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Keysight Technologies
Considerations in Making
Small Signal Measurements
Application Brief
The ever-increasing demand for
battery-powered mobile devices
and more energy efficient green
product development has triggered
a rising demand for oscilloscope
measurement solution that can
accurately test and measure the
small signals with higher accuracy.
02 | Keysight | Considerations in Making Small Signal Measurements - Application Brief
Probing considerations Higher resolution and lower noise acquisition
If you are measuring the small amplitude of ripple and noise When measuring small signals with a large dynamic range, you
on your power rail or devices, you may need to use an oscillo- need a measurement resolution that is higher than the 8 bits
scope at or near its more sensitive V/div setting. provided by conventional digitizing oscilloscopes. Rather than
First, try using a probe with a lower attenuation ratio such resorting to a high-resolution digitizer or other measuring instru-
as 1:1 probe, rather than using the standard passive probe ment, you can use the built-in high-resolution mode or averaging
with 10:1 attenuation ratio that shipped with your instrument. mode on your oscilloscope to measure a parameter with a resolu-
With a 10:1 probe, not only is the oscilloscope's base-line tion higher than 8 bits and lower noise. Each acquisition mode has
noise floor increased by a factor of 10, but the minimum V/ pros and cons, but
div setting of scope is also ten times higher than with a 1:1
probe. Use averaging acquisition mode when: