Five ground spring needles for the PCBite SQ oscilloscope probes. This is Sensepeek’s patented spring-loaded ground. It sits close to the signal needle and makes handsfree measurements possible at the full rated bandwidth.
High-end probes use a spring-loaded signal needle for reliable contact. The same principle is applied to ground. The short ground path reduces loop inductance and improves signal integrity, while the spring-loaded ground adds the mechanical stability that keeps the probe in place during the measurement.
With spring-loaded signal and ground, the probe needs only about 60 g (2.1 oz) of contact force to stay reliably connected, which makes it just as easy to use handheld. The probe is easy to hold steady through long measurements, where fixed-needle probes can require 5 to 8 times more force.
Signal and ground can be placed across an SMD component in the signal or power path, without soldering and without changing the circuit. This suits timing-critical digital communication as well as ripple on the output of a switching regulator.
The needle in the spring-loaded ground is replaceable, so a worn needle can be swapped on the spot and the probe stays in service. Each SQ oscilloscope probe is delivered with one ground spring needle for handsfree measurements and one ground spring for handheld use.
