Capacitively-coupled test probe

A capacitively coupled probe for acquiring a digital electrical signal from a source conductor, the probe comprising:

• a body portion;
• a probe tip coupled to said body portion, said probe tip being configured to capacitively sense the digital electrical signal from the source conductor to produce a sensed signal, said probe tip including an inner conductor and a shield conductor, said shield conductor substantially surrounding said inner conductor to define an active region of said sense means, wherein said inner conductor has a cross-sectional area at said active region of not greater than 315 square mils and said probe tip has a cross-sectional area at said active region not greater than 5675 square mils such that said probe tip is configured to acquire the digital electrical signal from a correspondingly dimensioned source conductor while substantially excluding unwanted signals from adjacent conductors;
• amplifier means, coupled to said probe tip, for receiving and amplifying said sensed signal to produce an amplified signal, said amplifier means being disposed in said body portion of the probe closely adjacent to said probe tip;
• and
• reconstruction means coupled to said amplifier means for receiving said amplified signal and for reproducing the digital electrical signal therefrom.