A low-noise latching comparator probe for waveform sampling applications

A new latching comparator probe is described. The probe is being developed as part of an effort to augment voltage measurement capability in the 10 Hz to 1 MHz frequency range. The probe offers an input voltage range of +10 V, input impedance of 1 M(omega) and root mean square noise referred to the input as low as 55 (mu)V. The probeʹs 3-dB bandwidth is approximately 20 MHz. Total harmonic distortion is as low as -93 dB at 50 kHz. Gain flatness is within +10 (mu)V/V from 100 Hz to 100 kHz. Improved step settling performance is achieved using a technique that minimizes circuit thermal errors. The probeʹs input range can be extended with a frequency-compensated 1-M(omega) input impedance attenuator allowing measurement of pulses in the microsecond regime up to 100 V. The attenuator can be compensated further with a digital filtering algorithm to achieve gain accuracy better than 100 (mu)V/V.