Tektronix Oscilloscope Probe Classification and Selection Guide

From the device under test to the oscilloscope, Tektronix probes ensure high signal fidelity. Tektronix offers more than 100 probes to choose from, all perfectly integrated with Tektronix's industry-leading oscilloscopes, so there is always a probe to meet your specific test application needs.

How to choose the right oscilloscope probe correctly ? Oscilloscope probes are very important to the accuracy of measurement results. There are thousands of oscilloscope probes on the market. Improper selection will bring great errors to the measurement data. So what types of oscilloscope probes are there? What kind of probes does Tektronix have? Today PRBTEK will briefly share with you:

1. Current probe

Tektronix offers a wide selection of high-performance current probes. From debugging industrial power systems to debugging and characterizing equipment power supplies, you can always find a probe that is suitable for your application.

When selecting a current probe, there are many other indicators to consider in addition to performance indicators.

The first thing you should consider is the type of signal you want to measure. Some current probes only measure AC signals, while other probes can measure both AC and DC signals. If you are evaluating a DC signal, make sure the probe is capable of making DC measurements.

Second, some current probes use split core construction, while other current probes use fixed core construction. The split core current probe has a sliding clamp that can quickly connect the probe to the device under test or remove the probe from the device under test. Fix the inner core probe, pass the wire through the probe, and then solder it to the test point to permanently connect it to the device under test. The probe head can be removed and multiple probe heads can be soldered to the circuit board.

Finally, the functionality of the current probe must also be considered. Some current probes read voltage on an oscilloscope and require math to convert the measurement from volts to amps. A Tektronix current probe connected to a Tektronix oscilloscope automatically converts the measurement data into amperes. Many of Tektronix's current probes also offer degaussing capabilities. The degaussing function allows users to eliminate any residual DC flux in the core of the probe transformer and reduce offset errors with the push of a button. The TekVPI current probe also provides a "Jaw Open" indicator light and an "Overload" indicator light on the probe.

2. Passive probe

Passive voltage probes are commonly used oscilloscope probes. Universal passive voltage probes are the working end of an oscilloscope and are tools engineers and technicians use every day. Tektronix passive probes are specifically designed to match the input characteristics of the accompanying oscilloscope. When purchasing a replacement probe, you must also ensure that the probe matches the input characteristics of the oscilloscope.

3. Active single-ended probe

Active voltage probes enable Tektronix oscilloscopes to truly capture real-time signal information in today's high-speed circuits. Active probes provide a wide signal acquisition bandwidth, ensuring reduced load on the device under test (DUT). Active probes are a good choice when applications involve high-impedance, high-frequency circuit elements that require minimal loading. The DC offset feature utilizes the full dynamic range of the probe when measuring AC signals with a DC offset voltage.

4. Differential probe 

Differential probes are particularly suitable for measuring differential signals due to their wide frequency range, high common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR), and offset-matched inputs. Tektronix offers a full line of differential probes with a variety of connection options for handheld, solder-mounted and fixture-mounted probing.

TriMode™ Differential Probes P7500 Series probes feature TriMode™ probing technology that simplifies the task of measuring differential signals. TriMode probing uses one probe setup to make differential, single-ended and common-mode measurements from a single probe.

SMA probe

Tektronix offers a range of SMA probes for measuring high speed differential signals in 50 ohm environments. These SMA probes can acquire differential signals on each channel of a multi-channel oscilloscope. This provides an ideal compliance test system for many new multi-channel high-speed serial data standards. SMA probes also provide termination voltage control for non-AC coupled signals or signals that are not referenced to DC. Input signals are connected via a pair of precision matched SMA cables.

Z-Active™差分探头泰克已经创造出一种革命性的 Z-Active 探头结构，这是一种由分布式衰减器拓扑伺候一个有源探头放大器的混合通道组成。Z-Active探头采用细小的无源探头尖单元，其与放大器分开，扩大了探头的可用距离。在传统有源探头中，增加这么大的长度会引入信号保真度问题。而这种结构保持高 DC 输入电阻，其 AC 阻抗要高于以前的探头结构。同时，它在探头机身和 DUT 探头连接点之间提供了更显著的长度。这种结构同时提供了两种优势：现有有源探头的高 DC 阻抗，Z0 探头稳定的高频负荷。

High voltage probe

It is critical to safely and accurately capture real-time signal information from "rising" or "floating" voltage systems. The Tektronix high voltage probe series provides the safety you need for single-ended, differential or isolated measurements. High-voltage differential probes measure signals that are referenced to each other (rather than to ground). High-voltage single-ended probes enable users to make high-voltage measurements referenced to ground level. Tektronix also offers probes that can make isolated measurements, isolating the measurement from ground and the common-mode voltage between the oscilloscope channels.