LAB REPORT

MI05 Using the Digital Storage Oscilloscope (DSO)

Name and Student ID: LAU KA CHUN (56622152)

Lab Partner’s Name and ID: Tang Tsz Hong (56618697)
Date of the experiment:23 of September
Course and lab module codes: PHY2191 MI07
Lab tutor’s name: Sun, Liang and Huang, Yalan
Purpose:

The purpose of this laboratory experiment was to gain a hands-on experience with
the digital storage oscilloscope. The set of experiments will go over procedures that
determine the time base, voltage level of the signal; measurement techniques for DC
and AC signals; and the use of trigger.

Introduction:

This report is going to presents the procedure, observation and result with the
experiment of digital storage oscilloscope. This experiment is combined by several
part. The first part, we will able to learn and familiar with the DSO , the component
of the front panel of DSO, such as Power, Vertical Control, and trigger control. In the
second part, we will try to measure and collect different data with the battery in
order to gain hands on experience of measurement. For example, we will measure
time with time base, voltage of the battery and observe the wave of signal in DSO.
In the last part, a combine circuit with the signal generator will be add in and observe
the current flow condition with different resistance change.
Procedure and Observations:

Figure 1(square waveform signal with 1kHz)

1. In the beginning, we will familiarize with the vertical and horizontal controls , do
basic connecting with the wire and set the controls by adjusting different buttons
and knobs. After turning on the DSO, a BNC cable between the CH1 input of the
DSO need to be connected. Set 50Ω output of the signal generator and select
CH1 by pressing the 1 button. The frequency range of the signal generator at 3
kHz and the frequency knob to 1.0., shown into the square waveform signal.

Figure3 Figure4

2. After we select the invert option using the option buttons, we observer the two
sine wave signal with the same frequency but two wave upside down. Therefore,
we believe the function of the invert option is change the waveform of the signal
 and it become upside down.

3. As shown in figure 4, now we will manage the triggering buttons. First, the input
will be change from the square wave to a sine wave. Press Autoset buttom to
display the sine wave. It is required to set the time base to 0.25 ms/div using the
scale on the horizontal controls, there should be 1 or 2 cycles displayed on the
DSO. Adjust the starting point of the waveform such that its starting point is
shown on the left-hand side of the screen.

Figure 5

4. Then we will now turn the level knob on the trigger control slowly.

Figure 6(trigger level with -30dB)(Switch the level knob to right)

 Figure 7(trigger level with 10 dB)

In this step, we try to adjust trigger with different level and observe the movement of
the waveform. In figure 6 , the trigger level was adjusted to around -40 dB and the
wave was moving rapidly and cannot check the wave form clearly. In Figure 7, we try
to adjusted the trigger level to around 10 to 0, the movement of waveform will
appear slowly and stable finally. However, both the period and frequency will not be
changed when we adjust the trigger level.

We observe that the trigger function is a useful tool for observing objects with high
speed or move rapidly. It can be used to observe the static shape of a waveform
which contain high speed and move rapidly, can stretch a stable wave for us .

Also, there are some different between trigger on rising and falling edge. We tried to
adjust the trigger level from 0 to 40, the wave will move to one direction. In the same
time, we adjusted the trigger level from 0 to -40, the wave will move to the opposite
direction. Both when the trigger level larger than 40 or -40, the wave will move
rapidly. Therefore, trigger on rising and falling edge control the direction of
movement of the wave.

This result indicated that if the waveform is not stable on the DSO, the trigger knobs
should be adjusted so as to get a stable waveform.
Figure 8 (The trigger source set at CH2)

Figure 8 show that if the trigger source is wrongly set at CH2, there is no big different
with the wave CH2 as a straight because there is no waveform signal in CH2
originally.
Figure 8 (A sine wave with 1kHz and 0.25 ms/div time base)

In part four, we would like to measure time with the time base by using a USD flash
drive. We input a sine wave of exactly 1 kHz to CH 1. Then vertical position knobs
should be adjusted so that the waveform is shown nicely on the screen. The best
time base is 0.25 ms/div.

In figure8, the number of horizontal division for 1 cycle of the input signal is 4 and
the time base is 250us/div. The period of the input signal: 250us x 4 = 1000 us

Based on the frequency of the input signal, it is true that 1 cycle of the wave should
occupied exactly 4 (if set 0.25ms/div) horizontal divisions. From our observation, the
wavelength is exactly 4 div in the horizontal position and the time base is 250 us.
Figure 9

Figure 10

Then we will save and store the waveform on USB flash drive, it can also be opened
with Microsoft Excel.
 Figure 11

It is possible to measure the time lag between the two signals using the DSO if
one signal lags behind the other. Let this time lag be t and let the period be T.
Based on 1 cycle = 360 º = 2π radian and the equation for the phase difference φ.

