A Signal Generator is one of the most important lab equipment for an Electronics Engineer. A waveform or an electrical signal is generated using this device which lets an engineer to design and optimize their systems. As a result, these devices are mostly used in various systems review film as test instruments, development systems, and so on. Signal generators come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with each type being used to generate different types of signals, such as audio, RF, pulse, analogue, digital, and so on. These systems have been around for a long time, but today’s signal generators are quite complex in terms of performance, features, and so on. In this article, we will be learning more about Signal Generators and the parameters we need to check while purchasing a signal generator.
If you are interested in building it yourself, you can find more projects on signal generators on our website, you might also be interested in the DIY Waveform Generator using Arduino.
Brief Description about Signal Generator’s Working!!!
The main use of the signal generator is to provide different signals for hardware designing, troubleshooting, and testing, thus a variety of signal generators are available in the market with different specifications and functionalities. In the below image, we are discussing a generalized Block Diagram of a signal generator. As shown in the block diagram of a RF signal generator, there are two inputs, one is for adjusting the frequency and amplitude of the output signal and another one is for selecting the type of waveform.
Signal Generators have a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO). The output of VCO can be varied over a range by changing the input DC voltage. The output frequency of VCO is directly related to the voltage at its input thus by changing the input voltage, we can control the output frequency. The output from the oscillator is fed to a frequency divider through a buffer amplifier. The buffer amplifier is used to isolate the circuit and prevent the signal source from being affected by the load. The signal from the buffer amplifier is fed to an output amplifier which amplifies the signal. The output is given to an attenuator which adjusts the voltage of the signal which is then given to the output through an output meter, which measures the output and gives feedback in order to maintain the output.
