Arbitrary Waveform Generator (Instruments for Simulation Experiments)
What is an Arbitrary Waveform Generator?
An Arbitrary Waveform Generator (AWG) is a signal source capable of generating any desired waveform. It generates these waveforms using pre-stored digital data that describes the ever-changing voltage of the signal. The user can create the desired arbitrary waveform by using the built-in editing tools, an external software application, or by directly importing an existing data file and storing it in the memory of the Arbitrary Waveform Generator. When the user starts the output, the arbitrary waveform generator reads data points from memory at a set sample rate and converts them to an analogue signal for output via a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC).
Arbitrary waveform generators have several advantages over traditional signal sources:
- Flexibility: Arbitrary waveform generators can produce any desired waveform, whether periodic or non-periodic, deterministic or random, simple or complex. Users can design and edit the signals they want according to their needs, and modify and update them at any time.
- Fidelity: Arbitrary waveform generators ensure a high degree of consistency between the output signal and the input data points, i.e. what you see is what you get. Arbitrary waveform generators usually have high sampling rate, resolution and memory depth, as well as low noise and distortion, thus ensuring that the output signal is of high quality and accuracy.
- Functionality: In addition to generating basic continuous outputs, arbitrary waveform generators can also provide a variety of advanced output modes, such as modulation, sweep, burst, sequence, etc., as well as a variety of triggering and synchronisation methods, thus enabling more complex and flexible signal generation and control.
Arbitrary waveform generator can be applied in many fields, such as:
- Communication: Arbitrary waveform generator can generate various communication signals, such as digital modulated signals, multicarrier signals, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals, pulse code modulation (PCM) signals, etc., and can simulate the characteristics of the channel, such as fading, interference, noise, etc., so as to carry out the design, testing and validation of communication systems.
- Radar: Arbitrary waveform generator can generate various radar signals, such as pulse compression signals, linear frequency modulation (LFM) signals, phase coding (PC) signals, binary phase shift keying (BPSK) signals, etc., and can simulate the characteristics of the target, such as distance, speed, azimuth, etc., so as to carry out the simulation, evaluation and optimisation of the radar system.
- Electronic Warfare: Arbitrary Waveform Generator can generate various electronic warfare signals, such as jamming signals, spoofing signals, noise signals, etc., and can simulate the characteristics of the enemy, such as radar types, operating modes, parameter settings, etc., so as to carry out the research, development, and countermeasures of electronic warfare systems.
- Others: Arbitrary waveform generators can also be applied in other fields, such as medicine, biology, physics, chemistry, etc., for simulating various signals in human body or nature, such as electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, sound signals, optical signals, etc., so as to carry out various experiments and measurements.
Specific test methods can be selected according to different application scenarios and needs, generally speaking, the following methods can be used:
- Use built-in editing tools or external software applications to create and edit arbitrary waveforms and set output parameters and modes, and then observe the waveforms and characteristics of the output signals, or use other instruments such as oscilloscopes, spectrometers, network analysers, etc. to perform measurements and analyses.
- Use digitisers or digital oscilloscopes to capture real-world signals and import them into an arbitrary waveform generator, and then replay or modify these signals, or combine or modulate them with other signals to simulate different situations and effects.
- Use a computer interface or storage device to transfer or store arbitrary waveforms, or use network capabilities to remotely control or monitor the arbitrary waveform generator for greater flexibility and convenience.
How to choose the right arbitrary waveform generator?
- Output Frequency: The highest frequency component of the signal you need, which determines the bandwidth requirement of the arbitrary waveform generator.
- Sampling Rate: The time resolution of the signal you need determines the sampling rate requirement of the arbitrary waveform generator. In general, the sampling rate should be at least twice the output frequency to satisfy the Nyquist Sampling Theorem.
- Vertical Resolution: The voltage resolution of the signal you need determines the number of bits required for the digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) of the arbitrary waveform generator. In general, the higher the number of bits in the DAC, the higher the dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio of the signal.
- Memory size: The total length of the signal you need determines the memory capacity requirement of the arbitrary waveform generator. Generally speaking, the larger the memory capacity, the longer the waveform can be generated.
- Signal quality: The fidelity of the signal you need determines the requirements of the arbitrary waveform generator's performance indicators such as Spurious Free Dynamic Range (SFDR), Effective Number of Bits (ENOB) and Jitter. In general, the higher these metrics are, the lower the distortion of the signal.
