33500B Series
Waveform Generators
DATA SHEET
Get the capability, fi delity and fl exibility
you need to characterize your components
and designs with confi dence
33500B Series waveform generators with exclusive Trueform
signal generation technology offer more capability, fi delity
and fl exibility than traditional DDS generators. Use them
to accelerate your development process from start to fi nish.
With
TECHNOLOGY
REVOLUTIONARY SIGNAL GENERATION WITH UNMATCHED CAPABILITIES AND FIDELITY
Trueform Technology
Generate true point-by-point arbitrary waveforms
with less jitter, more fi delity and greater resolution
Revolutionary advances over
traditional DDS
Trueform at 200 kHz
DDS at 200 kHz
Reduced
Jitter
<40 ps 500 ps
Better
Signal
Integrity
Over the past two decades, direct digital synthesis (DDS) has been the
waveform generation technology of choice in function generators
and economical arbitrary waveform generators. DDS enables waveform
generators with great frequency resolution, convenient custom waveforms, and a low price.
As with any technology, DDS has intrinsic downsides and limitations
as well. Engineers with exacting requirements have had to either work
around the compromised performance or spend up to 10 times more
for a high-end, point-by-point waveform generator.
Agilent’s Trueform technology offers a new alternative that blends
the best of DDS and point-by-point architectures, giving you the benefi ts
of both without the limitations of either. Trueform technology uses
an exclusive digital sampling technique that delivers unmatched
performance at the same low price you are accustomed to with DDS.
The table below highlights the revolutionary capabilities of
Trueform technology.
DDS:
Traditional
25 MHz
waveform
generator
Edge jitter 50 0 ps 40 ps 12x better
Trueform:
Agilent
30 MHz 33511B
waveform
generator
Improvement
Trueform technology DDS technology
Lower
Distortion
2
0.04%
THD
Custom
waveform
replication
Total
harmonic
distortion
Anti-alias
fi ltering
Sequenced
arb
For more information about Agilent Trueform technology
please visit:
Skips
waveform
points
0.2% 0.0 4% 5x better
Must provide
externally
Not possible Standard Easily create
100% point
coverage
Always
anti-aliased
www.agilent.com/fi nd/trueform
Exact
waveform
replication
No anti-aliasing
artifacts
complex waveform sequences
REVOLUTIONARY SIGNAL GENERATION WITH UNMATCHED CAPABILITIES AND FIDELITY
Easily generate the full range
►
of signals you need for the most
demanding measurements
Test your devices with confi dence
►
that the waveform generator is
outputting the signals you expect
Select just the capabilities you
►
need now, then upgrade easily
when your needs change
Unique features of the 33500B Series waveform generators
FULL BANDWIDTH PULSE
2 CHANNELS
SUM MODULATE
POINT-BY-POINT ARB
VOLTAGE SETTINGS
PRBS PATTERNS
Full-bandwidth pulse to 20 or 30 MHz
Set leading and trailing edge times independently
Dual channel coupling, frequency and amplitude, equal and inverted
Set start phase for each channel, set phase shift between channels
Sum two signals together, frequency and amplitude independent
2-tone, square-sine, noise on pulse
Create up to 1 million samples standard, 16 million optional
Connect arbs together, create up to 512 sequences
Lowest voltage range at 1 mVpp, a 10x improvement
Set high and low voltage limits to prevent overload on DUT
Provides standard PRBS patterns, PN7 … PN23
Select PN type, set bit rate, set edge time
Key attributes
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
40 ps
Agilent
Trueform
500 ps
Typical
DDS
30
20
10
8.7 ns
0
Agilent
Trueform
20 ns
Typical
DDS
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0
0.04%
Agilent
Trueform
0.20%
Typical
DDS
1500
1000
500
0
1 M
Agilent
33500B Series
128 k
Older
generators
Jitter Risetime Total harmonic distortion Standard memory
3
REVOLUTIONARY SIGNAL GENERATION WITH UNMATCHED CAPABILITIES AND FIDELITY
Trueform Technology
Unmatched capabilities for generating
a full range of signals for the most
demanding requirements
The 33500B Series waveform generators offer the common signals and
features you expect, such as modulation, sweep, and burst. But the
33500B Series offers many more features that give you the capabilities
and fl exibility you need to get your job done. Like an intuitive front-panel
user interface that makes it easy to quickly relearn it when you’ve been
focused elsewhere. Like built-in LAN, USB and GPIB interfaces that
make it easy to control your instruments or transfer your waveforms
to your instrument.
But the 33500B Series doesn’t stop there. It offers a variety of
capabilities you won’t fi nd elsewhere—capabilities that help you
accelerate your testing and get your project wrapped up faster:
Waveform summing and combining capability
Easily add noise to your signal for margin and distortion testing
using only a single channel. You can create dual-tone
multifrequency signals without a dual-channel generator,
which means you can preserve your budget for other test
needs. On a two-channel model, you can sum and combine
up to four signals.
Variable-bandwidth noise
You can adjust the bandwidth of the built-in noise generator to
control the frequency content of your signal. Apply just the frequency
stimulus you need so you concentrate the energy of your waveform
in frequency bands of interest.
The images at right show
approximately 10 dB increase
in amplitude at 50 kHz when
the bandwidth is reduced 10x.
You can see how the signal
energy is increased in the
frequencies of interest when
the bandwidth is reduced,
instead of being spread over
a very wide bandwidth
with lower amplitude at all
frequencies.
Dual-tone signal created
by summing waveforms
using the modulation
type, “Sum.”
