Chapter 4:
Oscilloscope
PRINCIPLES OF INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENT (BEKG 1233))
Lecturer: Noor Azwan Bin Shairi
Faculty: Fakulti Kej. Elektronik dan Kej. Komputer
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Topics covered in this slides:
1. Introduction (Cathode Ray Tube (CRT))
2. Basic Operation Of Oscilloscope
3. Measurement Using Oscilloscope (Voltage,
Frequency & Phase)
4. Lissajous Figures & Applications
5. Overview of Digital Storage Oscilloscope
4.0 OSCILLOSCOPE
Subject LO3 :
Be able to operate the oscilloscope to display and analyze
the waveforms of electrical signals.
Objectives:
List the major subsystems of an oscilloscope
Do basic operation and calibrate an oscilloscope
Determine the frequency and amplitude of a signal
displayed on the CRT screen
Compute phase angle
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4.1 Introduction (Cathode Ray
Oscilloscope/Tube)
Cathode Ray Oscilloscope (CRO) generally referred to as
the oscilloscope is probably the most versatile electrical
measuring instrument.
The electrical parameters can be observed with the
oscilloscope are ac or dc voltage, indirect measurement of
ac or dc current, time, frequency, phase angle and a wide
range of waveform evaluations such as rise time, fall time,
ringing and overshoot.
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Cont’d…
Physical quantities such as pressure, strain, temperature,
and acceleration can be measured by using a transducer to
convert the physical parameter to an equivalent voltage.
Consists of the following major subsystems:
o Cathode-ray tube or CRT
o Vertical amplifier
o Horizontal amplifier
o Sweep generator
o Trigger circuit
o Associated Power Suplies
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Cont’d…
The oscilloscope is basically an electron beam voltmeter
The heart of the oscilloscope is the CRT which makes the
applied signal visible by the deflection of a thin beam of
electrons.
Practically the electron has no weight and no inertia
therefore the beam of electrons can be moved to follow
varying at a rate of millions of times/second. Thus the
electron beam follows rapid variations in signal voltage
and traces a visible path on the CRT screen.
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Cont’d…
In this way rapid variations, pulsations or transients are
reproduced an the operator can observe the waveform as
well as measure amplitude at any instant of time. It can be
used in any field where a parameter can be converted into a
proportional voltage for observation, e.g. meteorology,
biology and medicine
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Cont’d…
Figure 4.1 Basic cathode ray tube construction
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4.2 Basic operation of Oscilloscope
The CRO depends on the movement of an electron beam,
which is bombarded on the screen coated with a
fluorescent material, to produce a visible spot. If the
electron beam is defected on the vertical(x-axis) and
horizontal (y-axis) axis, a two dimensional display is
produced. The beam is deflected at a constant rate relative
of time along the x-axis and is deflected along the y-axis in
response to a signal, such as a voltage. This produces a
time-dependent variation of the input voltage.
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Cont’d…
A beam of electrons is generated by the cathode and
directed to the screen, causing the phosphor coating on the
screen to glow where the electrons strike. The electron
beam is deflected vertically and horizontally by externally
applied voltages.
Triode Section
Consists of cathode, a grid and anode. The grid is a nickel
cup with a hole in it, almost completely encloses the
cathode. The cathode (nickel) is cylinder shape with a flat,
oxide coated, electron emitting surface directed toward the
hole in the grid. Cathode heating is provided by and inside
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filament.
Cont’d…
The cathode is typically held at approximately -2kV, and
the grid potential is adjustable from approximately -2000V
to -2050V.
The grid-cathode potential controls the electrons flow from
the cathode and thus controls the number of electrons
directed to screen. In otherworld the grid potential control
is a brightness control.
A large number of electrons striking one point will cause
the screen to glow brightly otherwise a small number will
produce a dim glow.
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Cont’d…
The first anode (A1) open at one end closed at the other
end, with a hole at the center of the close end. Since A1 is
grounded and the cathode is at a high –ve potential, A1 is
highly +ve with respect to the cathode.
This causes electrons to be accelerated from the cathode
through the holes in the grid and anode to the focusing
section.
In otherword A1 provides the accelerating field to draw the
electrons from cathode and the hole in A1 limits the initial
cross section of the electron beam.
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Cont’d…
Focusing Section
The focusing electrodes A1, A2, A3 are referred to as an
electron lens. The function of the electrons lens is to focus
the electrons to a fine point on the screen. A3 and A1 are
held at ground potential while A2 is adjustable around -
2kV.
The result of the potential difference between anodes is
called equipotential lines. Line 1 might have -700V while
line 2 might be -500V. On crossing the equipotent lines,
the electrons experience a force that changes their direction
of travel toward right angles with respect to the
equipotential lines. The shape of the line within A1
produces a convergent force on the electron beam and11
those within A3 produce a divergent force.
