Manual

500 MHz Passive Voltage Probe
R&S® RT-ZP10
1409.7550.00

Printed in Germany

Test and Measurement

Manufacturer

R&S RT-ZP10

ROHDE & SCHWARZFor comprehensive information about Rohde and Schwarz, please visit our homepage on the R&S Internet(http://www.rohde-schwarz.com).
For queries regarding technical aspects of our products, please contact our customer support at
http://www.customersupport.rohde-schwarz.com.
For international services, please contact our service partners at http://www.service.rohde-schwarz.com.
For additional questions, please contact our headquarters in Munich.
ROHDE & SCHWARZ GmbH & Co. KG
Mühldorfstraße 15D-81671 München
Phone: +49 (89) 41 29 - 0
Fax: +49 (89) 41 29 - 12 164

Declaration of Conformity							(EC conformity marking)
The manufacturer declares the conformity of this product with the actual required safety standards inaccordance with the Low Voltage Directive (LVD) 73/23/EEC and amendment 93/68/EEC:
CEI/IEC 61010-031:2002						Safety requirements for electrical equipment
for measurement, control and laboratory use -												Part 031:
Safety requirements for hand-held probe
assemblies for electrical measurement and test

WEEE/ RoHS Directives								(EC conformity marking)This electronic product is classified within the WEEE/ RoHS* category list as monitoring and control
equipment (category 9). Category 9 products are exempted from the restrictions under the scope of theRoHS directive.
Your help and efforts are required to protect and keep clean our environment. Therefore return thiselectronic product at the end of its life either to the manufacturer or take care of separate WEEE
collection and professional WEEE treatment yourself. Do not dispose as unsorted municipal waste!
* EC Directives:
WEEE Directive 2002/96/ECRoHS Directive 2002/95/EC		

2

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substancesin Electrical and Electronic Equipment

IEC Measurement Categories					R&S RT-ZP10

Definitions and examples (Clause 6.5.2 )Measurement Category I

Definition:		

Measurement category I is for measurements performedon circuits not directly connected to a mains supply.

Examples:										Measurements in circuits not derived from a mains supply
and specially protected ( internal ) circuits derived
from a mains supply. In the latter case, transient stresses
are variable; for that reason requires that the transientwithstand capability of the equipment is made known tothe user.

Measurement Category II

Definition:
CAT II				

Measurement category II is for measurements performedon circuits directly connected to the low voltage
installation.

Examples:		

Household appliances, portable tools and similarequipment.

Measurement Category III

Definition:
CAT III		

Measurement category III is for measurements
performed in the building installation.

Examples:								Measurements on distribution boards, circuit breakers,
wiring including cables, bus-bars, junction boxes, switches,socket-outlets in the fixed installation and equipment forindustrial use like for example stationary motors with permanent connection to the fixed installation.

Measurement Category IV Definition:
CAT IV		

Measurement category IV is for measurements
performed at the source of the low-voltage installation.

Examples:		

Electricity meters and measurements on primary overcurrent protection devices and and ripple control units.

IEC Pollution Degrees
Definitions (Clause 3.5.6 )Pollution Degree 1

No POLLUTION or only dry, non conductive POLLUTION.
NOTE: The POLLUTION has no influence.

Pollution Degree 2

Only non-conductive POLLUTION. Occasionally, however, a temporaryconductivity caused by condensation must be accepted.

Pollution Degree 3

Conductive POLLUTION occurs or dry, non-conductive POLLUTION occurs
which becomes conductive due to condensation which is to be expected.						

3IEC Safety Symbols						R&S RT-ZP10

The following symbols may appear on the product or in this instruction manual:Caution, risk of danger. Refer to manual.

Caution, risk of electric shock.

Earth (ground) TERMINAL.

Safety Information
To avoid personal injury and to prevent fire or damage to this product or products connected to it, review andcomply with the following safety precautions. Be aware that if you use this probe assembly in a manner not
specified the protection this product provides may be impaired.

Only qualified personnel should use this probe assembly.
Use only grounded instruments.

Do not connect the probe ground lead to a potential other than earth ground. Always make sure the probe andthe measurement instrument are grounded properly.

