AWG510 & AWG520 Service Manual 3-1
Theory of OperationThis section describes the electrical operation of the AWG510 and AWG520
Arbitrary Waveform Generator of the major circuit blocks or modules. Refer to
Figure 9–1 while reading this text.
Module Overview
The AWG510 and AWG520 are portable dual–channel waveform generator
(differential for the AWG510 and single–ended for the AWG520). The waveform
generator reads the digital waveform data loaded into its waveform memory. The
point rate clock determines the rate at which the data is read. The waveform
generator converts the data from digital to analog format and outputs the
resulting arbitrary waveform.
The Clock board provides the clock and trigger signals for the A50 AWG board.
The VCO generates the clock source signal. The frequency is controlled by DDS
and PLL circuitry. The point rate clock is adjustable from 50 kHz to 1 GHz for
reading data from the internal waveform memory. The reference clock is
supplied from either the internal 10 MHz TCXO or the Reference Clock Input on
the rear panel.
The trigger signal is sent to the AWG board from the internal interval timer or
the Trigger Input on the rear panel.
This functional block is a core of the waveform generator. It receives system
clocks from the Clock board to generate analog signal that is sent to the Output
board.
The AWG board contains sequence circuitry and memory, waveform memory
boards, shift registers, clock control circuitry, 1 GHz DAC, interface for the
Clock board and the Output board, and optional digital data out circuitry.
Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC). This functional block is a 10-bit high-speed
digital-to-analog converter. It converts the digital data from the waveform
memory into analog signals.
This functional block contains RAM memory that holds waveform data, address
latch registers, and read/write control circuitry. There are 10 bits for waveform
data and 2 bits for markers.