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W128 — Fully automated true bandwidth testing of high performance oscilloscopes

Modern high performance oscilloscopes are pushing bandwidths ever higher, and these instruments are not just confined to highly specialized
applications — scopes with bandwidths of several GHz are becoming increasingly commonplace. Traditional methods for bandwidth testing
are complex and can easily introduce errors, particularly if bandwidth is calculated from a risetime measurement. This application note discusses how
and why to make true bandwidth tests using levelled sinewaves and explores the use of fast edges to test pulse response, illustrating how using the Wavetek 9500 dedicated oscilloscope calibrator simplifies the measurement.