Connect and disconnect properly.

Connect the probe output to the measurement instrument and connect the ground lead to earth ground before
connecting the probe to the circuit under test. Disconnect the probe input and the probe ground lead from thecircuit under test before disconnecting the probe from the measurement instrument.

Observe probe ratings.

Do not apply any electrical potential to the probe input which exceeds the maximum ratings of the probe.
Make sure to comply with the voltage versus frequency derating curve on page 5.

Keep away from live circuits.

Avoid open circuitry. Do not touch connections or components when power is present.

Do not operate with suspected failures.
Refer to qualified service personnel.

Indoor use only.

Do not operate in wet/damp environment. Keep product surfaces dry and clean.

Do not operate the product in an explosive atmosphere.

4Specifications							R&S RT-ZP10Specifications that are not defined to be guaranteed are typical and are published as general information to theuser. The instrument should have warmed-up for at least 20 minutes and the environmental conditions do not
exceed the probe's specified limits.

Electrical Specifications
Attenuation Ratio (1)Voltage Coefficient
System Bandwidth (1)Probe Risetime (1)Input Resistance (System)		
Input Capacitance (System)		
Compensation Range 			Input Coupling of the Measuring Instrument

10:1
0.0025 %/V
500 MHz700 ps
10 MΩ 		9.5 pF		
5 pF - 20 pF		
1 MΩ AC / DC

Maximum Rated Input Voltage (2)Measurement Category I:		Measurement Category II:
Pollution Degree (2)400 V root mean square
1250 V transient overvoltage
300 V root mean square CAT II
2Voltage Derating

Typical Voltage Derating RT-ZP10
Measurement Category I
Amplitude AC root mean square [V]Note that the max. input voltage
rating of the probe decreases as
the frequency of the applied
signal increases.

± 2 % at DC(typical)(-3 dB)(10 % - 90 %) (typical)±1%(typical)(typical)

400
300
200
1000100K

1M

10M

100M

1G

Frequency [Hz]Input Impedance

Typical Input Impedance RT-ZP10100 M
10 M
1M|Z| [Ohm]

Note that the input impedance ofthe probe decreases as the frequencyof the applied signal increases.

100 k
10 k
1k
100
1010100

1K

10K

100K

1M

10M

100M

1G

Frequency [Hz](1) Connected to appropriate R&S oscilloscope. See R&S oscilloscope operating manual for further details.
(2) As defined in IEC 61010-031. See definitions explained on page 3.

5Specifications						R&S RT-ZP10

Mechanical Characteristics
Weight (Probe only)				
Cable Length				Probe Tip Diameter				

48 g
1.3 m
2.5 mmEnvironmental Specifications
Altitude			
operating					non-operating
Temperature Range		
operating					non-operating
Maximum Relative Humidity
operating							up to 2000 m
up to 15000 m
0° C to +50° C-40° C to +71° C
80 % relative humidity for temperatures up to +31° C,
decreasing linearly to 40 % at +50° C

Adjustment Procedures						The probe can be adjusted for low frequency (LF) compensation and for high frequency (HF) compensation.

LF Compensation

LF needs to be adjusted when the probe is connected to the scope input the first time. LF compensation matches
the probe cable capacitance to the oscilloscope input capacitance. This matching assures good amplitudeaccuracy from DC to upper bandwidth limit frequencies. A poorly compensated probe clearly influences theoverall system performance (probe + scope) and introduces measurement errors resulting in inaccurate readings
and distorted waveforms.
LF compensation is performed by connecting the probe to the PROBE COMPENSATION output on theoscilloscope front panel and adjusting the LF compensation trimmer to optimum square wave response. For
clarification see below figures.

undercompensatedoptimum

LF Compensation Trimmer

6

overcompensatedAdjustment Procedures						R&S RT-ZP10

HF Compensation
It is typically not necessary to adjust HF compensation unless the probe is being used with an oscilloscope
having large differences in input characteristics to the oscilloscope that was used for factory adjustment.
We recommend to use the following equipment for proper HF compensation:
Rectangular wave generator with a rise time faster than 700 ps, 50 Ohm feed-through and probe BNC adapter.

