Oscilloskop

An oscilloscope, known in German as Oszilloskop, is an electronic measuring instrument that graphically displays how an electrical signal varies over time. The display shows voltage on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis, enabling users to observe waveform shape, amplitude, and timing.

Operation involves a probe that couples the input signal to the instrument’s front end. Vertical controls adjust the voltage scale and vertical position, while a horizontal time-base controls the sweep rate. A triggering circuit stabilizes repetitive waveforms so that a stationary trace remains on the screen. Modern scopes also measure and annotate quantities such as peak voltage, frequency, and phase.

Types include analog oscilloscopes, which use a cathode-ray tube to draw the waveform continuously, and digital storage oscilloscopes (DSOs), which sample the input with an ADC, store waveforms in memory, and reconstruct them for display. Many DSOs offer multi-channel inputs, math functions, and persistence modes. There are handheld and benchtop variants, and probes designed for high voltage, differential, or floating measurements.

Architecture typically comprises a front-end with probe compensation, a vertical amplifier, a time-base generator, a trigger circuit, and a display subsystem. In digital scopes, a processor or DSP analyzes samples, applies digital filtering, and presents measurements and statistics.

Applications include diagnosing electronic circuits, characterizing signals, verifying timing and synchronization, and measuring rise and fall times, duty cycles, and waveform distortions in analog and digital systems. Safety considerations involve proper probe impedance, voltage ratings, and adherence to voltage handling standards.