Analyzers
13 subcategories
Electronic analyzers are specialized test instruments designed to process and characterize electrical signals, RF waveforms, digital data streams, components, and power systems. Unlike standard oscilloscopes that primarily display raw voltage over time, analyzers evaluate specific mathematical, frequency, impedance, or logical characteristics of a system under test. This category encompasses diverse instrument architectures designed for RF and microwave design, digital logic debugging, component characterization, and power systems analysis. Selecting the appropriate instrument requires balancing operational frequency bands, channel densities, measurement accuracy, and domain-specific requirements such as resolution bandwidth for spectrum analysis or phase measurement capabilities for network analysis.
- Maximum Vector Network Frequency
- 67 GHz (Keysight E8361C)
- Impedance Measurement Accuracy
- Down to 0.08% (Keysight E4990A)
- Digital Logic Channel Capacity
- Up to 102 channels (Keysight 16803A)
- Modular Power Phases
- 1 to 6 configurable phases (Fluke 5000)
Subcategories
Domain-Specific Instrument Architectures
Analyzers are built for specific measurement domains. For RF and microwave signal analysis, spectrum and signal analyzers like the Keysight N9000A or Keysight N9320B measure signal amplitude across a defined frequency span, identifying harmonics, spurious emissions, and noise. Vector network analyzers (VNAs), such as the Keysight E8362C or the ultra-high frequency Keysight E8361C, utilize an internal stimulus source to measure both the magnitude and phase of transmission and reflection parameters (S-parameters).
For components and materials testing, impedance analyzers such as the Keysight 4294A and the Keysight E4990A measure complex impedance parameters like |Z|, |Y|, theta, R, and X over swept frequencies. Digital engineers utilize logic analyzers like the Keysight 16803A or the Keysight 16822A with high channel counts (up to 102 channels) to verify state and timing relationships in digital systems. Power electronics require specialized power analyzers, such as the Fluke 5000, which perform simultaneous parallel acquisition across multiple phases to measure efficiency, harmonics, and power factor.
Key Performance Specifications for RF and Signal Analysis
When choosing an RF or spectrum analyzer, key parameters dictate its suitability for specific frequency bands and signal types:
- Frequency Range: Instruments range from low-frequency general-purpose models up to high-frequency millimeter-wave units. For example, the Anritsu MS2724B operates from 9 kHz up to 20 GHz, while the handheld Keysight N9952A reaches up to 50 GHz.
- Resolution Bandwidth (RBW): This defines the instrument's ability to resolve closely spaced signal frequencies. Benchtop units like the Keysight N9000A feature an RBW range from 1 Hz to 3 MHz, permitting fine spectral resolution.
- Phase Noise: Crucial for identifying weak signals next to strong carriers. The Keysight N9914A and Keysight N9917B provide a typical phase noise of -111 dBc/Hz at a 10 kHz offset (1 GHz carrier).
- Dynamic Range: Determines the range between the largest and smallest measurable signals. The Giga-tronics 8003 scalar analyzer provides a wide 90 dB dynamic range using a single sensor.
DC Power, Parameter, and Communications Analysis
Beyond RF and component impedance, specialized analyzers isolate complex failures in power distribution, silicon devices, and high-speed networks. The Keysight N6705C and Keysight N6705B DC power analyzers integrate up to four slots for power supplies or loads, offering combined DMM, oscilloscope, and data logger functions in a 600 W benchtop system. For semiconductor verification, the Keysight 4155A and Keysight 4155B parameter analyzers provide built-in medium-power source/monitor units to characterize low-current device parameters down to 10 fA measurement resolution.
For physical and protocol layer testing on telecom infrastructure, multi-rate communications performance analyzers like the Keysight 37718A verify performance and jitter on networks operating at data rates up to 2.5 Gb/s.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between a spectrum analyzer and a vector network analyzer?
- A spectrum analyzer, such as the Keysight N9320B or Anritsu MS2724B, is a passive receiver that measures the frequency content of an incoming signal. A vector network analyzer (VNA), like the Keysight E8362C, contains both a source and a receiver to actively measure the transmission and reflection coefficients (magnitude and phase S-parameters) of a component or network under test.
- When should an impedance analyzer be selected over a basic LCR meter?
- An impedance analyzer, such as the Keysight E4990A or Keysight 4294A, provides swept-frequency analysis, allowing engineers to view impedance characteristics, resonant frequencies, and equivalent circuit models across a broad frequency band (e.g., up to 120 MHz). Standard LCR meters typically measure parameters at fixed single frequencies.
- How do modular power analyzers benefit multi-phase system testing?
- Modular power analyzers like the Fluke 5000 support up to 6 configurable phases with galvanically isolated inputs. This allows simultaneous parallel acquisition of voltage and current on multiple inputs to calculate overall efficiency, whereas single-phase power analyzers like the Voltech PM1000 are restricted to a single phase.