Technical data

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117
Agilent 3000 X-Series Oscilloscopes
Advanced Training Guide
B
Oscilloscope Bandwidth Tutorial
Defining Oscilloscope Bandwidth 117
Required Bandwidth for Analog Applications 118
Required Bandwidth for Digital Applications 119
Digital Clock Measurement Comparisons 122
Oscilloscopes have many different specifications that determine the
accuracy that signals can be captured and measured. But the primary
specification of an oscilloscope is its bandwidth. This tutorial on
oscilloscope bandwidth will provide you some helpful hints on how to
select an oscilloscope with the appropriate bandwidth for your digital and
analog applications. But first, let’s define oscilloscope bandwidth.
Defining Oscilloscope Bandwidth
All oscilloscopes exhibit a low-pass frequency response that rolls- off at
higher frequencies as shown in Figure 85. Most scopes with bandwidth
specifications of 1 GHz and below typically have what is called a Gaussian
frequency response. An oscilloscope Gaussian frequency response
approximates a single- pole low- pass filter.