Arbitrary function generator offers power efficiency testing in under a minute

By Gina Roos, editor-in-chief

Tektronix, Inc. released a new software plugin for its AFG31000  arbitrary function generator that can perform double pulse testing in less than a minute. Double pulse testing is typically used in the power and semiconductor industries to evaluate the switching parameters and dynamic behavior of power devices including silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN).

An engineer needs to precisely generate at least two voltage pulses with varying pulse widths and timing to trigger a MOSFET or IGBT power device to perform a double pulse test, said Tektronix, but generating these pulses has been challenging, which has forced engineers to manually create waveforms using PCs or microcontrollers.

The new plugin helps save test time by making it easier to set-up test systems and quickly change parameters. The double pulse test software enables engineers to define pulse parameters from a single window on the AFG31000’s large touchscreen display and then generate the pulses they need to perform testing in less than a minute, according to Tektronix.

The application offers impedance adjustment of pulse width and the time gap between each pulse, up to 30 pulses. Pulse widths can range from 20 ns to 150 µs.

In addition to a large 9-inch touchscreen, the AFG31000 offers the company’s patented InstaView feature that automatically detects and compensates for impedance mismatches, programmable waveform sequencing, and a new ArbBuilder tool for creating and editing arbitrary waveforms.

The AFG31000 series instruments are available in one- or two-channel configurations and deliver 14-bit vertical resolution along with 250 MSa/s, 1 GSa/s or 2 GSa/s sample rate performance. Prices start at $2,210. Customers can download the double pulse test software for the AFG31000 free of charge.