The EZ-USB® FX3 SuperSpeed USB Controller from Cypress Semiconductor, as well as the USB 3.0 Re-Driver from NXP Semiconductors, are the next-generation USB 3.0 peripheral controller that enables developers to add USB 3.0 device functionality to any system. The FX3 has a fully configurable General Programmable Interface (GPIF(tm) II), which can interface with virtually any processor, ASIC, image sensor or FPGA. GPIF II provides easy and glueless connectivity to popular industry interfaces such as synchronous Slave FIFO, asynchronous SRAM, asynchronous and synchronous Address Data Multiplexed interface, parallel ATA, etc. The FX3′s programming flexibility makes it an ideal solution for any USB 3.0 device.

The EZ-USB FX3 Development Kit provides complete hardware and software solutions for accelerating the firmware and device driver development for the FX3 device. It can be used to start hardware or software integration and build final systems after the integration phase is complete. The kit contains the Development Kit PCB, a USB 3.0 A to Micro B cable, the Quick Start Guide, a Kit CD, and a 5V DC adapter.

The NXP Semiconductors’ PTN36241B SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Re-Driver IC is a dual-channel device that enhances signal quality by performing receive equalization on the deteriorated input signal followed by transmit de-emphasis. It provides superior differential signal conditioning and enhancement capability, delivering significant flexibility and performance scaling for various systems with different PCB trace and cable channel conditions, while still benefiting from optimum power consumption. The PTN36241B supports a data-signaling rate of 5 Gbps per channel with optional settings that provide a high level of extendibility. It supports applications that require a greater level of configurability by delivering intelligent multiplexing of the I²C-bus interface with quinary (5-level) pins.

Mouser offers a comprehensive new Product Knowledge Center (PKC) technology-training site devoted to USB 3.0 communication bus technology, its practical applications, and featured products.

Mouser Electronics

www.mouser.com

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Offering the most complete visualization of signals, the DPO7104C delivers fast insight into the device’s real operation. Its integrated FastAcq technology enables the oscilloscope to deliver fast waveform capture, allowing users to view glitches as well as other infrequent events within seconds.

Its digital phosphor display with color intensity grading provides users with a visual display of the signal activity’s history by utilizing color to mark areas of the signal that frequently occur.

Additionally, the oscilloscope also maintains fine timing resolution while capturing long windows of signal activity thanks to its deep record length of up to 250M points. To help users easily find events, the DPO7104C offers a comprehensive set of triggers, which include glitch, runt, timeout, width, pattern, transition, setup/hold violation, state, comm, window and serial pattern. Its Enhanced Triggering mode can be used as a measurement reference while reducing trigger jitter at the trigger point.

The digital phosphor oscilloscope also enables complex system debug and validation with its Pinpoint triggering, which utilizes Silicon Germanium (SiGe) technology to deliver more than 1400 trigger combinations and offer trigger performance up to the oscilloscope’s bandwidth.

Other feature-rich tools of the oscilloscope include Advanced Search and Mark and MultiView Zoom. For common technologies and in-depth analysis tasks, the oscilloscope offers over 15 optional software and analysis packages.

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In R&D, oscilloscopes are used to troubleshoot, debug and characterize designs from prototype via the initial production run. Aside from accurate waveform capture, designers at R&D also need advanced analysis features to quickly determine the root cause of problems and reduce time to market.

Meanwhile, oscilloscopes provide technicians and production engineers in the manufacturing sector with repeatable pass/fail debug and measurements of products that do not pass. They also require fast test and easy operation as well as waveform analysis to identify problems.

Educators, on the other hand, utilize oscilloscopes to teach scientific measurements and basic electronic principles, while students need a device that are easy to use.

With this in mind, oscilloscope manufacturers have continuously worked to provide users with various features that can help them save time.

As an example, most oscilloscopes nowadays come with an integrated function generator. Combining these two important instruments in a single device effectively saves users with precious bench space, especially when they are working in an environment where space is a premium.

Another time saving feature is the segmented memory. This feature allows users to digitize only information of interest, effectively using less memory while capturing at a higher sample rate and longer period of time. Segmented memory is ideally suited for capturing signals with periods of burst data in between long spans of idle time, such as serial packets/frames and radar bursts.

Mask testing is one of the valuable applications integrated to an oscilloscope in addition to its traditional functions. Enabling users to easily capture a “golden” waveform, mask testing defines tolerance limits to form a test envelope. With incoming signals compared to the allowable tolerance limit and flagged as either pass or fail, users can then choose the preferred action that the oscilloscope will perform once it identifies a violation of the mask.

