Simulate This! Arbitrary Waveform Generator Applications

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Simulate This! Arbitrary Waveform Generator Applications (226.35 KB)

An arbitrary waveform generator, or AWG, can best be described by reference to a well known instrument, the function generator. On command, a function generator creates a range of standard waveforms such as sine waves, square waves, and ramps. In reality, most waveforms don’t follow precisely defined functions such as sine waves. While many waveforms display a predictable sequence, they also tend to exhibit arbitrary behavior that, at best, can be described only in very complex terms. Strangely, this behavior can describe an intentional waveform such as a television broadcast signal, or it may be the unintended result when glitches, drift, or noise wreak havoc on a signal.