If you are characterizing digital devices, you typically
would use a pulse generator to provide the signals
youneed. However, for low-frequency applications
like microcontroller characterization, you can generate
low duty-cycle pulses with a relatively inexpensive
general-purpose function generator.
Today's general-purpose function generators are
highly versatile signal sources that typically use some
sort of digital signal-generation scheme like direct
synthesis. They offer many types of waveforms and
frequently havebuilt-in sweep and modulation. Some
offer arbitrary waveform generation capability as
well. Whilethey typically offer extremely stable
frequency andlow distortion, they are not
particularly well suited for generating low duty-
cycle pulses.
Introduction