PG912

PG912, PicoSource PG900 Series - USB differential pulse generators

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 radar systems.

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

A versatile, portable pulse generator

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 and Ethernet) can all be addressed

All PicoSource PG900 Model Features:

• Differential outputs
• 200 ns to 4-microsecond pulse width
• Adjustable 1 microsecond to 1 s internal clock period
• Typical 3.0 ps RMS jitter relative to an external trigger

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.