Tektronix develops mixed-domain instrument for wireless developers
Mixed signal oscilloscopes are now commonplace, providing the ability to capture and analyse both analogue and digital traces in correlation. With the explosion in demand for wirelessly enabled devices, the need for spectrum analysers is increasing but, as Tektronix believes, in comparison to oscilloscopes they are not only difficult to set up but don’t provide a simple way of correlation with other system-level signals.
The mixed-domain oscilloscope attempts to overcome that, by adding a single channel spectrum analyser to what is essentially a mixed-signal oscilloscope. The result is a spectrum analyser that can be triggered by the oscilloscope while providing correlation between all signals captured, whether that be in the time domain using the oscilloscope or the frequency domain using the spectrum analyser.
This cross-domain correlation will be the key to the MDO4000’s success or demise, as it is the unique feature that really sets this instrument apart. The intention is to make it simpler for engineers to capture signals across time and frequency domains, to more easily develop and debug wireless devices.
The bandwidth of the MDO4000 is also highlighted as significant, with a frequency range of up to 6GHz and a capture bandwidth of over 1GHz, it is reported to offer the performance of an entry-level spectrum analyser, albeit with only one channel (initially).
Tektronix believes the instrument’s bandwidth is ‘critical’ to its value, stating that even the entry level version offers 3GHz, as opposed to 10MHz found on comparable entry level spectrum analysers, while its mixed signal capabilities means it also acts as a powerful logic analyser. As such, Tektronix believes it could, in many application areas, be the only instrument an RF engineer would need.
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