Latest Test and Measurement News

Agilent introduces Oscilloscopes with 12 Bit Resolution

08 January 2013 - Agilent Technologies introduced Infiniium 9000 H-Series high-definition oscilloscopes. The four new models come in bandwidths of 250 MHz, 500 MHz, 1 GHz and 2 GHz. They offer up to 12-bit vertical resolution, which represents 16 times the quantization levels of traditional oscilloscopes with 8 bits of resolution. These scopes also include the industry's deepest standard memory (up to 100 Mpts per channel).

When engineers view small signals, noise is often the biggest impediment to getting an accurate measurement. The 9000 H-Series uses a combination of hypersampling and linear noise-reduction technology to provide noise levels three times lower than traditional 8-bit oscilloscopes. This reduced noise enables users to view and resolve small signals that 8-bit oscilloscopes simply cannot measure.

As probing systems also induce measurement noise, Agilent has developed a new series of low-noise probes specifically designed to allow engineers to view and analyze small-current signals. The new N2820A and N2821A AC/DC current probes offer the industry's highest sensitivity, going all the way down to 50 uA, with a maximum current range of 5 A. These probes work in cooperation with the new oscilloscopes to offer the industry's most sensitive current measurements. The higher sensitivity is especially useful for measuring current consumption of battery-powered mobile devices or integrated circuits.

The proliferation of mobile devices and "green" products has created a growing need to make low-power, high-dynamic-range measurements. As products get smarter and more feature rich, all components need to be more energy efficient. The 9000 H-Series oscilloscope with the N2820A and N2821A current probes are specially engineered to make high-dynamic-range, high-sensitivity measurements to meet today's challenging current measurement needs.

The N2820A current probe interface uses a make-before-break connector, offering easy and reliable connecting and disconnecting without interrupting the circuit under test across multiple locations on the target board.

"Customers who work with power-consumption measurements now have a comprehensive solution to make accurate current-consumption measurements at an affordable cost," said Jay Alexander, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Oscilloscope Products Division. "The 9000 H-Series oscilloscope and N2820A and N2821A current probes combine low noise and high sensitivity to give engineers the high-accuracy measurements they need for creating energy-efficient products."

The Agilent 9000 H-Series provides standard memory of up to 100 million points per channel, making it the deepest standard memory in the industry. This memory depth can be upgraded to 500 million points per channel to acquire longer windows of time while retaining fast sample rates.

The Agilent Infiniium 9000 H-Series oscilloscopes are now available. Prices start at $14,950.

Current Probes

The Agilent N2820A Series current probes will be orderable February 1, 2013, at the prices below. Prices start at $3,000.

The probes are also compatible with other oscilloscopes besides the 9000 H-Series, including Agilent's Infiniium 9000A and InfiniiVision 3000 X- and 4000 X-Series oscilloscopes.

www.agilent.com/