Oscilloscope Introduction

An oscilloscope is used to measure and analyze the behaviour of electrical signals in circuits. The oscilloscope takes a digital reading of the voltage difference displayed across the probes, combining them to give an analog signal on the screen. An oscilloscope will visually represent a waveform, as opposed to a multimeter which will provide a numeric value.

The Student Design Hub has two types of oscilloscopes available for students: the RIGOL DS1102E and the RIGOL DS1102E. The RIGOL DS1102E is a 2-channel oscilloscope with an analog bandwidth capable of handling frequencies up to 100 MHz. There is one of these at each workstation in the Student Design Hub. The RIGOL DS1104Z-S Plus is a 4-channel 100 MHz oscilloscope with the added capability of having digital logic probes. This allows the oscilloscope to measure both analog and digital signals. There is only one of these in the SDH available at Station 3.

Note: A good understanding of ohms law and DC(Direct Current) is required to understand the basic use of an oscilloscope. For more information on ohms law, go here. A good understanding of AC(Alternating Current) signals is needed for more intermediate purposes and can be found here.