In addition to these basic parameters, consider other features of the arbitrary waveform generator according to the application requirements, such as:
- Waveform editing and downloading capability: The complexity and diversity of the signals you need determines the waveform creation and management capability of the arbitrary waveform generator. Generally speaking, the arbitrary waveform generator should provide built-in waveform editing tools, external software applications, or direct import of existing data files to create the desired arbitrary waveforms and store them in the memory of the arbitrary waveform generator.
- Number of Channels and Synchronisation Capability: The number of channels and phase relationship of the signal you need determines the number of output channels and multi-cell synchronisation capability of the arbitrary waveform generator. Generally speaking, an arbitrary waveform generator should provide multiple independent or synchronised output channels in order to generate signals with multiple channels and ensure the phase consistency between them.
- Output Mode and Trigger Capability: The output mode and trigger condition of the signal you need determine the output mode and trigger capability of the arbitrary waveform generator. Generally speaking, an arbitrary waveform generator should provide multiple output modes, such as continuous mode, modulation mode, sweep mode, burst mode, etc., and support multiple triggering modes, such as internal triggering, external triggering, manual triggering, remote triggering and so on.
How to calibrate the arbitrary waveform generator?
Arbitrary Waveform Generator is a signal source capable of generating any desired waveforms, it generates these waveforms using pre-stored digital data that describes the changing voltage of the signal. Arbitrary waveform generators are calibrated to ensure a high degree of consistency between the output signal and the input data points, i.e. what you see is what you get.
A common method for calibrating arbitrary waveform generators is pre-distortion calibration, which is based on the idea of compensation, where an emulated ideal signal is first loaded into the arbitrary waveform generator, and traceable measurements are made by an oscilloscope. The measured signal contains the distortion of the arbitrary waveform generator and the transmission device, which can be calculated by the difference between the measured signal and the ideal signal, and based on this distortion the ideal signal loaded into the arbitrary waveform The ideal signal loaded into the arbitrary waveform generator is adjusted according to this distortion, and the traceable calibration of the arbitrary waveform generator is finally realised, so that the signal input to the oscilloscope becomes an ideal signal.
What is an Arbitrary Waveform Generator?
An Arbitrary Waveform Generator (AWG) is a signal source capable of generating any desired waveform. It generates these waveforms using pre-stored digital data that describes the ever-changing voltage of the signal. The user can create the desired arbitrary waveform by using the built-in editing tools, an external software application, or by directly importing an existing data file and storing it in the memory of the Arbitrary Waveform Generator. When the user starts the output, the arbitrary waveform generator reads data points from memory at a set sample rate and converts them to an analogue signal for output via a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC).
Arbitrary waveform generators have several advantages over traditional signal sources:
- Flexibility: Arbitrary waveform generators can produce any desired waveform, whether periodic or non-periodic, deterministic or random, simple or complex. Users can design and edit the signals they want according to their needs, and modify and update them at any time.
- Fidelity: Arbitrary waveform generators ensure a high degree of consistency between the output signal and the input data points, i.e. what you see is what you get. Arbitrary waveform generators usually have high sampling rate, resolution and memory depth, as well as low noise and distortion, thus ensuring that the output signal is of high quality and accuracy.
- Functionality: In addition to generating basic continuous outputs, arbitrary waveform generators can also provide a variety of advanced output modes, such as modulation, sweep, burst, sequence, etc., as well as a variety of triggering and synchronisation methods, thus enabling more complex and flexible signal generation and control.
Arbitrary waveform generator can be applied in many fields, such as:
- Communication: Arbitrary waveform generator can generate various communication signals, such as digital modulated signals, multicarrier signals, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) signals, pulse code modulation (PCM) signals, etc., and can simulate the characteristics of the channel, such as fading, interference, noise, etc., so as to carry out the design, testing and validation of communication systems.
- Radar: Arbitrary waveform generator can generate various radar signals, such as pulse compression signals, linear frequency modulation (LFM) signals, phase coding (PC) signals, binary phase shift keying (BPSK) signals, etc., and can simulate the characteristics of the target, such as distance, speed, azimuth, etc., so as to carry out the simulation, evaluation and optimisation of the radar system.
