Unveiling the Power of Scopy Network Analyzer: A Comprehensive Guide

In the realm of electronics and circuit analysis, understanding a system's frequency response is crucial. The Scopy Network Analyzer, a powerful tool integrated within the Scopy software suite, provides a versatile solution for characterizing and analyzing electronic circuits. This article delves into the intricacies of the Scopy Network Analyzer, exploring its features, functionalities, and practical applications.

What is Scopy Network Analyzer?

The Scopy Network Analyzer is a virtual instrument that allows users to analyze the frequency response of electronic systems. It's part of the Scopy software, designed to work seamlessly with hardware like the ADALM2000 (M2k) Active Learning Module from Analog Devices. By injecting a signal into a circuit and measuring its response across a range of frequencies, the Scopy Network Analyzer reveals valuable information about the circuit's behavior.

Navigating the Front Panel: Key Features

The Scopy Network Analyzer's user-friendly interface includes several key elements that streamline the analysis process:

• Run/Stop and Single Buttons: Initiate and halt the network analysis measurements. The small white square beside the Network Analyzer instrument on the left-side menu offers an alternate way to toggle the instrument without displaying it in the main window.
• Settings Menu Button: Access a comprehensive settings menu to fine-tune the analyzer's parameters.

Delving into the Settings Menu

The Settings Menu unlocks a wealth of customization options:

• Reference Channel: Select the reference channel from oscilloscope probes 1+ and 2+. This channel serves as the phase reference for the network analysis.
• Waveform Settings: Adjust the amplitude (1uV to 10V), offset (-5V to 5V), and settling time of the generated signal.
• Response Settings:
  • DC Filtering: Enable or disable DC filtering to remove unwanted DC components from the measured signal.
  • Gain Mode: Choose between Automatic, High, and Low gain modes to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio.
  • Settling time: Configures the appropriate settling time for the system under test
• Sweep Settings:
  • Linear/Logarithmic Switch: Select the scale type for the frequency axis, choosing between linear and logarithmic scales.
  • Start/Stop Frequency: Define the minimum (1 mHz to 20kHz) and maximum (1mHz to 20MHz) frequency limits for the analysis.
  • Samples/decade and total samples count Configures the total number of samples to be acquired for the frequency sweep.
  • Periods: Set the minimum number of periods to be acquired at each frequency point.
  • Average: Specify the number of averages to apply, reducing noise and improving measurement accuracy.
• Display Settings: Customize the display range for Bode, Nyquist, and Nichols plots. Adjust the minimum/maximum magnitude (typically -120 dB to 120 dB) and phase (-180 to 180 degrees) values for optimal visualization.

Buffer Previewer: A Glimpse into the Time Domain

The Buffer Previewer provides a time-domain representation of acquired data, complementing the frequency-domain analysis.

• The "View in Osc" button seamlessly transitions to the Oscilloscope tool, loading the current channels form the network analyzer tool.

General Settings: Exporting and Referencing

The General Settings Menu offers additional control options:

• Plot Selection: Choose the desired plot type: Bode, Nichols, or Nyquist.
• Export Button: Export network analyzer data for further processing and analysis.
• Reference: Import a reference file or create a snapshot of the current channel to use as a baseline for comparison.

Visualizing Frequency Response: Bode, Nyquist, and Nichols Plots

The Scopy Network Analyzer offers three distinct plot types for visualizing frequency response:

• Bode Plot: The Bode plot displays magnitude (in dB) and phase shift versus frequency, providing a clear representation of a system's gain and phase characteristics.
• Nyquist Plot: The Nyquist plot is a polar plot of the frequency response, displaying amplitude and phase angle on a single plot. It's particularly useful for assessing system stability. Use the "+" and "-" buttons to zoom or hold left click to drag the plot.
• Nichols Plot: The Nichols plot displays gain magnitude (in dB) versus phase angle, enabling graphical determination of gain and phase margins.

Example: Analyzing a Low Pass Filter

The Analog Devices Wiki provides a practical example of using the Scopy Network Analyzer to analyze a low-pass filter. By connecting the filter circuit to the ADALM2000 and configuring the Network Analyzer, you can obtain the filter's frequency response, observing the attenuation of signals above the cutoff frequency. This experiment demonstrates the power and versatility of the Scopy Network Analyzer in characterizing real-world circuits.

Conclusion

The Scopy Network Analyzer is a valuable tool for students, hobbyists, and professionals in electronics. Its intuitive interface, comprehensive features, and seamless integration with hardware like the ADALM2000 make it an ideal solution for analyzing and understanding the frequency response of electronic systems. By mastering the Scopy Network Analyzer, users can gain deeper insights into circuit behavior, troubleshoot issues, and optimize designs for peak performance. Explore the Analog Devices Engineer Zone and Analog Dialogue for further learning resources.