Dear all,

My goal is to digitize an analog signal and measure the maximum pulse peaks via an ADC device. The signal has the frequency (pulse-repetition-rate) of f = 100 kHz. Furthermore, the analog signal consists of narrow pulses that exhibit pulse durations around ~30 ns. In addition, peak voltages of the pulses are not constant and change in time. In the attached file, you can see the illustration of the signal. (Note: Actually, pulses are not rectangular-shaped. They have the form of a Gaussian pulse.)

The problem is that comparing to the period of the signal, pulse durations are very short. So, I think that it is a real challenge to accurately capture the each pulse and detect their peak voltages via an ADC component. I don't know which ADC meet my requirements to detect pulse amplitudes, since I couldn't decide the required sampling rate and bandwidth of ADC.

I don't want to use GSPS-ADCs, since their prices are really high. Can I use kSPS range ADCs to detect pulse heights? (e.g. only one sample for one pulse) I think this method requires the accurate synchronization of ADC clock to analog signal, am I right?

Can you guys give me some design advice to chose a proper ADC to digitize such a signal?

Thanks in advance.

 

You can do equivalent time sampling to establish peaks, but not
on a specific pulse, and there is latency involved.

https://www.tek.com/document/application-note/real-time-versus-equivalent-time-sampling

https://www.testworld.com/wp-conten...uilavent-time-and-real-time-oscilloscopes.pdf

https://www.edn.com/electronics-blo...rity/4311551/Real-time-versus-equivalent-time

Waveform must be periodic.


Regards, Dana.