PICO P2036 User manual

P2036 300 MHz / P2056 500 MHz
10:1 oscilloscope probes
User's Guide

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P2036 and P2056 User's Guide Pico Technology
EC declaration of conformity
Pico Technology declares that the following products comply with the requirements of the specified
Directives and Standards as listed below. Technical documentation required to demonstrate
compliance to the standards is available for inspection by the relevant enforcement authorities.
Products carry the CE mark.
Products covered by this declaration:
P2036 300 MHz 10:1 oscilloscope probe
P2056 500 MHz 10:1 oscilloscope probe
EU Directives covered by this declaration:
2014/35/EU Low Voltage Equipment Directive
2012/19/EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
2011/65/EU Restriction of use of certain Hazardous Substances
The basis on which conformity is being declared:
EN61010-1:2010 Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control and
laboratory use, general equipment requirements.
EN61010-031:2015 Safety requirements for hand-held probe assemblies for electrical measurement
and test.
RoHS and WEEE Manufacturer’s analysis of the raw materials used in the manufacture of the
above products.
Your help and efforts are required to protect and keep our environment clean. Therefore
either return this product at the end of life to the manufacturer or ensure WEEE compliant
collection and treatment yourself. Do not dispose of as unsorted municipal waste.
Warranty
Pico Technology warrants this oscilloscope accessory for normal use and operation within
specifications for a period of two years from date of shipment and will repair or replace any
defective product which was not damaged by negligence, misuse, improper installation, accident or
unauthorized repair or modification by the buyer. This warranty is applicable only to defects due to
material or workmanship. Pico Technology disclaims any other implied warranties of merchantability
or fitness for a particular purpose. PicoTechnology will not be liable for any indirect, special,
incidental, or consequential damages (including damages for loss of profits, loss of business, loss
of use or data, interruption of business and the like), even if Pico Technology has been advised of the
possibility of such damages arising from any defect or error in this manual or product.
Made in Germany.
Information in this publication supersedes that in all previously published material.
Pico Technology is a registered trade mark of Pico Technology Ltd.
Copyright © 2020 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Pico Technology P2036 and P2056 User's Guide
Safety
To prevent possible electrical shock, fire, personal injury, or damage to the product, carefully read
this safety information before attempting to install or use the product. In addition, follow all generally
accepted safety practices and procedures for working with and near electricity.
The product has been designed and tested in accordance with the European standard publication
EN61010‑031:2015, and left the factory in a safe condition.
The following safety descriptions are found throughout this guide:
A WARNING identifies conditions or practices that could result in injury or death.
A CAUTION identifies conditions or practices that could result in damage to the product or equipment
to which it is connected.
Symbols
These safety and electrical symbols may appear on the product or in this guide:
Symbol Description
Earth (ground) terminal
Terminal can be used to make a measurement
ground connection. The terminal is NOT a Safety or
protective Earth.
Possibility of electric shock
Caution Appearance on the product indicates a need to read
these safety and operation instructions.
Do not dispose of this product as
unsorted municipal waste.
WARNING
To prevent injury or death only qualified personnel should use this product, only as instructed
and with only accessories supplied or recommended. Protection provided by the product may
be impaired if used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer.
Maximum input voltage
The table and frequency derating plot below indicate the maximum input voltage for these probes.
This is the maximum voltage that can be safely and accurately measured using the probes. The
maximum input voltage depends on the signal frequency, the measurement category and also on the
instrument with which the probe is used.
WARNING
To prevent electric shock, do not attempt to connect voltages outside the probe's voltage
rating, or above the oscilloscope's maximum input voltage multiplied by the attenuation ratio
of the probe, whichever is lower. When using accessories with the probe, the lower rating /
measurement category always applies to both probe and accessories connected to it. If an
accessory is not marked with a voltage rating on either the connector, cable or body, or if a
protective finger guard is removed, then do not exceed the EN61010 “hazardous live” limits
overleaf.
Model Instrument Maximum input voltage
P2036
&
P2056
In combination with PicoScope 6000E * ±200 V DC+AC peak (not in CAT II, III or IV)
Maximum for probe with any instrument 300 V RMS (CAT II)
400 V RMS (not in CAT II, III or IV)
* When used with the PicoScope 6000E, maximum input voltage to the probe is limited to ten times the instrument’s
maximum measuring range of ±20 V.

