1.1 Waveform Generation

Arbitrary waveform generators are systems capable of generating an analog waveform and can take any form. They are often used as test equipment to test the response of a circuit to a particular input. The signal is generated by continuously adjusting the output of a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) to create an analog signal made of a series of discrete steps. The values can either be generated programmatically in real time, or loaded from a look-up table.

The limitations of an Arbitrary Waveform Generator are the input voltage range, the characteristics of the DAC used to create the signal, and the performance characteristics of the device feeding data to the DAC. The quality of the generated waveform is directly related to the sample rate and resolution of the DAC module being used.