Arbitrary Waveform Generator

Instrumentation & Measurement Solutions -
Arbitrary Waveform Generator

Function/Arbitrary waveform generators can generate periodic waveforms (including sine, square, triangle, sawtooth and pulse waveforms) and irregular waveforms (e.g. noise waveforms). They are widely used in designing, testing and troubleshooting an electrical device. A typical function/arbitrary waveform generator is made up of human-machine interface, signal generation and processing circuits, and power supply.

The major feature of a function/arbitrary waveform generators is its capability of generating different waveforms. That can be achieved by the signal generation circuit. It can produce waveform data by using either a dedicated DDS device or a combination of FPGA (implementing DDS algorithm) and high-speed DAC. Generating signals by DDS device brings high-frequency and high-quality waveforms, as well as simple design, but lacks flexibility because only standard waveforms can be generated, whereas the combination of FPGA and DAC is capable of producing user-defined arbitrary waveforms apart from the standard ones. The solution shown here is built on FPGA and DAC. After signals output from the generation circuit, the signal processing circuit will implement filtering and amplification. Moreover, both circuits can work on external inputs such as trigger inputs, amplitude modulation inputs and clock inputs, and provide synchronous outputs as well.

A waveform generator needs a user interface to display setting parameters and graphical waves, and provides user controls. The user interface consists of a MCU, a keypad and knobs, a LCD display, and different communication interfaces. As the core device of human-machine interface, the MCU is used to process the inputs from the keypad, knobs or other interfaces to indicate the required waveforms, frequencies and amplitudes, and also show these parameters on the LCD display.

Function/Arbitrary waveform generators are high-precision devices, and therefore require high-quality power supply to ensure proper operations. Typically ultra low-noise LDOs are selected as the power supply for signal generation and processing, and clock management circuits in order to improve the quality of output signals.

APPLICATION NOTES

Manufacturer	Product Type	AN Title	AN Number	Part Number	URL
ANALOG DEVICES	DAC	Choosing DACs for Direct Digital Synthesis	AN-237		Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	DAC	Driving a Center-Tapped Transformer with a Balanced Current-Output DAC	AN-912		Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	DAC	Improve Function Generators with Matched D/A Converters	AN-322		Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	DAC	CMOS Multiplying DACs and Op Amps Combine to Build Programmable Gain Amplifier	AN-320A		Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	DAC	CMOS Multiplying DAC Based Panning Circuit Provides Almost Constant Output Power	AN-206		Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	DAC	A Digitally Programmable Gain and Attenuation Amplifier Design	AN-137		Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	Amplifier	AD8370AREZAD8370AREZ Digital VGA Evaluation Board Controller Software			Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	Amplifier	High Speed Voltage Feedback Op Amps			Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	Amplifier	Choosing Between Voltage Feedback (VFB) and Current Feedback (CFB) Op Amps			Click Here
NXP	MCU	LPC1700 secondary USB bootloader		LPC1700	Click Here
NXP	MCU	AN11008 - Flash based non-volatile storage - Flash based non-volatile storage	AN11008	LPC1700	Click Here
NXP	MCU	Using the LPC1700 power modes		LPC1700	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Amplifier	Driving High-Speed ADCs: Circuit Topologies and System-Level Parameter			Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Amplifier	OPAy695 TINA-TI Reference Design		OPAy695	Click Here

WHITE PAPERS

ALTERA	FPGA	Achieving Low Power in 65-nm Cyclone III FPGAs	Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	ADC	2011 Trends in Data Conversion	Click Here

EVAL KITS

ANALOG DEVICES	DDS	Evaluation Board for 1 GSPS DDS with 14-Bit DAC	AD9910/PCBZAD9910/PCBZ	AD9910/PCBZAD9910/PCBZ	Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	DDS	AD9858 Fractional Divider Evaluation Board Tools	AD9958/PCB	AD9858	Click Here
ANALOG DEVICES	Clock	AD9520-x Evaluation Board	AD9520-x EVAL	AD9520-x	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Clock	CDCE421AEVMCDCE421AEVM User Guide	CDCE421AEVMCDCE421AEVM	CDCE421AEVMCDCE421AEVM	Click Here
ALTERA	FPGA	Cyclone II FPGA Starter Development Kit	DK-CYCII-2C20NDK-CYCII-2C20N	EP2C20F484C7N	Click Here
ALTERA	FPGA	Cyclone III FPGA Starter Development Kit	DK-DEV-3C120NDK-DEV-3C120N	EP3C120F780C8NEP3C120F780C8N	Click Here
ALTERA	FPGA	Cyclone III FPGA Starter Kit	DK-START-3C25NDK-START-3C25N	EP3C25F324C8NEP3C25F324C8N

TRAINING

Manufacturer	Product Type	Training Title	URL
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Clock	Benefits of Spread Spectrum Clocking	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Clock	PLL Basics and Usage	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Clock	Clocking the Signal Path: Part 1	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Clock	Clocking the Signal Path: Part 2	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Clock	Op Amp Basics: Input Bias Current	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Clock	Thermal Considerations for TI Analog Products: Part 1 (of 4)	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Clock	Thermal Considerations for TI Analog Products: Part 2 (of 4)	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Clock	Thermal Considerations for TI Analog Products: Part 3 (of 4)	Click Here
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS	Clock	Thermal Considerations for TI Analog Products: Part 4 (of 4)	Click Here
NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR	Power	WEBENCH FPGA Power Architect Tool Overview – FPGA Power Supply Design in Minutes	Click Here
NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR	Power	WEBENCH FPGA Power Architect Webinar	Click Here
NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR	Clock	Clock Design Tool - Loop Filter Design	Click Here
NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR	Clock	Clock Design Tool - Getting Started	Click Here

Arbitrary Waveform Generator

Instrumentation & Measurement Solutions - Arbitrary Waveform Generator

Instrumentation & Measurement Solutions -
Arbitrary Waveform Generator