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P2036 and P2056 User's Guide Pico Technology
Typical voltage derating P2036 & P2056
No Measurement Category
0
100
200
300
400
100 k1M10 M100
M1
G
Frequency (Hz)
Amplitude AC
RMS (V) sine
WARNING
To avoid overloading the probe,
note that its maximum input voltage
rating decreases as the frequency
of the applied signal increases.
WARNING
Signals exceeding the voltage limits in the table below are defined as "hazardous live" by
EN61010.
Signal voltage limits of EN 61010-031:2015
±60 V DC 30 V AC RMS ± 42.4 V pk max.
To prevent electric shock, take all necessary safety precautions when working on equipment
where hazardous live voltages may be present.
WARNING
To prevent electric shock caused by accidental contact between a hazardous live voltage
and the probe ground input, fit the insulating probe tip cap and do not use the probe tip
ground spring or ground blade when working around hazardous live voltages. Where the
risk of contact between a hazardous live voltage and the probe ground cannot be avoided, a
differential isolating probe such as the TA041 listed on the Pico website must be used instead.
WARNING
To prevent injury or death, do not use this probe for measurements on mains installations in
measurement categories III and IV.
WARNING
To prevent injury or death, do not use the product or an accessory if it appears to be damaged
in any way, and stop use immediately if you are concerned by any abnormal operations.
CAUTION
Exceeding the voltage rating of any cable, connector or accessory can cause permanent
damage to the oscilloscope and other connected equipment.
Grounding
WARNING
Never connect the ground input to, or allow it to touch, any electrical potential other than
ground. To prevent personal injury or death, use a voltmeter to check that there is no
significant AC or DC voltage between the probe ground and the point to which you intend to
connect it.
CAUTION
Applying a voltage to the ground input is likely to cause permanent damage to the probe or
other connected equipment.
It is good practice to connect the probe output to the measurement instrument and 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 the circuit under test before disconnecting the probe from the measurement
instrument.

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Pico Technology P2036 and P2056 User's Guide
External connections
CAUTION
Take care to avoid mechanical stress or tight bend radii for all connected leads, including
all coaxial leads and connectors. Mishandling will cause deformation and will degrade
performance and measurement accuracy.
Environment
WARNING
To prevent injury or death, do not use in wet or damp conditions or near explosive gas or
vapor.
CAUTION
To prevent damage, always store your probe in appropriate environments.
Storage Operating
Temperature –40 °C to +71 °C 0 °C to +50 °C
Max. humidity (non-
condensing) 80 % 80 % to +31 °C, decreasing linearly to 40 % at +50 °C
Max. altitude 15 000 m 2 000 m
Pollution degree
2
As defined in IEC 61010-031. Only non-conductive pollution. Occasionally,
however, a temporary conductivity caused by condensation must be accepted.
Care of the product
The probe contains no user-serviceable parts. Repair, servicing and calibration require specialized test
equipment and must only be performed by Pico Technology or an approved service provider. There
may be a charge for these services unless covered by the Pico two-year warranty.
Inspect the instrument and all probes, connectors, cables and accessories before use for signs of
damage.
WARNING
To prevent electric shock do not tamper with or disassemble the probe, case parts, connectors
or accessories.
CAUTION
When cleaning the product, use a soft cloth moistened, if necessary, with either distilled water
or isopropyl alcohol. Before use allow the probe to dry completely. To prevent electric shock,
do not allow liquids to enter the probe casing, as this will compromise the electronics or
insulation inside.
CAUTION
To avoid injury, handle with care especially when fitted with the extra thin and sharp spring
contact tip.

