PG914

Pico Technology - PG914

The fast-transition pulse can stimulate a transmission path, device, or network with a broad-spectrum signal in a single instant. These signals, combined with differential capability, are valuable for making high-speed broadband measurements in many fields such as time domain reflectometry, semiconductor testing, gigabit interconnect and port testing, and in radar systems.

High-speed differential data is becoming the dominant measurement challenge in digital, computing, interconnect and telecommunications systems. Despite this need, costeffective, fast-transition differential pulse generators were hard to find until now.

The PicoSource PG900 Series of low-jitter triggered differential USB pulse generators offer a range of advanced features:

• The pulse outputs are optimized for broad spectral content (fastest transition time) to best suit spectral and time-domain transmission and reflectometry measurements
• The internal clock provides stand-alone, self-triggered operation
• Trigger input and output allow the pulse generators to source or respond to system triggers
• Differential outputs ensure that the proliferation of gigabit differential interconnects and systems (such as SATA, USB3, HDMI, Ethernet) can all be addressed

Essential to any differential measurement is the ability to adjust for small but significant velocity and path length differences that are bound to exist in any measurement setup. The PicoSource PG900 pulse generator outputs can each be adjusted (time-skewed) by 1 ns (integrated pulse outputs) or 200 ps (tunnel diode pulse heads) in 1 ps increments to deskew path differences before the measurement, or to deliberately stress a transmission path with timing skew.
Despite their small size and portability, PicoSource pulse generators have plenty of drive capability, with integrated step recovery diode outputs of up to 6 V pk each into 50 Ω. That’s a powerful 12 V pk differential pulse amplitude to drive lossy paths or stress system ports. Outputs are adjustable in 10 mV steps down to 2.5 V pk. An adjustable amplitude limit is provided to protect sensitive devices, and 20 dB attenuators are supplied fitted to the pulse outputs for small-signal optimal match applications.

Key features

• Integral 50 Ω SMA(f) Step Recovery Diode outputs:
  • <60 ps transition time
• Dual 2.5 to 6 V variable amplitude outputs:
  • ±1 ns in 1 ps steps timing deskew
  • 200 ns to 4 μs pulse width
  • 1 μs to 1 s internal clock period
  • <3 ps RMS jitter relative to external trigger
  • −20 dB 10 GHz SMA(m-f) attenuator included with Step Recovery Diode outputs
• Integrated pulse outputs:
  • Differential outputs with deskew
  • 200 ns to 4 μs pulse width
  • Adjustable 1 μs to 1 s internal clock period
  • Typical 3.0 ps RMS jitter relative to external trigger
  • 2.5 V to 6 V amplitude
• Tunnel diode pulse heads:
  • Differential with deskew
  • 40 ps transition time
  • 200 mV amplitude
• Advanced features:
  • Output deskew with 1 ps resolution
  • Low-jitter trigger input and output
  • Internal trigger clock
  • Trigger hold-off
• Configuration:
  • USB 2.0 connected
  • Microsoft Windows compatible

Applications:

• TDR/TDT network and match analysis
• Spectral and flatness measurements
• Timing, jitter, and crosstalk determination
• Semiconductor testing
• Impulse ultra-wideband radars
• Laser diode drivers