HF adjustment is performed by connecting the probe to the rectangularwave generator. Adjust trimmers (T1 and T2) for optimum square wave
response.

T1T2

T1 is used for rise time adjustment.
T2 influences probe response time.

optimum

LF Compensation

T1180° T27

Probe Accessories						Adjustment
Tool

Coding Rings (set)
3x4 colors

BNC Adapter 2.5

IC-Cap 2.5
0.5 mm pitch; green

Sprung Hook 2.5

IC-Cap 2.50.65 mm pitch; blue

Dual Adapter 2.5 to0.8 mm sockets

Mini Clip

Micro Clip

Spring Tip
gold plated 0.5 mm

Solid Tip
CuBe 0.5 mm

IC-Cap 2.50.8 mm pitch; gray

Ground Blade 2.5

IC-Cap 2.51.0 mm pitch; brown

Ground Spring 2.5

IC-Cap 2.51.27 mm pitch; black

Insulating Cap 2.58R&S RT-ZP10

Ground Lead 15 cm

Scope of Delivery						R&S RT-ZP10

The following items are included in the scope of delivery. Please check the delivery for completeness.
RT-ZP10500 MHz passive voltage probe (Order No. 1409.7550.00)

Item		

Adjustment Tool
Coding Rings (set) 3x4 Colors
Ground Lead 15 cm
Ground Spring 2.5
Operating ManualProbe		
Solid Tip CuBe 0.5 mm
Spring Tip gold plated 0.5 mm
Sprung Hook 2.5Qty

11111111 (1)1 (2)(1) installed in probe(2) plugged on probe

Use ground lead only for connections to earth ground.

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Optional Accessories						R&S RT-ZP10

The following accessory sets can be ordered separately.
RT-ZA1Accessory Kit (Order No. 1409.7566.02)

Item		

Adjustment Tool
BNC Adapter 2.5
Coding Rings (set) 3x4 Colors
Dual Adapter 2.5 to 0.8 mm sockets
Ground Blade 2.5
Ground Lead 15 cm
Ground Spring 2.5IC-Cap 2.5 0.5 mm pitch; green
IC-Cap 2.5 0.65 mm pitch; blue
IC-Cap 2.5 0.8 mm pitch; gray
IC-Cap 2.5 1.0 mm pitch; brown
IC-Cap 2.5 1.27 mm pitch; black
Insulating Cap 2.5
Solid Tip CuBe 0.5 mm
Sprung Hook 2.5
Spring Tip gold plated 0.5 mm

RT-ZA41111115111111515

Mini Clips (Order No. 1416.0428.02)

Item

Mini Clip
RT-ZA5

Qty

Qty

10

Micro Clips (Order No. 1416.0434.02)

Item

Micro Clip

Qty
4		The BNC Adapter is rated: 42 V peak AC + DCThe accessories provided with the probe have been safety tested. Do not use
any other accessories than those “originally” provided.

10

Handling

R&S RT-ZP10

Handle with care especially when fitted with the extra thin and sharp spring contact tip to avoid
any injury. Note that the probe cable is a sensitive part of the probe. Do not damage
through excessive bending or pulling. Avoid mechanical shock to this product in general toguarantee accurate performance and protection.

Cleaning
To clean the exterior of the probe use a soft cloth moistened with either distillated water or isopropyl alcohol.
Before use allow the probe to dry completely.

Changing the Probe Tip
To change the probe tip use pliers to grip and pull it carefully straight out of its contact socket, along theaxis of the probe. Do not grip the white plastic insulator or the housing with pliers, because the tip could besqueezed and cannot be removed and respectively the probe could be damaged.
If the probe tip is removed, the new tip can be inserted with pliers into the contact socket, along the axisof the probe. In order to insert the probe tip completely into the housing, press the probe tip against a hardsurface carefully.

Use pliers to grip and pull the probe tip carefully outof its contact socket.

Do not grip the white plastic insulator or the probehousing with pliers.

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Copyright®2009 ROHDE & SCHWARZ All rights reserved.
Information in this publication supersedes that in all previously published material.
Specifications are subject to change without notice.
M59-711-R01						Revision A-December 2008