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This section provides an overview for differential probes as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 8 differential probe manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked differential probe companies as of December, 2024: 1.Pico Technology Limited, 2.Teledyne LeCroy, 3.Rohde & Schwarz USA, Inc..
Table of Contents
A differential probe is a device that, when measuring signals with an oscilloscope or similar device, detects noise generated from locations unrelated to the device transmitting the signal. This includes ground vibration, called common noise, and amplifies the measurement signal with an amplifier to make it easier to measure.
In communications such as USB and HDMI, it is necessary for the output side to detect signals accurately. If differential probes are used incorrectly, they can be broken or may not provide accurate output.
In many cases, differential probes are available from the same company that sells oscilloscopes, and since they have excellent connectivity, it is best to purchase a differential probe from the same company as the oscilloscope.
Differential probes are used in the prototyping and testing phases of many communication devices, such as USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet, and SATA, to detect noise with an oscilloscope and determine whether the noise is affecting the product or not. The differential probes are used to check for noise in USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet, SATA, and other communications.
Differential probes are often expensive, so it is important to properly investigate whether they meet the standards for use before purchasing.
A differential probe consists of two active probes that are identical in nature. One active probe is connected to the positive terminal of the connection of the device transmitting the signal to be measured, and the other to the negative terminal. By measuring the difference between the signals detected by these two probes, common noise can be detected.
Many differential probes are available on the market that have been devised to facilitate measurement of waveforms on an oscilloscope. For example, low-voltage signals can be amplified by an amplifier to make them easier to measure on an oscilloscope, some voltages can be grounded to avoid loading the oscilloscope with high-voltage signals, and signals can be made into clear square waves.
If the differential probe is properly selected according to the signal to be used, a clear noise measurement can be made.
A differential probe consists of two active probes, which are connected directly from the tip of the probe to the input end of a semiconductor circuit, so the input capacitance can be as small as 1pF, which is extremely small. On the other hand, unlike passive probes that use an attenuator, input resistance is in the tens of KΩ to 1MΩ range.
Therefore, when a differential probe is connected to a high-impedance circuit to measure waveforms, it is necessary to consider the measurement results in light of the influence of the probe. An effective way to do this is to connect the equivalent circuit of the differential probe to the circuit under test and simulate the effects.
In the case of a differential probe, between one pin and GND, the input resistance and input capacitance published by the manufacturer are connected in parallel. Similarly, the other pin and GND are connected in parallel with the input resistor and input capacitance. Thus, between the two pins of the differential probe, the input resistance is doubled and the input capacitance is halved. The effect of this impedance on the circuit under test should be taken into account when judging the measurement results.
Probes are used to measure stable signals. Without a probe, circuit operation would be affected by the capacitive component of the cable. This has a particularly strong effect on high frequency measurements.
Active probes use a semiconductor element at the input end. The input capacitance of the active probe itself is also very small, and some probes have input capacitances smaller than 1pF.
The input capacitance of the probe also affects the waveform. Passive probes have a larger capacitance component than active probes, and ringing, which is an oscillation of the waveform at the rising edge of the pulse, is significant.
Differential probes are suitable for observing floating signal portions, but common probes have withstanding voltages of only 30 V to 100 V for both differential and ground voltages. Large high-voltage probes are required to measure floating points in circuits that handle high voltages, such as commercial power supplies. Probes with specifications of 6,000 V or more for differential voltage and 2,000 V or more for ground voltage are commercially available.
In measurements using high-voltage differential probes, the distance between the two pins must be sufficiently far apart to avoid the risk of discharge. As a result, ringing occurs in the high-frequency range due to the impedance of the lead wires, resulting in large amplitude fluctuations. As a countermeasure, twisting the two lead wires is effective.
Noise in electric circuits can be broadly divided into differential mode noise and common mode noise. Differential-mode noise is noise conducted through conductors in a circuit.
Common mode noise, on the other hand, is noise that is partially conducted back through the earth or enclosure, and is noise in phase with the input signal and the signal on return. Common-mode noise is considered difficult to counter because of the complexity of how the noise propagates.
