DATA-COMPENSATION SOFTWARE GREATLY ENHANCES MEASUREMENT OF VERY FAST ELECTRICAL SIGNALS Engineers at Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, New Mexico) have developed a technique for measuring electrical signals which are faster than conventional oscilloscopes or digitizers can measure. The technique, known as Data-Compensation Bandwidth Enhancement, uses two signal-processing procedures to enhance the pulse response and effective bandwidth of single-shot waveform recording systems. The straightforward compensation algorithms are easily implemented, execute quickly, and successfully compensate all types of waveforms. The procedure performs system deconvolution of single-shot time-domain measurements in two steps. First, the measurement system (coaxial cabling, delay line, and oscilloscope) is callibrated by measuring the time-domain response to a very fast step generator. Second, the system transfer function is then used to correct measured data for the non-ideal effects of the measurement system hardware. These data-compensation algorithms were benchmarked on a commercial system, and improved the effective -3 dB system bandwidth from 3.2 GHz to 15.2 GHz, a factor of 4.5 times. This improvement in bandwidth translates into a corresponding improvement in the system step-response risetime, from 109 ps down to 23 ps. With an effective system risetime of 23 ps, risetime degradation will be less than 10% for signals whose risetime is greater than 50 ps. These robust algorithms can be used to enhance the bandwidth of waveform recorders which have significant oversampling rates or as an economical way of offering several bandwidth options on waveform recorders. Additionally, they can be used to compensate for signal degradation caused by system cabling and other band-limiting components. Sandia holds the copyright for the Data-Compensation Bandwidth Enhancement software and is offering commercial licenses to interested companies. In addition, Sandia has a newly-designated User Facility which companies can utilize to test this software for specific applications. For further information, please respond by mail or fax to Donna Rix no later than June 30, 1995 at: Sandia National Laboratories, MS 1380, P.O. Box 5800, Albuquerque, NM 87185. Fax: (505) 271-4202. Please indicate the date and title of this CBD notice.

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