New power supply brings linear accuracy to the basic power supply class

Update: April 27, 2021

Rohde & Schwarz has continued to expand its range of basic power supplies with the new R&S NGA100 series. The device is offered in four models, giving a choice of single and dual outputs with up to 35V/6A per output or 100V/2A per output. Single output models supply up to 40W, dual output models up to 80W power. The dual model outputs can be combined to provide up to 200V or 12A.

The company has implemented a linear design throughout the output circuits of the device, which notably enhances performance compared to the switched-mode circuits frequently found in basic power supplies. The resulting higher accuracy indicates engineers can be sure of supplying precisely the correct power level without any requirement for an additional multimeter. The standard level of readback resolution, 1mV/100µA, is enhanced for currents under 200mA to a resolution of 1µA, perfect for testing low current levels typical for IoT applications in standby and sleep mode. The device also has the required dynamic range for power and current spikes when switched to active mode.

Other features of the device not commonly found in a basic power supply include logging voltage and current values for analysis, with up to ten samples per second. For data export and remote control, Ethernet and USB are supported as standard, with optional WLAN and an external trigger with digital I/Os. Users can generate sequences of voltage/current settings at intervals down to 10ms. The supplied power is low distortion and low noise, and cable losses can be compensated thanks to the device’s remote sensing function. The correct level is at the input to the device under test, not at the output of the power supply.