Low-Cost Power Sources Meet ADC and VCO Characterization Requirements
Application Notes
Finding a cost-effective power source for precision measurement applications can be a challenging task. Analog-to-digital (ADC) converter circuits often require power sources with at least 20 bits of resolution. Voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) applications can require noise floors of 10 µV rms or less. While there are existing instruments and measurement techniques that can perform these measurements, the cost of the solutions can often run into tens of thousands of dollars. In addition, many low-frequency (10 kHz or less) applications often need voltages and currents greater than typical signal generators can source. Finally, it can be very cumbersome to use a PC to control instruments in a benchtop lab environment, so a self-contained solution with a small profile, interactive GUI and built-in graphing capability is highly desirable.