4
REVOLUTIONARY SIGNAL GENERATION WITH UNMATCHED CAPABILITIES AND FIDELITY
DDS skips points at
higher bandwidths
DDS technology may skip points at higher frequencies
Trueform never skips points, and is always anti-aliased
Defi ne any waveform shape and any waveform length using pointby -point arbitrary waveform capability. Your waveforms are always
anti-aliased for exceptional accuracy, and you can play them at any
rate you select. Play your signals as defi ned, at your exact sample
rate, without the chance of missing short-duration anomalies that are
critical for testing device reliability.
Trueform at 200 kHz
DDS at 200 kHz misses details
Waveform sequencing
Waveform sequencing lets you create multiple confi gured waveforms
with several common segments and lets you build long,
complex waveforms using minimal
instrument memory.
Create the waveform in the 33503A
Waveform Builder Pro and download it
to the waveform generator.
▼
Trueform at 50 kHz
Waveform generator display
with downloaded waveform.
▼
DDS at 50 kHz
Scope display
of waveform.
◄
5
REVOLUTIONARY SIGNAL GENERATION WITH UNMATCHED CAPABILITIES AND FIDELITY
Trueform Technology
Capabilities continued
Easily generate
PRBS waveforms on
the 33500B Series
waveform generators.
Pseudo-random binary sequence (PRBS)
pattern generation
Test your digital serial buses by streaming standard PRBS patterns—
like PN7 and PN19—without the need for a separate pulse
generator. With fewer instruments, setting up your tests is easier.
You won’t fi nd these built-in PRBS patterns in competitive
waveform generators.
You can select multiple sequence lengths
(such as PN15) and bit rates up to
50 Mbit/sec to create PRBS signals.
Smart phone and tablet access
to full documentation
Need a quick answer? Get instant access to instrument
documentation in seven different languages in
smart-phone-friendly WebHelp format. You can access
all user documentation in the palm of your hand—
no PC or hardcopy manuals required. Another feature
you won’t fi nd in competitive function/arb generators.
Flexibility in creating and playing waveforms
There are fi ve ways to create arbitrary waveforms for use
with the 33500B generator.
1. Use the included Waveform Builder Basic software to edit
and download a waveform fi le to the generator
2. Use 33503A Waveform Builder Pro software to create
more complex waveforms and sequencing
3. Capture a waveform from an oscilloscope and download
it to the generator
4. Create a waveform in MATLAB, Excel, etc. and download
it to the generator
5. Use the generator’s front panel to edit a waveform once
it is in the generator
Waveforms
from
Oscilloscopes
Waveforms
from
MATLAB & Excel
USB
drive
CSV
file
BUILT-IN
Embedded
waveform editor
Scan this QR code
to access instrument
documentation.
Waveform
Builder
Basic
Direct link
or USB
drive,
CSV or ARB
file
Waveform
Builder
Pro
COMPATIBLE
FILES
You have lots of fl exibility to choose the way you want to work.
6
REVOLUTIONARY SIGNAL GENERATION WITH UNMATCHED CAPABILITIES AND FIDELITY
Built-in Web browser
Easily set up and control your 33500B Series generator remotely
over a LAN connection using the built-in LXI Web browser. You can
monitor your tests and adjust settings from another offi ce or
room, or even from home.
Standard deep memory
If you want to test your design with long, complex waveforms
with a variety of anomalies, you need to make sure your waveform
generator has suffi cient memory. The 33500B Series’ standard
memory is 1 MSamples deep.
Typical DDS generators
offer only a fraction of that
amount but with the
33500B Series there is even
a 16 MSample memory
option available.
1500
1000
500
0
1 M
Agilent
33500B Series
128 k
Older
generators
Use the optional high-stability timebase
for even better accuracy
Get improved timebase stability and frequency accuracy using the
optional high-stability timebase. The optional timebase offers
0.1 ppm stability, which is 20x more stable than the standard
timebase over one year.
7
REVOLUTIONARY SIGNAL GENERATION WITH UNMATCHED CAPABILITIES AND FIDELITY
Trueform Technology
Signal integrity: Test your devices with confi dence
that your signal generator is outputting
the signals you expect
If your generator is introducing spurious signals or harmonics, you’ll
have a hard time producing reliable designs. To be successful, you need
to test with clean, precise, low-noise signals. Agilent 33500B Series
waveform generators offer the highest signal fi delity so you can
generate the exact waveforms you need for your most challenging
measurements. You can be confi dent you are seeing your design’s
characteristics, not your waveform generator’s, in your measurements.
33500B Series waveform generators offer the
following advantages:
Lowest jitter
With 12x better jitter than anything in their class, 33500B Series
waveform generators offer unparalleled edge stability. You can even use
them as a system clock for timing and triggering your other instruments.
With better jitter performance, you can place edges more accurately,
helping you reduce timing errors in your circuit design.
Trueform technology signifi cantly improves jitter performance.
Lowest harmonic distortion
With total harmonic distortion of just 0.04%, the 33500B Series offers
5x better fi delity than other generators. Clean, spurious-free signals
don’t introduce noise or artifacts. See your design’s characteristics, not
the waveform generator’s, in your measurements.
Agilent 33500B Series waveform generators offer the
lowest total harmonic distortion (THD) in its class.
<40 ps 500 ps
Trueform technology. Traditional DDS technology.
Faster edge times
The 33500B Series’ 8.4-ns rise and fall times are more than twice as
fast as you’ll fi nd in typical waveform generators. You can place edges
with more confi dence and more accurately set trigger points. Because
of the faster transition, higher harmonic content is created, which
helps you expand your understanding of your circuit.
8
Typical DDS generator has a higher noise fl oor and
greater harmonics.
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