Introduction to the Oscilloscope

One of the most often used instruments in the electrical engineering lab is the oscilloscope which not only you can measure the waveform quantities, but also it allows you to display the waveform as a function of time. The oscilloscope (or simply, scope) consists of a display tube on which one can trace the waveform. An electron beam which is generated by electron gun accelerate toward the part of the display and is deflected by electric fields, writes figures on the fluorescent screen.

General principle of an oscilloscope showing the display tube and the deflection system.

There are two types of scopes, 1] Analog 2] Digital Digital scopes have more features than the analog scopes. Digital scopes can process the signal and measure its amplitude, frequency, period, rise and fall time. Some of them have built-in mathematical functions and can do fast Fourier transforms in addition to capturing the display and sending it out to a printer.

 A probe is a high quality coaxial cable that has been carefully designed not to pick up stray signals originating from radio frequency (RF) or power lines. Also a probe has a large input resistance which reduces the circuit loading.

 If the voltage source to be measured has one terminal grounded, make sure that the ground of the probe is connected to the ground of the voltage source and not vice versa; otherwise, the source will be shorted and may be damaged.

Review the front Panel of the scope

Review the Rear Panel of the scope

Oscilloscope Basics

Triggering Time/Division Volts/Division Vertical Position ChannelPower 1 input On/Off

Oscilloscope Settings
5 Div

4 Div

A typical display with correct settings: Multiply 4 Div x Volts/Div to obtain the peak-to-peak amplitude. Multiply 5 Div x Time/Div to obtain the period.

Oscilloscope Settings

Trigger level set positive Blank display can be caused by: no valid trig Volts/Division error (poor resolution) Volts/Division Vertical Position error (overrange) error Time/Div Trigger error (too level many set at cycles 0 volts displayed) Time/Div error Trigger (only level a part set of negative one cycle display position error, intensity (or brightness) turned

Oscilloscope Settings If a waveform moves on the screen:

Check the trigger source, trigger level, trigger mode, trigger slope, and the trigger coupling.

An example of a common error: the trigger source is set for Channel 2 but the input signal is fed to Channel 1.

Oscilloscope Quiz
The Volts/Div control is set at 100 mV/Div. What is the peak-to-peak amplitude of this signal? 800 mVP-P

Using the above, what is the RMS value of this signal? 283 mV

The Time/Div control is set at 50 ms/Div. What is the period of this signal? 250 ms Using the above, what is the frequency of this signal? 4 Hz

Oscilloscope Quiz
The Volts/Div control is set at 1V/Div. What is the dc amplitude of this signal?

-3V

0V
Using the above, what will be displayed if the Volts/Div control is changed to 500 mV/Div? Blank screen

What can cause the displayed waveform to move on the screen?

No valid trigger

Digital Oscilloscope Block Diagram

The Digitizing Oscilloscope

Status bar: Vertical sensitivity Sweep speed Trigger time reference Channel(s) on Run/stop
1 1.00V 0s 2 us/ 1 RUN

Autoscale Print Calibrate

Measure: Vrms, tr, f ,f Trace /Setup Memory Display: grid, vectors, averaging Storage: Auto-store, Erase, RUN/STOP

Softkey labels

----Setup memoryUndo ---

Default

Triggering: Modes: Auto, Normal,TV Sources: Ch1, Ch2, Ext, Line

Calibration source Power ON/OFF Screen brightness

Vertical position, sensitivity Math on/off

Horizontal: Main Sweep Speed, Sweep Modes: Delayed, XY, Roll t = 0 Reference

Main controls
Grid full Horizontal delay Trigger level Line is only visible when you turn the knob. When signal is smaller than trigger level, scope stops sampling.

Display:
Vectors off

Time/division (sweep speed)

Vertical Volts/division

Vertical Position

Horizontal Controls

Vertical Controls

Trigger Controls

Other Functions

Other Functions (continue)

Other Functions (continue)

Other Functions (continued)

Other Functions (continued)

Other Functions (continued)