- Electronic Warfare: Arbitrary Waveform Generator can generate various electronic warfare signals, such as jamming signals, spoofing signals, noise signals, etc., and can simulate the characteristics of the enemy, such as radar types, operating modes, parameter settings, etc., so as to carry out the research, development, and countermeasures of electronic warfare systems.
- Others: Arbitrary waveform generators can also be applied in other fields, such as medicine, biology, physics, chemistry, etc., for simulating various signals in human body or nature, such as electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, sound signals, optical signals, etc., so as to carry out various experiments and measurements.
Specific test methods can be selected according to different application scenarios and needs, generally speaking, the following methods can be used:
- Use built-in editing tools or external software applications to create and edit arbitrary waveforms and set output parameters and modes, and then observe the waveforms and characteristics of the output signals, or use other instruments such as oscilloscopes, spectrometers, network analysers, etc. to perform measurements and analyses.
- Use digitisers or digital oscilloscopes to capture real-world signals and import them into an arbitrary waveform generator, and then replay or modify these signals, or combine or modulate them with other signals to simulate different situations and effects.
- Use a computer interface or storage device to transfer or store arbitrary waveforms, or use network capabilities to remotely control or monitor the arbitrary waveform generator for greater flexibility and convenience.
How to choose the right arbitrary waveform generator?
- Output Frequency: The highest frequency component of the signal you need, which determines the bandwidth requirement of the arbitrary waveform generator.
- Sampling Rate: The time resolution of the signal you need determines the sampling rate requirement of the arbitrary waveform generator. In general, the sampling rate should be at least twice the output frequency to satisfy the Nyquist Sampling Theorem.
- Vertical Resolution: The voltage resolution of the signal you need determines the number of bits required for the digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) of the arbitrary waveform generator. In general, the higher the number of bits in the DAC, the higher the dynamic range and signal-to-noise ratio of the signal.
- Memory size: The total length of the signal you need determines the memory capacity requirement of the arbitrary waveform generator. Generally speaking, the larger the memory capacity, the longer the waveform can be generated.
- Signal quality: The fidelity of the signal you need determines the requirements of the arbitrary waveform generator's performance indicators such as Spurious Free Dynamic Range (SFDR), Effective Number of Bits (ENOB) and Jitter. In general, the higher these metrics are, the lower the distortion of the signal.
In addition to these basic parameters, consider other features of the arbitrary waveform generator according to the application requirements, such as:
- Waveform editing and downloading capability: The complexity and diversity of the signals you need determines the waveform creation and management capability of the arbitrary waveform generator. Generally speaking, the arbitrary waveform generator should provide built-in waveform editing tools, external software applications, or direct import of existing data files to create the desired arbitrary waveforms and store them in the memory of the arbitrary waveform generator.
- Number of Channels and Synchronisation Capability: The number of channels and phase relationship of the signal you need determines the number of output channels and multi-cell synchronisation capability of the arbitrary waveform generator. Generally speaking, an arbitrary waveform generator should provide multiple independent or synchronised output channels in order to generate signals with multiple channels and ensure the phase consistency between them.
- Output Mode and Trigger Capability: The output mode and trigger condition of the signal you need determine the output mode and trigger capability of the arbitrary waveform generator. Generally speaking, an arbitrary waveform generator should provide multiple output modes, such as continuous mode, modulation mode, sweep mode, burst mode, etc., and support multiple triggering modes, such as internal triggering, external triggering, manual triggering, remote triggering and so on.
How to calibrate the arbitrary waveform generator?
Arbitrary Waveform Generator is a signal source capable of generating any desired waveforms, it generates these waveforms using pre-stored digital data that describes the changing voltage of the signal. Arbitrary waveform generators are calibrated to ensure a high degree of consistency between the output signal and the input data points, i.e. what you see is what you get.
A common method for calibrating arbitrary waveform generators is pre-distortion calibration, which is based on the idea of compensation, where an emulated ideal signal is first loaded into the arbitrary waveform generator, and traceable measurements are made by an oscilloscope. The measured signal contains the distortion of the arbitrary waveform generator and the transmission device, which can be calculated by the difference between the measured signal and the ideal signal, and based on this distortion the ideal signal loaded into the arbitrary waveform The ideal signal loaded into the arbitrary waveform generator is adjusted according to this distortion, and the traceable calibration of the arbitrary waveform generator is finally realised, so that the signal input to the oscilloscope becomes an ideal signal.