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About the probe
The P2036 and P2056 from Pico Technology are state-of-the-art 10:1 miniature probes for
oscilloscopes with up to 500 MHz bandwidth. The entire probe core is made of a high-quality
CeramCore™ ceramic hybrid. Pure coaxial design and laser-trimmed resistors ensure highest signal
fidelity along the signal path, offering high bandwidth and fast risetimes for accurate impulse
measurements. With a maximum input voltage of 300 V CAT II, these probes are equally suitable in
service and development environments. The read-out BNC connector is automatically recognized as a
10:1 attenuator by scopes such as the PicoScope 6000E Series that feature a sense ring.
The compact design with its 2.5 mm housing diameter at the tip provides better visibility on the DUT
(device under test) in dense SMT circuits than conventional 5 mm housings.
The remarkably low input capacitance of only 9.5 pF applies a minimal load to the signal source, which
is particularly important when measuring signals with fast risetimes. Only active or low-impedance
probes can achieve lower loading than this.
The long ground leads found on most conventional probes bring additional inductance and
resonances into the setup, which will result in false or inaccurate readings. The P2036 and P2056
are available with an IC contact system consisting of five different IC adaptors ranging from 1.27 to
0.5 mm pitch and a PCB adaptor kit, offering an ideal solution for short-circuit-proof, reproducible
measurements. The probe is shipped with our signature spring-loaded tips. There are up to 16 different
accessories included with the probe, offering adaptive solutions for almost every probing demand.
IC contact system with IC adaptor, ground blade
and IC ground copper pad.

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Specifications
This User's Guide supersedes all previously published material. Specifications that are not marked as
guaranteed are published as general information to the user. The instrument should have warmed up
for at least 20 minutes and the environmental conditions must not exceed the specified limits of the
probe. Note that specifications are subject to change without notice.
Electrical specifications
P2036 P2056
Attenuation ratio*10:1 (±2% at DC)
Voltage coefficient 0.00025 %/V (at DC)
Probe bandwidth 300 MHz 500 MHz (–3 dB)
Probe risetime 1 ns 700 ps (10%–90%, typical)
* Connected to oscilloscope with an input impedance of 1 MΩ ± 1%.
Electrical characteristics
Input resistance (system) 10 MΩ ± 1 %
Input capacitance (system) 9.5 pF (typical)
Compensation range 10 pF to 25 pF (typical)
Input coupling of the measuring instrument 1 MΩ AC / DC
Input impedance
Typical input impedance P2036 & P2056
10
100
1 k
10 k
100 k
1 M
10 M
100 M
10 1001k 10 k 100 k1M10 M 100
M1
G
Frequency (Hz)
|Z| (Ω)
CAUTION
To avoid overloading the circuit
under test, note that the input
impedance of the probe decreases
as the frequency of the applied
signal increases.
Mechanical characteristics
Weight (probe only) 48 g
Cable length 1.3 m
Probe tip diameter 2.5 mm

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Adjustment procedure
The probe can be adjusted for low frequency (LF) compensation.
LF compensation is necessary whenever the probe is connected to a new oscilloscope input channel.
LF compensation matches the probe's series capacitance to the oscilloscope's input capacitance.
This matching assures good amplitude accuracy from DC to upper bandwidth limit frequencies. A
poorly compensated probe influences the overall system performance (probe + scope) and introduces
measurement errors resulting in inaccurate readings and distorted waveforms.
LF compensation is performed by connecting the probe to a suitable signal source such as:
• the CAL output on the oscilloscope front panel
• a good-quality 500 Hz square wave from the AWG output of a PicoScope
• a square wave output from an oscilloscope calibrator
and adjusting the LF compensation trimmer to obtain optimal square wave response. For examples
see figures below.
LF compensation trimmer
undercompensated optimal overcompensated