High-voltage differential probes are a very effective means of testing the operation of switching power supplies. Switching regulators generate common-mode noise with ground voltage fluctuations of several hundred volts.
Although a differential probe should cancel the ground voltage fluctuations and allow observation, it is inevitable that a small amount of the ground voltage fluctuation will actually be added to the differential output. To reduce the effect of this variation, it is necessary to select a probe with excellent CMRR (Common-Mode Rejection Ratio).
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Rohde and Shwarz, headquartered in Munich, Germany, is a technology business that creates, develops, and promotes innovative information and communication technology products for professionals. Customers all over the world rely on Rohde & Schwarz and its cutting-edge solutions in the test & measurement, secure communications, networks & cybersecurity, and broadcast & media areas. They were created in 1993 and have regional hubs in Asia and the United States.Rohde & Schwarz has invested heavily in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the industrial internet of things (IIoT), 6G, cloud solutions, and quantum technology.
Teledyne LeCroy was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Chestnut Ridge, New York, with sales, service, and development subsidiaries in the US and throughout Europe and Asia. The company serves a wide variety of industries including semiconductor & computer, consumer electronics, automotive, and telecommunications. The company’s product categories include oscilloscopes, electronic test equipment, protocol analysis solutions such as SATA and USB devices, modular data acquisition devices, and sensors and calibrators. The company provides services such as SSD testing, automotive and device interoperability testing, and technology training.
Keysight Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1939 and headquartered in Santa Rosa, California. Keysight is a global developer and manufacturer of electronic design and test solutions to communications, networking, aerospace, defense, and government, automotive, energy, semiconductor, electronic, and education industries. Keysight’s communications solutions group solutions include electronic design automation software; radio frequency and microwave test solutions, hardware and virtual network test platforms and software applications, as well as optical laser source solutions. Keysight’s electronic industrial solutions group offers various design tools and verification tools. Keysight offers product support, technical support, and training and consulting services. It sells its products through direct sales force, distributors, resellers, and manufacturer's representatives.
Yokogawa Test & Measurement Corporation was founded in Japan in 1954. Yokogawa currently serves a wide array of industries including the aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics, semiconductor and telecommunications industries with both hardware and software solutions. Among Yokogawa’s suite of products are oscilloscopes, voltage probes, power analyzers and meters, data acquisition tools, optical test equipment, a wide variety of handled meters, calibrators, and testers; analog instruments, and manometers.
TEKTRONIX, INC., founded in 1946, is a manufacturer of measurement solutions used in 3D sensing, EMI/ EMC testing, high-speed serial communication, material science engineering, and Wireless & RF testing. The products include oscilloscopes & probes, signal generators, margin testers, multimeters, and analyzers. The company's products are used in advanced research, aerospace & defense, automotive, power semiconductor, and medical industries. The Bracknell Berkshire company offers calibration, repair, asset management, package assembling, and testing services following NEMA, HAlT & HASS, environmental, and shock-vibration testing.
Pico Technology was established in 1991 and is headquartered in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom where it designs, manufactures, and supplies PC-based test and measurement instruments. The company deals in data acquisition, oscilloscopes, and automotive diagnostics with various test and measurement instruments, including oscilloscopes, data loggers, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, and automotive diagnostics tools. The products help engineers, scientists, researchers, and technicians capture, analyze, and interpret signals and data in various applications. The company also collaborates with academic and research organizations besides aerospace, telecommunications, electronics, and manufacturing industries.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pico Technology Limited |
26.9%
|
| 2 | Teledyne LeCroy |
15.4%
|
| 3 | Rohde & Schwarz USA, Inc. |
13.5%
|
| 4 | Yokogawa Test & Measurement Corporation |
13.5%
|
| 5 | PMK Mess- und Kommunikationstechnik GmbH |
11.5%
|
| 6 | TEKTRONIX, INC. |
9.6%
|
| 7 | Keysight Technologies |
7.7%
|
| 8 | Iwasaki Tsushinki Co., Ltd. |
1.9%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the differential probe page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
3 | 50.0% |
|
Japan
|
2 | 33.3% |
|
United Kingdom
|
1 | 16.7% |
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