
 In this mode the electronic switch alternates between channels A and B, letting each
through for one cycle of the horizontal sweep.
 The switching takes place at the start of each new sweep of the sweep generator.
 The alternate mode cannot be used for displaying very low frequency signals.
Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation

Chop Mode
 In chop mode the electronic switch free runs at a high frequency of the order of 100 kHz
to 500 kHz.
 The switch successively connects small segments of A and B waveforms to the main
vertical amplifier and displays on the screen.

X-Y Mode
 In X-Y mode of operation the internal sweep generator is disconnected from horizontal
amplifier and channel B acts as input to horizontal amplifier.
Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation

Procedure to measure Amplitude using CRO

Amplitude measurement: The most direct voltage measurement that can be made with
the help of oscilloscope is the peak to peak value. In order to measure the voltage from
the CRT display, one must observe the vertical attenuator expressed in volts/div and the
number of division covered by the signal peak to peak. The peak to peak value is then
computed as,

Procedure to measure frequency using CRO

Time period measurement: In order to measure the time from the CRT display, one must
observe the horizontal attenuator expressed in time/div and the number of divisions
covered by one complete cycle on horizontal axis. The time period value is then computed
as,

Frequency measurement: Frequency of a signal is inverse of time period.

Frequency=1/ Time Period

Procedure to measure phase using Lissajous Pattern

Define Lissajous pattern. Explain how Lissajous pattern is useful for frequency and phase
measurement.
Lissajous Pattern: The CRO is set to operate in the X- Y mode, when two sine waves of the
same/different frequencies are applied to the CRO (One vertical and one horizontal
deflection plates) then the display obtained on the screen of a CRO is called Lissajous
pattern.
Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation

Phase measurement: The phase shift is given by, Ө = sin-1 (A/B).

 The Lissajous pattern will be an ellipse if the sine waves of equal frequency but phase shift
between 0˚ and 90˚ are applied to the two channels of CRO. The Lissajous pattern will be
as shown below:
 For the phase difference above 90˚ and less than 180˚, the ellipse appears as shown

 Different Lissajous figure for phase difference 0˚, 45˚, 90˚, 135˚, 180˚, 225˚, 270˚,315˚, 360˚
are shown below respectively

Block Diagram of Function Generator

Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation

 This instrument provides different types of waveforms (such as sinusoidal, triangular and
square waves) as its output signal with a frequency range of 0.1 Hz to 1MHz.
 In this instrument, the frequency is controlled by varying the magnitude of the current
source.
 Current supply source 1 supplies a positive constant current to the integrator
 Due to which output voltage of integrator rises linearly with time
 As the integrator output reaches pre-determined maximum level, the voltage
comparator multivibrator changes its state.
 This change, cuts-off the current supply from supply source 1 and switches to the supply
source 2.
 The current supply source 2 supplies a reverse current to the integrator
 so the output of integrator drops linearly with time.
 When the output attains a predetermine minimum level, the voltage comparator again
changes state and switches on to the current supply source 1.
 The output of the integrator is a triangular wave whose frequency depends on the
current supplied by the constant current supply sources.
 The comparator output provides a square wave of the same frequency as the output.
 The resistor diode network changes slope of the triangular wave as its amplitude changes
and produces a sinusoidal wave with less than 1% distortion.

Application:
 As a troubleshooting tools to different types of analog and digital circuits.
 As a source for alignment of different receivers.
 To generate periodic signals.
 To test communication circuit

Block Diagram DSO

Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation

Amplifier:
The analog input signal is amplified by amplifier if it is weak in nature.

Digitizer:
After amplification, the signal is digitized by the digitizer (A/D converter) and that digitized
signal is stored in memory.
Digitization occur by taking samples of the input waveform at period interval.

Memory:
The input signal is digitized and stored in memory in digital form. In this state it is capable
of being analyzed and processed to produce a variety of different information.

Analyzer Circuitry:
The digitized signal stored in memory is analyzed and processed to produce variety of
different information by implementing various functions and formulas.

Waveform reconstruction:
The samples from the memory are retrieved sequentially and fed to the reconstruction
section which has D/A converter, resulting in display of analog signal on the CRT screen.

Horizontal section:
It comprises of trigger circuit and clock to provide the synchronization needed between
sweep and the input signal.
Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation

There is time base generator to generate the sweep and horizontal amplifier to amplify it.

Modes in DSO
Roll Mode
Store Mode
Hold or save mode

Advantages
 Since the DSO uses digital memory, it can store the waveforms for longer time. But in
the normal CRO this cannot happen.
 Easy to operate.
 Signal processing is possible.
 Cursor measurement is possible.

Limitations
 DSOs are costly as compared to other oscilloscopes.
 Slower compared to conventional oscilloscopes.

Applications
 Observation of portion of waveform: The waveform recorded by storage oscilloscope
is analyzed with greater detail.
 Enlargement of waveform: Very small variation in the amplitude and frequency of the
waveform is analyzed with this oscilloscope.
 Mathematical operations: Waveform addition, subtraction, multiplication,
integration, differentiation and feature comparison are possible with DSO.
 For measurements: Voltage, time, phase shift, frequency, component testing.
Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation

Spectrum Analyzer

 The main function of spectrum analyzer is to be obtain the amplitude vs frequency plot
from the frequency spectrum under test.
 The sawtooth generator generates the sawtooth waveform. This sawtooth waveform is
applied to horizontal plates of CRO.
 The sawtooth signal also applied to voltage tuned local oscillator. This act as frequency
controlled element of local oscillator.
Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation

 When sawtooth signal is applied to voltage tuned local oscillator its frequency changes
from Fmin to Fmax. The RF i/p signal is applied to the mixer.
 The o/p of voltage tuned oscillator is used to beat with i/p signal in order to produce
intermediate frequency (IF).
 This, IF component is produced when corresponding component is present in i/p signal.
The resulting, IF signal is applied to detector &video amplifier.
 The IF component is amplified & then it is applied to vertical deflecting plates of CRO,
producing a plot of amplitude vs frequency.

Application:
 It is used to study the RF spectrum produced in microwave instrument.
 It is used for measurement of antenna pattern.
 It is used to measure harmonic distortion.
 It is used to analyse water and air pollution.
 It can be used to measure FM deviation.
 It is used to measure modulation index of AM wave.