KIPiS articles

Author(s):  Stauffer, Lee
Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #5
Power semiconductors have become a hot market. Semiconductor manufacturers are developing a whole new generation of power devices that boost the efficiency of energy generation, transmission, and consumption. These new devices have created some interesting test challenges. Because they operate at higher voltages than silicon devices, the test equipment must source higher test voltages. At the same time, these devices have lower leakage currents, so the test equipment must be more sensitive to low currents. In response, test equipment manufacturers are introducing source measurement units (SMUs) with wider dynamic ranges.

Author(s):  Afonskiy, Alexander
Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #5
Nowadays software for measuring devices is not only an accessory as it was before but one of the main features of the device effective use. On the one hand software use allows the remote control of a device (which is a necessary element when making distributed measuring systems), on the other hand it allows the user to automate the repetitive operations (e.g. cyclic tests).

Author(s):  Medler, Jens
Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #4
FFT-based EMI test receivers can be used for EMI compliance measurements in accordance with Amendment 1 to 3rd Edition of CISPR 16-1-1 if this standard is referenced in the product standard. The use is motivated by reducing the scan time by several orders of magnitude and to get more insight due to the possibility of applying longer measurement times and enhanced measurement functions like spectrum in persistence mode. For precise and reproducible measurements the use of preselection filters is highly recommended.

Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #4
Such challenge like the measurement of indoor humidity has its own peculiarity. This peculiarity means tracking the relative humidity changing while using some of the climatic devices as follows: air-conditioners, air humidifiers etc. in order to estimate the efficiency of their use and to set the optimal ranges of their operation. To meet this challenge there is a device needed which can measure humidity and appropriate parameters as well as register the measured values in the memory with capability of plotting graphs. The present article introduces AKTAKOM ATE-5035 humidity/temperature meter, its specifications and features.

Author(s):  Zollo, Bob
Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #4
As DC bias tasks become more sophisticated, involving sequencing and dynamic sourcing and measurement, traditional instruments start to fall short. These tasks will require complex interaction of several instruments and transducers, causing setup and configuration challenges. The DC Power Analyzer represents a new and unique solution to make work easier for the engineer.

Author(s):  Miles, Dean
Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #4
The rapid growth of high-bandwidth applications like on-demand video and cloud-based services conspire to make carrying capacity an absolute top priority. A coherent lightwave signal analyzer allows engineers to understand and optimize optical networks that use advanced modulation such as DP-QPSK.

Author(s):  Afonskiy, Alexander
Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #4
It is well-known that engineers prefer multifunctional devices. Such devices save space at their desks, usually cost cheaper than two or three devices and what’s the most important — always provide several different measuring functions ready at hand. But nevertheless these features are not the main ones in AKTAKOM multifunctional oscilloscopes ACK-6xx9. These digital storage oscilloscopes have become among the first ones low-end oscilloscopes with built-in digital signal generator presented in Russia. The article gives several examples of efficient use of AKTAKOM ACK-6xx9 digital oscilloscopes with built-in signal generator.

Author(s):  Peterson, Stephen
Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #3
This article focuses on the advantages of «smart» instrument drivers using PXI as an example.

Author(s):  Ami Teli
Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #3
Over the last decade, there has been increasing consumer demand for greater functionality in almost all the electronic products that consumers buy from smartphones to tablet computers. This has made testing the components that go into these products more challenging for these manufacturers’ suppliers and on their own production lines.

Author(s):  Afonskiy, Alexander
Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #3
In the previous issues of our magazine we described various handheld multimeters. One of the typical varieties of multimeters is RLC meters which specialize in measurement of different parameters of electric circuit elements. The following article contains the detailed description of handheld models of AKTAKOM RLC meters. The interesting fact is the update and enhancement of AKTAKOM RLC meters family. Read about new interesting capabilities and features of these devices in the present article.

Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #1
Agilent Technologies announced a new real-time spectrum analyzer (RTSA). In the market general-purpose signal analyzer and real-time spectrum analyzer are two different devices. But Agilent Technologies has combined real-time analysis function with the high performance PXA X-series signal analyzer. The unique attribute of Agilent’s RTSA is that it is also an upgradable option to new and existing PXA X-series signal analyzers. Therefore there is no need to purchase a new device, instead of it an existing PXA signal analyzer bought for example several years ago can be upgraded to real-time spectrum analyzer. It can be easily made due to the unique architecture of the X-series analyzers which CPU and memory can be easily upgraded to accept the latest generation of microprocessors. Agilent’s RTSA delivers unmatched probability of intercept (POI), analysis bandwidth, sensitivity, and frequency range — capabilities that make it the best way for system developers and signal analysts to see, capture and understand highly elusive signals. It gives users greater confidence that they’ve achieved a detailed understanding of what’s happening inside a signal-rich system or environment.

Author(s):  Beck, Doug, Larsen, Kris
Issue:  KIPiS 2013 #1
Improving the user interface on oscilloscopes is no trivial task. While a previous team at Agilent was able to simplify and improve high performance oscilloscopes more than a decade ago with Infiniium, could the same thing be done for portable oscilloscopes?

Issue:  KIPiS 2012 #6
This article describes the differences in sweep speed between classical swept spectrum analyzers and modern spectrum analyzers with a wide-band FFT process, and how this improves the measurement speed for general spurious measurement.

Author(s):  Hancock, Johnnie
Issue:  KIPiS 2012 #6
Although real-time bandwidth will almost always be the number one criteria when it comes to selecting an oscilloscope to debug designs, waveform update rate is the most important characteristic of a scope that contributes to a scope’s ability to reveal random and infrequent events. Agilent’s InfiniiVision 4000 X-Series oscilloscopes update waveforms as fast as 1,000,000 waveforms per second making these scopes the masters at showing you the «needle-in-a-haystack» troublesome waveform.

Author(s):  Dyakonov V.
Issue:  KIPiS 2012 #6
AKTAKOM AWG-41XX series digital generators are capable of forming independent signals on two channels. The devices of this series use the latest methods of many signals generation and direct digital synthesis of arbitrary waveforms providing the high stability of the output frequency and high frequency and amplitude resolution. At the same time the price of such generators is very low. These AKTAKOM generators combine functions of various devices: digital sine wave generator, pulse generator of different forms, arbitrary waveform generator, digital frequency meter etc. All of these functions give us lots of advantages. Read about the functions of AKTAKOM generators and their use in the present article.

Issue:  KIPiS 2012 #5
This article describes the differences in intermodulation distortion measurements between traditional spectrum analyzers with analog narrowband IF signal path and modern spectrum analyzers using a wide-band IF signal path and digital RBW filters.

Issue:  KIPiS 2012 #5

The release of the first version of the NI LabVIEW system design software 26 years ago allowed to change our understanding of the measuring equipment. This year, National Instruments makes another revolution in the field of measuring technology. The company announced the release of a new class of softwareconfigurable instruments designed to remove the limitations associated with the use of measuring instruments of the traditional type.

Author(s):  Wong, Sook-Hua
Issue:  KIPiS 2012 #5
This article provides four useful tips for making accurate and repeatable rise and fall time measurements for radar signals using RF and microwave power meters.

Author(s):  Dyakonov V.
Issue:  KIPiS 2012 #5
The article describes the basics of spectral analysis and the usage of the Tektronix MDO4000 built-in spectrum analyzer.

Author(s):  Afonskiy, Alexander, Afonskaya, Tatiana
Issue:  KIPiS 2012 #5, KIPiS 2012 #6, KIPiS 2013 #2
Nowadays multimeter is one of the most popular measuring devices. It’s widely used by both amateurs and professionals and the choice is enormous! Suffice it to say that AKTAKOM multimeters enumerate 4 models. The following article contains functional capabilities and describes specifications which can help users to understand which model is the most appropriate for them and make the right choice.