Y(t) = A . sin(ωt+φ)
φ= sin ^-1 {Y(t) / A }

φ= sin ^-1 {Y(t) / A }

In the part five, we will measure voltage with the DSO. We power off the function
generator and disconnect the BNC cable between the function generator and
DSO. BNC will be connected to banana plugs cable to CH1. Then we choose a
suitable time base and trigger. Set the CH1 voltage scale to 0.5 V/div by adjusting
the scale knob of vertical of vertical control and the fine Volts/Div setting.

Figure 12(10ms of time base 500 mV/div)

First, input coupling will be set to GROUND in the vertical control Menu. We have
zero input, and the signal should be centered on the screen. To obtain this
operation, the line, which will be adjust by the vertical position, is exactly at the
middle of the screen. Then we will set the input coupling to DC (for direct current
or voltage).
 Figure 13(input coupling to GROUND)

Figure 14(the voltage of the battery with negative magnitude by DSO)

Figure 15(the voltage of the battery with positive magnitude by DSO)

We measure the voltage of a battery with a multimeter, then CH 1 of the DSO was
connected to the battery.
The bettery measure by a multimeter, the voltage are +1.59218V and -1.59218
Other the other hands, in DSO, we can see the number of vertical division of the
input signal are +1.6V and -1.6V (500mV/div)
For the accuracy of the DSO voltage scale for DC measurement, we observe that the
DSO voltage scale for DC measurement up to our expectation, which are close to
+1.6V and -1.6V. However, the accuracy is not accurate enough since the horizontal
div is too small and hard to read in DSO, we can only estimate the value
approximately(around -1.6 and +1.6) but not accurate.
Figure 15(AC voltage measure by the signal generator and DSO)

Next we try AC measurement, in figure 5, the BNC cable from the signal generator
was required to connected to the DSO and replace the battery with a 50 Hz sine
wave from the signal generator.

Figure 16

Figure 17

In DSO, the peak to peak value of the battery voltage is 11.2V. (Figure 16)
To convert root-mean square value to peak to peak (p-p) value, root-mean-square
Value will be multiplied by2√2=3.87493V x 2√2 = 10.748V
(Figure17)
Figure 18(input coupling set to AC)

In part six, we connect the following RC circuit. The + and terminals are connected
correctly. The signal frequency should be set to 1 kHz. Connect the circuit with the
signal generator using the BNC to banana plug cables. We also need two BNC to
alligator clips cables to connect the DSO inputs to the probing points of the circuit.

(Figure 19)
 Fig
ure 20

Figure 21

In figure 21, we observe that the wave of CH2 with the lower amplitude and reaches
the maximum or crosses the zero level earlier. Therefore, the wave of CH1 leads the
wave of CH2. The resistance measure by the multimeter is 0.72179 Ohm.
Figure 22

Figure 23

Now reverse the polarity of the input to CH 2(figure 22) as shown in fugure23. The
wave of CH2 will be turned to a line from a sine wave originally and the resistance
turn out be very large which is 43739 Ohm. The wave of CH1 remain unchanged.
Figure 24

The circuit in Fig.3 is NOT correct because that the negative terminals of the two
channels are connected by a hidden ground wire.

To check this, we disconnected the DSO from the circuit. Then we use a multimeter
to measure the resistance between the negative terminals of channel 1 and 2. If a
hidden connection exists, the resistance should be very small. After we measure the
resistance by multimeter , the resistance is 100.49 Ohm, which is up to our
expectation and the hidden connection exists.

For the precaution to ensure that wrong circuits, we should check outlet before use,
examining our outlets before each use.
Discussion and Conclusion:

Trough this experiment and lab report, different functions of the Digital Storage
Oscilloscope were being discovered through different set experiments. I have learnt
and familiar with the front panel of the DSO. For instance, the triggering function
allows us to get a stable waveform in the DSO and the measurement of different data
not only can be stored by taking digital photo, but also the USD flash drive so that we
can stretch a complete waveform from DSO and the file saved in root directory,
detailed data with the waveform can be discovered in excel. Besides, we able to
measure voltage of battery in practice by multimeter and see the accuracy from the
wave of the DSO.

However, the experiment is not that smoothly due to the environment condition, for
example, when we measure the voltage of a battery with a multimeter, it is hard to
detect to the positive and negative side of the battery so the result always turn to
error. Also, we did not prepare the experiment manual enough before the implement
. For the improvement, it is recommended to familiar with the experiment before do
in practice . The digital photo need to be more clear and marked by symbol for every
steps.

In conclusion, me and my groupmate are more familiar with the DSO by measuring
the voltage of battery and manipulate the DSO and the signal-generator. We gained
the experience of connecting wires and cables and make it become a circuit.
Observing and discovering the result of the difference between the change of
resistance and terminal of circuits. In the experiment of circuit, we found out and
prove that there is a hidden connection when we reverse the polarity of the input to
CH2 by measuring its resistance.