A scalable, fast, and multichannel arbitrary waveform generator

This article reports on the development of a multichannel arbitrary waveform generator that simultaneously generates arbitrary voltage waveforms on 24 independent channels with a dynamic update rate of up to 25 Msps. A real-time execution of a single waveform and/or sequence of multiple waveforms in succession, with a user programmable arbitrary sequence order is provided under the control of a stand-alone sequencer circuit implemented using a field programmable gate array. The device is operated using an internal clock and can be synced to other devices by means of transistor-transistor logic (TTL) pulses. The device can provide up to 24 independent voltages in the range of up to ± 9 V with a dynamic update-rate of up to 25 Msps and a power consumption of less than 35 W. Every channel can be programmed for 16 independent arbitrary waveforms that can be accessed during run time with a minimum switching delay of 160 ns. The device has a low-noise of 250 μV(rms) and provides a stable long-term operation with a drift rate below 10 μV/min and a maximum deviation less than ± 300 μV(pp) over a period of 2 h.