In addition, the oscilloscope’s Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) function allows users to easily view the frequency content of the signal under test. Aside from saving time, this function is also very useful in determining the main cause of noise within a waveform, like harmonic distortion or fine-tuning a filter.

Aware of the changing needs of the project, today’s designers usually prefers an oscilloscope that can easily be upgraded. This enables them to save not only time but costs as well.

Other time saving features of oscilloscopes include high-resolution mode and averaging mode, noise reject mode and high-frequency mode.

High-resolution mode and averaging mode allows users to effectively raise the resolution of oscilloscopes by up to 12 bits, reducing noise while producing a smoother image on the screen. Adding hysteresis to the trigger circuit, noise reject makes the trigger circuit less sensitive to noise although it may need more amplitude waveform to properly trigger. High-frequency reject, on the other hand, provides the trigger path with a 50 kHz low-pass filter to remove unwanted noise like FM or AM broadcast signals.

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Offering six GHz bandwidth, this four channel oscilloscope delivers a maximum real-time sampling rate of 40 GS/s and a record length of 32 Mpts/ch. Unlike some solutions that offers problem notification, the SDA 760Zi-A is the only oscilloscope that helps users identify the problem and keep the project back on track.

It is equipped with LeCroy’s QualiPHY compliance test suite, which offers the best solutions to configure, automate and document standardized tests. In case the design fails during compliance testing, the oscilloscope also features a debugging toolset to provide users with insight into eye and jitter analysis.

With Quick View, the oscilloscope shows the TIE Track, Eye Diagram, Jitter histogram, Bathtub Curve, Jitter Spectrum and NQ-Scale, while X-Stream II Architecture offers fast eye interpretation and fast updates.

The SDA 760Zi-A allows users to rapidly isolate the source of the problem in the design while offering advanced usability such as mask violation locator, 8b/10b decode, equalization and ISI plot that are easy to find. To achieve true amplitude and rise time measurements, the oscilloscope provides cable de-embedding and cable characteristics that automatically adjusts cable effects. On math analysis, the oscilloscope employs the same flexible math that offers users with valuable understanding of design behavior.

In addition, the oscilloscope also features a high-speed pattern trigger option of up to 2.7 Gb/s, which offers a recovered clock as well as data output on the oscilloscope’s front.

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Aside from the standard set of trigger functions offered in most oscilloscopes, the PicoScope 6402 is specifically designed with an advanced set of triggers to help users easily capture the needed data.

To conveniently manage all the data, the oscilloscope offers a maximum zoom factor of 100 million which is combined with two zoom methods. Its conventional set of zoom controls comes with an overview window that offers users a good view of the entire waveform while zooming in and repositioning the display by dragging the mouse.

The oscilloscope’s custom probe settings allow users to correct attenuation, gain, non-linearities and offsets in special probes, or convert measurements. It also enables users to save definitions to disk.

With high-speed circuitry, the oscilloscope can trigger on and capture more than one million waveforms per second, effectively increasing the chances of capturing an infrequent glitch.

In addition, it is integrated with a function generator, which can generate standard waveforms, such as square, DC, sine and triangle level, from DC to 20 MHz. Featuring basic controls to set level, frequency and offset, the PicoScope 6402A also offers advanced controls that allow users to sweep over a vast array of frequencies.

The oscilloscope is still fast and easy to use although it offers various advanced functions and features.

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Both models are well suited for power-device researchers and manufacturers performing power-device characterization and failure analysis. Power-device users in equipment/automotive companies can also use these solutions for incoming device inspections and failure analysis.

Enhancements to the B1505A include the following:

Capabilities for improving the quality and performance of design and research: These include a wide I/V range with precision (up to 1500 A/10 kV), a medium current measurement with high voltage bias (500 mA at 1200 V, for example), a µΩ-class resistance measurement capability, and a sub-pA level current measurement, all of which are traceable to international standards. High peak powers (22.5 kW for high current and 900 W for high voltage) ensure complete characterization of most power semiconductor devices.

Extensive device evaluation capabilities: These include high-power pulsed measurement down to 10 µs, a temperature measurement capability and a GaN current collapse effect measurement. Both help speed the research and development cycle.

Improved efficiency: A newer standard test fixture (N1265A) for safe packaged-device testing, secure on-wafer testing over 200 A or up to 10 kV, and an oscilloscope view that enables real-time verification of I/V waveforms on multiple device terminals. The oscilloscope view takes advantage of two independent analog-to-digital converters equipped in each measurement channel to accurately visualize fast pulse waveforms with pulse widths as small as 10 µs. It can be used to quickly and efficiently monitor timing-critical measurement conditions and device behavior.

An upgradeable and scalable hardware architecture: A wide selection of measurement modules and support devices with up to 6 pins allow the B1505A to meet users test needs today and in the future.

