Oscilloscopes

Application Note

Feng Yu

November 9, 2007

Abstract:
Oscilloscope is a measuring instrument which is used more and more in different
areas in our lives. The content of following application note is about what an oscilloscope
is and how to use it.

Keywords:
Oscilloscope, O-scope, Electrical Test Equipment, Cathode Ray Tubes
Introduction:

The oscilloscope is basically a test device with graph-displaying. It draws a graph of an

electrical signal changing over time by using the vertical (Y) axis represents voltage and

the horizontal (X) axis represents time. Sometimes the intensity or brightness of the

display is called the Z axis.

The oldest form of oscilloscopes called cathode ray tube, was invented by German

physicist Karl Ferdinand Braun in 1897. Today we are widely using digital oscilloscope

which became prevalent since 1980s.

Objective:

Digital storage oscilloscopes use a fast analog-to-digital converter and memory chips to

record and show a digital representation of a waveform, yielding much flexibility for

triggering, analysis, and display. It is essential for anyone designing or repairing

electronic equipment. A medical research uses an oscilloscope to measure brain waves.

For engineers, there are many things that oscilloscope can help us to do:

• Tell how much of a signal is noise and whether the noise is changing with time

• See the “moving parts” of a circuit represented by the signal

• Determine the time and voltage values of a signal

• Calculate the frequency of an oscillating signal

• Tell if a malfunctioning component is distorting the signal

• Find out how much of a signal is direct current (DC) or alternating current(AC)
How to Use:

A. Setting controls:

The diagram below shows a Hameg HM 203-6 oscilloscope. Following process of how to

use an oscilloscope will base on this model. There are many types of oscilloscope but

have similar controls.

Figure 1

A1: Check that all the controls are in their 'normal' positions, before switching the

oscilloscope on. On the Hameg HM 203-6, make sure:

 Figure 2

A2: Set both VOLTS/DIV controls to 1 V/DIV and the TIME/DIV control to 2s/DIV.

A3: Switch ON, red power button on the top centre. The green LED illuminates and, after

a few moments, a small bright spot, or trace should be moving fairly slowly across the

screen.

A4: Finding the Y-POS 1 control on the oscilloscope allows you to move the spot up and

down the screen. For the present, twiddle it and adjust the trace so that it runs

horizontally across the centre of the screen.

A5: There are INTENSITY and FOCUS controls right next to the

screen. Try to adjust them until the spot will be reasonably bright but

not glaring (The TR control is screwdriver adjusted. It is only needed

if the spot moves at an angle rather than horizontally across the

screen with no signal connected.)

Figure 3

A6: There are some more standard operating positions which need to be set up like the

diagram shown:
 Figure 4

B. Connecting Probes:

A special connector

called BNC plug is used

to make the connection

to the input of channel

with a red alligator clip

Figure 5 connecting to the output

of circuit and a black one connecting to the ground. There are many different types of

ends can be used to connect to circuits.

As a high-quality connector, a probe is designed not to influence testing results of

circuits.

C. Connecting the circuit to the oscilloscope:

 After setting up all the controls on the oscilloscope and choosing a right probe

for the measurement purpose, circuit could be connected to oscilloscope. Then hit the

Auto Set button. An output wave should show up on the screen of it. There are many

different functions of waves could be chosen on the oscilloscope. To reach the

measurement request, one of them could be hit.

The since wave is the fundamental wave shape. It is most common wave shape

produced by the oscillator circuit of a signal generator. The damped since wave is a

special case you may see in a circuit that oscillates but winds down over time. The square

wave is another common wave shape, and standard for testing amplifiers. The rectangular

wave is a very similar wave shape with square wave. The only difference between them
is that the high and low time intervals of rectangular wave are not of equal length. It is

very important wave form to analyze digital circuitry. Sawtooth and triangle waves result

from circuits designed to control voltages linearly. The step wave shows a sunnden

change in voltage, and pulse indicates what you would see if you turned a power switch

on and then off again.

D. Wave measurements:

Voltage is the electric potential between two points in a circuit. It is usually

measured from peak-to-peak from the maximum point of a signal to its minimum point.

Measurement of voltage is the primary job of oscilloscope. Figure 7 shows a display of

oscilloscope.

Figure 7: An Oscilloscope Graticule

Figure 8 shows the voltage of one peak and the peak-to-peak voltage, which is

usually twice peak voltage. Use the RMS (root-mean-square) voltage to calculate the

power of an AC signal.
 Figure 8

Time is usually measured by reading the horizontal scale of the oscilloscope.

The period, pulse width, and timing of pulses could be determined by the time

measurement. Figure 9 shows the way of figuring out the period and second.

Figure 9

Phase is based on sine wave. As Figure 10 below, it is 360 degrees in each cycle

of sine wave. The voltage of different degree could be figure out on this figure.
 Figure 10

Conclusion:

An oscilloscope is an instrument in which the variations in a fluctuating

electrical quantity appear temporarily as a visible wave form on the fluorescent screen of

a cathode-ray tube. Oscilloscopes make signals monitored at the input and out of each

system block. This might be one of best ways to investigate an electronic system. Today

oscilloscope is widely used in medical, manufacturing and engineering fields.

 References:
The Oscilloscope:
https://www.cs.tcd.ie/courses/baict/bac/jf/labs/scope/oscilloscope.html

Oscilloscope Tutorial:
https://www.oscilloscope-tutorials.com

Using an oscilloscope
www.doctronics.co.uk/scope.htm