High-Accuracy X-Y Pulse Measuring System

Abstract

A method is described whereby a commercial oscilloscope such as the Tektronix Model 535 can be easily modified to give a pulsed X‐Y presentation. The application to voltage‐current plots is given in detail. For this case, a portion of the pulse voltage placed across the sample to be measured is applied to the horizontal sweep system of the oscilloscope superimposed on the regular time base while the pulse current information is applied to the normal vertical deflection system. By using the sweep delay circuits within the oscilloscope, any point of the pulse can be viewed as the start of the delayed sweep, the horizontal deflection of the starting point corresponding to the magnitude of the pulse voltage and the height corresponding to the pulse current. A family of such curves is obtained as the applied pulse voltage is changed, the locus of points of the start of the delayed sweep tracing out the desired V‐I characteristics. This is recorded photographically and has resulted in rapid V‐I plots having accuracies to within tenths of one percent.