PXI-5152: Product OverviewThe National Instruments PXI-5152 is a high-speed digitizer module designed for the PXI platform, serving as an oscilloscope replacement for applications requiring capture of very fast transient signals and high-frequency waveforms. This instrument functions as a dual-channel data acquisition card with bandwidth and sampling rates typically found in high-performance benchtop oscilloscopes. Its primary role is to digitize analog signals with extreme temporal resolution, making it suitable for characterizing high-speed digital communications, radar pulses, and other nanosecond-scale phenomena.Installed in a PXI chassis, the module operates by simultaneously sampling two input channels at rates up to 2 gigasamples per second (GS/s), providing detailed capture of signal transitions and high-frequency components. Each channel utilizes an 8-bit analog-to-digital converter optimized for speed, delivering sufficient vertical resolution for amplitude measurements while prioritizing the accurate reconstruction of fast edges. The architecture includes deep, segmented memory that allows for long record lengths or the capture of multiple triggered events without dead time between acquisitions. The module supports sophisticated triggering options including edge, glitch, and window triggering to isolate specific signal events of interest within complex waveforms.
Core Features & Customer ValueHigh-Speed Signal Capture: The 2 GS/s sampling rate combined with 1 GHz analog bandwidth enables accurate digitization of signals with nanosecond-scale transitions. For engineers working with high-speed digital systems, RF communications, or pulsed systems, this capability ensures that fast edges and high-frequency components are captured without aliasing or distortion. The benefit is faithful reproduction of signal timing relationships essential for jitter analysis, eye diagram generation, and pulse parameter measurements.Deep Segmented Memory Architecture: The substantial onboard memory per channel supports extended acquisition windows at the maximum sample rate. More significantly, the segmented memory capability allows the module to capture a rapid sequence of triggered events with minimal dead time between acquisitions. This is particularly valuable for applications like radar testing, where multiple pulses need to be captured and analyzed, or for capturing intermittent glitches in digital systems. The memory organization enables efficient storage of relevant signal activity while ignoring periods of inactivity.Precision Triggering System: The advanced triggering capabilities extend beyond simple threshold detection to include glitch and window triggering. This allows engineers to isolate specific anomalous conditions, such as narrow pulses that violate setup/hold times in digital systems or signals that fall outside a defined amplitude window. The high trigger sensitivity enables detection of small-amplitude events that might be critical for debugging signal integrity issues. The precision of the triggering system reduces the amount of data that needs to be stored and processed by capturing only the events of interest.Typical ApplicationsIn radar system testing, the module captures RF pulses with precise timing measurements for pulse width, rise time, and pulse repetition interval (PRI) analysis, essential for evaluating radar transmitter performance.For high-speed digital design validation, the digitizer performs signal integrity measurements on computer buses and serial links, generating eye diagrams to evaluate timing margins and noise characteristics in multi-gigabit systems.In particle physics experiments, the instrument acquires signals from radiation detectors where nanosecond timing resolution is required for coincidence detection and time-of-flight measurements.
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Full 12-month warranty on all components