The significantly enhanced Agilent B1505A is based on the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system and has a variety of selectable measurement modules that includes a high-current SMU (20A/20V), high-voltage SMU (8 mA/3000 V), medium-power SMU (1 A/200 V), multi-frequency capacitance measurement unit, ultra-high current unit (1500 A/60 V), ultra-high voltage unit (20 mA/10 kV), and high-voltage medium current unit (2.5 A/1500 V and 1.1 A/2200 V).

Superior capabilities already available in the B1505A can be used for the enhanced modules. With its scalable architecture, next-generation curve tracer, and automated test-and-analysis capabilities, the B1505A provides unparalleled performance and ease of use for power-device characterization.

Agilent Technologies

www.agilent.com

Test & Measurement Tips

“Our goal is to provide timely metrology solutions to our customers, in a region that is home to a booming automotive industry. The benefit of opening this new M³ Solution Center was the accessibility in offering an experienced metrology specialist to our customers that could provide up to date and knowledgeable metrology information for any situation they may encounter”, says Mike Dukehart, Regional Sales Manager, South Central region.

The grand opening celebration will be held on Tuesday, May 22 and Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 2100 Riverchase Center, Suite 106, Birmingham, AL. The festivities for the two day event will include facility tours, refreshments, raffles and live demonstrations from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. If interested in attending the event. RSVP to randy.stephenson@mitutoyo.com.

Mitutoyo Corporation
www.mitutoyo.com

Test & Measurement Tips

As a result of this enhancement, the oscilloscope will cater flexibility to optical networking manufacturers and designers in selecting between real-time and equivalent-time acquisition systems that will address their measurement needs.

Tektronix prides as the first optical modulation systems to offer a single modulation analyzer capable of working with both equivalent-time and real-time oscilloscopes.

The DSA8300 oscilloscope, enhanced by the OM4000 analyzer, is designed for network equipment manufacturers and designers who are in need of lower costs and higher vertical resolution.

Aside from 16-bit vertical resolution and 450uV RMS noise floor at 60 GHz, the DSA8300 oscilloscope, in this application, also features extra dynamic range and accuracy and up to 60 GHz bandwidth on four channels. Timing jitter is cut to as low as 450fs RMS, allowing visibility into real signal performance.

“As the worldwide demand for bandwidth continues to grow at a rapid pace, our customers are being asked to find ways to increase the efficiency, data rates and reliability of optical network equipment while at the same time reducing cost,” said Brian Reich, General Manager, Performance Oscilloscopes at Tektronix.

He added that along with the new enhancement, the OM4000 Series will be able to meet the needs for “cost-saving flexibility, higher vertical resolution and future-proof levels of measurement bandwidth.”

Meanwhile, the Tektronix OM4000 Series Optical Modulation Analyzer Solutions is capable of accurate characterization of serial communications in fiber starting from 100 Gb/s and beyond.

Test & Measurement Tips

The site focuses on six natural resource industries, including oil and gas exploration, power generation and mining. Light and electron microscopes are coupled with industry specific software applications to provide analytical information such as the porosity and permeability of shale rock, the tensile strength and composition of steel, and the microstructural and electronic properties of thin film photovoltaic solar cells.

Process specific tools, such as RoqSCAN (for mineralogical analysis at an oil and gas wellsite) and System NMI (for particle analysis in steel), are amongst the products featured in the microsite. The microsite also includes an introductory video which provides an overview of how microscopy solutions are used by natural resource businesses and researchers worldwide.

Carl Zeiss Microscopy, LLC

www.zeiss.com/micro

Test & Measurement Tips

Highlights of this innovative vision technology include calibrated lighting, a high resolution color CCD camera, a laser locator and an 8 segment LED dual angle ring light to create better contrast for edge detection. The system also delivers software controls for RGB (Red/Green/Blue) sensitivity allowing for adjustment over contrast, improving overall consistency and precision for colored parts where edges can be difficult to capture with only grayscale or lighting modifications.

The Classic 321GL tp comes standard with PC-DMIS® Vision image processing software and full online 3D CAD capabilities for live programming of the machine to compare measured values to nominals. The software includes the groundbreaking MultiCapture feature that finds all 2D characteristics in the field of view, regardless of their type, and measures them simultaneously. MultiCapture then moves the camera to the next cluster of features and measures them. This sequence continues until the inspection program is complete, and is automatically optimized by creating the most efficient path with the fewest number of stage movements. Inspection speeds increase by 50% or more, depending on feature size and density, which can significantly raise throughput.

Hexagon Metrology

www.hexagon.com

Test & Measurement Tips