Cont’d…
Figure 4.2 The potential difference between electrodes A1, A2, A3 set
up equipotential lines that exert convergent and
divergent forces on the electron beam.
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Cont’d…
Deflection Section
If the horizontal and vertical plates were grounded or left
unconnected, the beam of electrons would pass between
each pair of plates and strike the center of the oscilloscope
screen. There would produce a bright glowing point.
When one plate of a pair of deflecting plates has a +ve
voltage and the other one has a –ve potential, the electrons
in the beam are attracted toward the +ve plate and repelled
from the negative plate.
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Cont’d…
This plates are arranged in two pairs, H1 and H2 for
deflecting the beam horizontally and V1 and V2 for
deflecting it vertically. (Figure 4.2)
When the plates are at zero voltage the beam is mideway
between them and the spot is in the center of the screen.
When H1 is +ve with respect to the cathode (and all other
plates are at zero voltage), it attracts the beam and the spot
moves horizontally to the left. When H2 is +ve, it attract
the beam and spot moves horizontally to the right.
When V1 +ve, the spot moves vertically upward and when
V2 +ve, the spot moves downward.
4.3 Measurement of Voltage,
Frequency and Phase Angle
The range applications of an oscilloscope varies from basic
voltage measurement and waveform observation to highly
specialist applications in all areas of science, engineering
and technology.
4.3.1 Voltage Measurement
The most direct voltage measurement made with
oscilloscope is the peak to peak value. The rms value can
then be easily calculated from the p-p value.
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Cont’d…
To measure the voltage from the CRT display, one must
observe the setting of the vertical attenuator express in
V/div and the peak to peak deflection of the beam, i.e. the
number of divisions. The peak to peak value of voltage is
then computed as
Volts no. of div
VPP
Div 1
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Cont’d…
4.3.2 Frequency and phase Measurement
The period and frequency of periodic signals are easily
measured with an oscilloscope. The waveform must be
displayed such that a complete cycle is displayed on the
CRT screen. Accuracy is generally improved if a single
cycle displayed fills as much of the horizontal distance
across the screen as possible. The period is calculated as :
time no. of div
T Frequency determination: f = 1/T
div cycle
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Cont’d…
Phase difference
Phase difference, = (phase difference in division) x (degrees/div)
Example
From figure bellow, input signal of A and B is set as:
Volt/Div: 100mv/Div and Time/Div: 0.5ms/Div
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4.4 Lissajous figures
If we allow one AC signal to deflect the beam up and
down (connect that AC voltage source to the "vertical"
deflection plates) and another AC signal to deflect the
beam left and right (using the other pair of deflection
plates), patterns will be produced on the screen of the CRT
indicative of the ratio of these two AC frequencies. These
patterns are called Lissajous figures and are a common
means of comparative frequency measurement in
electronics.
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Cont’d…
Examples:
Lissajous figure formed by two AC voltages in phase
(same frequency) with each other:
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Cont’d…
If the two AC voltages are not in phase with each other i.e.
phase shift is exactly 90o between the two signals, and if
their amplitudes are equal:
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Cont’d…
Finally, if the two AC signals are directly opposing one
another in phase (180o shift), we will end up with a line
again, only this time it will be oriented in the opposite
direction:
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Cont’d…
When we are faced with signal frequencies that are not the
same, Lissajous figures get quite a bit more complex.
Consider the following examples and their given
vertical/horizontal frequency ratios:
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Cont’d…
The more complex the ratio between horizontal and
vertical frequencies, the more complex the Lissajous
figure. The following figure illustration of a 3:1 frequency
ratio between horizontal and vertical:
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Cont’d…
and a 3:2 frequency ratio (horizontal = 3, vertical = 2):
Mathematic expression:
Fy No of Horizontal tangencies
No of Vertical tangencies
Fx
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Overview of Digital Storage
Oscilloscope
The digital storage oscilloscope, or DSO for short, is now the
preferred type for most industrial applications, although simple
analogue CROs are still used by hobbyists. It replaces the
unreliable storage method used in analogue storage scopes
with digital memory, which can store data as long as required
without degradation.
It also allows complex processing of the signal by high-speed
digital signal processing circuits. The vertical input, instead of
driving the vertical amplifier, is digitised by an analog to digital
converter to create a data set that is stored in the memory of a
microprocessor. The data set is processed and then sent to the
display, which in early DSOs was a cathode ray tube, but is now
more likely to be an LCD flat panel. DSOs with colour LCD
displays are common.
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Overview of Digital Storage
Oscilloscope
The data set can be sent over a LAN or a WAN for processing or
archiving. The scope's own signal analysis software can extract many
useful time-domain features (e.g. rise time, pulse width, amplitude),
frequency spectra, histograms and statistics, persistence maps, and a
large number of parameters meaningful to engineers in specialized
fields such as telecommunications, disk drive analysis and power
electronics
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