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Pico Technology P2036 and P2056 User's Guide
IC cap 2.5 mm
0.65 mm pitch; blue
IC cap 2.5 mm
0.5 mm pitch; green
PCB adaptor
kit 2.5 mm
BNC adaptor 2.5 mm
Self-adhesive
Cu pads
(2 x 2 cm)
Spring hook 2.5 mm black
Protection cap
2.5 mm
IC cap 2.5 mm
0.8 mm pitch; gray
IC cap 2.5 mm
1.0 mm pitch; brown
IC cap 2.5 mm
1.27 mm pitch; black
Insulating cap
2.5 mm
Solid tips
CuBe 0.5 mm
Spring tips
gold-plated 0.5 mm
2-footed probe holder
Probe
DEVICE UNDER
TEST
Set coding rings
3x4 colors
Ground blade 2.5 mm
Ground spring 2.5 mm
Ground lead 15 cm
Trimmer tool
Spring hook 2.5 mm short
/ 30 V AC black
Copper layer
Drill layer
5.8
(.228)
1
(.039)
5.8
(.228) 2
(.079)
1.5
(.059)
Probe accessories
For further information on available accessories please refer to the accessory kits listed on page 10.

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P2036 and P2056 User's Guide Pico Technology
Probe accessories
You can buy a range of kits containing accessories and spare parts for the P2036 and P2056 probes.
Contents of the standard product packs and optional kits are listed below.
Item
TA479 P2036 300 MHz probe 2-pack TA480 P2056 500 MHz probe 2-pack TA066 basic accessory kit TA067 standard accessory kit TA065 advanced accessory kit TA152 BNC adaptor kit TA068 solid probe tips TA064 spring contact tips TA102 2-footed probe holder TA436 P2036 300 MHz probe pack TA437 P2056 500 MHz probe pack
Coding rings (set) 3 x 4 colors 1 1 1 1 1
Ground blade 2.5 mm 1 1 1
Ground lead 15 cm* 2 2 1 1 1 1 1
Ground spring 2.5 mm 2 2 1 1 1
IC cap 2.5 0.5 mm pitch, green 1 1 1
IC cap 2.5 0.65 mm pitch, blue 1 1 1
IC cap 2.5 0.8 mm pitch, grey 1 1 1
IC cap 2.5 1.0 mm pitch, brown 1 1 1
IC cap 2.5 1.27 mm pitch, black 1 1 1
Insulating cap 2.5 mm 2 2 1 1 1 1
PCB adaptor kit 2.5 mm 1 1 1
Self-adhesive Cu pad 2 x 2 cm 2 2 2
Solid tip, CuBe, 0.5 mm 2 2 1 1 1 5 1 1
Spring tip, gold-plated 0.5 mm 2 2 1 1 1 5 1 1
Spring hook, short, 2.5 mm / 30 V AC 1 1 1
Spring hook 2.5 mm 2 2 1 1
Trimmer tool 1 1 1 1 1 1
BNC adaptor 2.5 mm†111
2-footed probe holder 1
* WARNING
To avoid injury and equipment damage, use for ground connections only.
† WARNING
To avoid exposure to dangerous voltages, do not use with signals above 42 V peak.
WARNING
All accessories are safety-tested. Replace only with Pico Technology accessories.

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Pico Technology P2036 and P2056 User's Guide
Maintenance
Changing the probe tip
To change the probe tip use pliers to grip and pull it carefully straight out of its contact socket, along
the axis of the probe. Do not grip the white plastic insulator or the housing with pliers, because the tip
could be squeezed and made impossible to remove and the probe could be damaged.
After the probe tip is removed, the new tip can be inserted with pliers into the contact socket along
the axis of the probe. In order to insert the probe tip completely into the housing, press the probe tip
carefully against a hard surface.
Use pliers to grip and pull the probe tip carefully
out of its contact socket.
Do not grip the white plastic insulator or the
probe housing with pliers.

13 Feb 2020
United Kingdom
headquarters
Pico Technology
James House
Marlborough Road
Colmworth Business Park
Eaton Socon
St. Neots
PE19 8YP
United Kingdom
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