What is bandwidth in oscilloscope?

Bandwidth in an oscilloscope refers to the maximum frequency it can accurately measure. It is typically defined as the frequency at which the amplitude of a signal is reduced to -3 dB (about 70.7% of its true value).

The next part of your question is why it is important. Here are a few key points below:

1. Signal Accuracy: If your oscilloscope's bandwidth is too low, it will attenuate (weaken) higher-frequency components, distorting the signal shape.
2. Capturing Fast Transients: Digital signals (like square waves) contain high-frequency harmonics. Insufficient bandwidth causes edges to round off, making it hard to analyze fast transitions.
3. Noise and Spikes: A higher-bandwidth scope can reveal high-frequency noise, while a lower-bandwidth scope might filter it out.

A general rule is to select an oscilloscope with a bandwidth at least 5 times the highest frequency of your signal.

• For basic audio signals (up to 20 kHz): A 100 kHz to 1 MHz scope is sufficient.
• For microcontroller clock signals (e.g., 16 MHz): Aim for 100 MHz or higher.
• For high-speed digital signals (e.g., USB, Ethernet): You may need 500 MHz or more.

Using an oscilloscope with insufficient bandwidth results in inaccurate signal representation. If analyzing fast digital signals, overshooting, ringing, or distorted waveforms may indicate a need for a higher-bandwidth oscilloscope