The Third Generation Black Diamond Rackmount (BDR-3) measurement and monitoring system collects data from precisely synchronized analog channels and processes the data with advanced state-of-the-art Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology. It connects to a real-time Key Value Store (KVS) and to AlgoCentral cloud to provide real-time data analytics, processing, and graphing. The BDR-3 acquires […]
Test and Measurement Tips
Mask and limit testing on oscilloscopes
Mask testing is used in production facilities for screening and quality control of components and electronic equipment and also for debugging and troubleshooting. It is quick and efficient and lets users identify harmful anomalous behavior that arises in one or a billion waveforms. It involves setting limits of acceptability on signals at the outputs of […]
Defects Promise Quantum Communication Through Standard Optical Fiber
An international team of scientists led by the University of Groningen’s Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials has identified a way to create quantum bits that emit photons that describe their state at wavelengths close to those used by telecom providers. These qubits are based on silicon carbide in which molybdenum impurities create color centers. The […]
Inside Teledyne LeCroy’s oscilloscope workshops
Teledyne LeCroy is conducting one-day workshops on beginning and intermediate scope practices. We sat through the events that were held in the Cleveland, Ohio area. Here’s what we saw. The Teledyne LeCroy scope workshops are held around the country, usually where LeCroy has a local office. Where we attended, things got going around 10 am […]
PC-controlled RF source for benchtop or modular use covers 8 GHz range
The PicoSource AS108 Agile Synthesizer is a PC-based signal generator with a 300 kHz to 8 GHz frequency output range. It is designed with fast settling time and extensive programmable phase, frequency, and amplitude capabilities. The AS108 offers professional performance qualities in static as well as parameter-varying applications. Its speed, external clock referencing, trigger capabilities, […]
Coax power splitters/dividers, directional couplers, attenuators cover dc to 110 GHz
W1 coaxial components are metrology-grade designed and manufactured to deliver precision performance and repeatability for high-frequency measurements. Comprised of a W1 connectorized power splitter, power divider, directional coupler and attenuators, the new family removes measurement complexity, reduces measurement setup time, and improves accuracy, making them a superior alternative to millimeter-interfaced solutions. Unlike other solutions that […]
Superconducting Metamaterial Traps Quantum Light
Conventional computers store information in a bit, a fundamental unit of logic that can take a value of 0 or 1. Quantum computers rely on quantum bits, also known as a “qubits,” as their fundamental building blocks. Bits in traditional computers encode a single value, either a 0 or a 1. The state of a […]
Digital Signal Controller Accelerates DSP Performance for Time-Critical Control Applications
System designers looking for digital signal processing power with the design simplicity of a microcontroller (MCU) can now utilize a new family of 16-bit Digital Signal Controllers (DSCs) from Microchip Technology Inc. Designed to deliver faster deterministic performance in time-critical control applications, the new dsPIC33CK DSCs have expanded context selected registers to reduce interrupt latency […]
Gigahertz-level TDRs stimulate DUTs with true differential/common-mode signals
Two new TDRs, the T3SP10D (10 GHz) and T3SP15D (15 GHz), combine portability, reliability, and functionality at a cost-effective price point. Until now, portable tools were either much costlier high-end TDRs or single-ended instruments with limited functionality. The single-ended approach, which characterizes a device under test (DUT) with a mathematical calculation of frequency and time-domain […]
High-frequency automotive radar test equipment targets autonomous vehicle efforts
The new, enhanced Keysight E8740A Automotive Radar Signal Analysis and Generation solution enables radar-based, advanced driver assistance systems to proactively detect and mitigate risks of collisions. As advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicles gain in popularity, they also raise concerns about safety and reliability. Autonomous vehicles are dependent on advanced sensor technology with highly […]