One potential source of non monotonicity is the ADC particularly those embedded in a microprocessor. The only cure being to either use an external ADC that is monotonic or truncate the ADC result until it's monotonic.

Varying the synchroniser clock frequency (a 2:1 range should suffice to cover the range of interest) should allow non monotonic behaviour to be detected.
Otherwise one has to resort to using calibrated delay lines.

Bruce

Bob Camp wrote:
Hi

The statistical fill approach is a cute way to go. The gotcha comes in when you 
have a structure that *may* not be monotonic.

Bob

On Dec 28, 2012, at 1:04 PM, Bruce Griffiths<bruce.griffi...@xtra.co.nz>  wrote:

Fabio Eboli wrote:
Hello

How could I test the time to analog converter
we talked few posts ago?
Something that can be done with things I have
or can easily find.
One method is to use a statistical fill the buckets technique to measure the 
linearity.
To do this one needs to use an incoherent source to trigger the interpolator 
and plot a histogram of the results.
A noisy RC oscillator would be useful for this but care should be taken to 
avoid injection locking.
To achieve useful measurement in a reasonable time interval a trigger rate 
somewhat greater than 1Hz is required.
If the interpolator has 1024 time delay bins then ~ 100,000 trigger events are 
required to achieve a bin width measurement error of 10%.

Otherwise a series of measurements of a set of accurately known delays is 
required.
Useful results can be produced by measuring the delay between various outputs 
of a shift register clocked at a sequence of different measured frequencies.
I was thinking that would be nice to try to
feed it with signals similar to the real ones,
but that can be controlled: PPS + 10MHz reference,
without the PPS tipical jitter.

One should characterise the interpolator linearity etc first.
To do so I was thinking to use the PPS from
one of the 2 FE5680 and the 10MHz from the
second ad use these to simulate the real signals.

I can tune the frequency of the Rb with the
serial interface (tested and working).
I'd like to verify both the resolution and
repeteability.

I was trying to figure the approx jitter
I will have using the Rb like I said above,
so I'm giving an eye to this diagram from
John Miles page: http://www.ke5fx.com/rb.htm

If I'm understanding correctly, that 5680
at 1s should have most of the jitter (95% +-2sigma)
into an interval +- 3.08x10^-11 wide, i.e. about 62pS
on the PPS signal (non considering the PPS buffer
inside the 5680). Is this how it work, or I'm mistaking?
This is from only one unit, but both unit will have
the jitter, how to take into account the jitter
from both?

Is there a better method to make this test?
I could try to test the TAC alone feeding it
with a 100 to 200nS pulse, but I dont know
from where to start to generate a clean stable
and repeteable pulse.

You dont need one (see above) as long as you have the means to accumulate the 
results of 100,000 measurements or preferably more.
I have the 2 5680, the counter with it's 10MHz
inputs and outpus, and a Vectron OCXO that came
with one of the 5680, with these markings:
OCXO500-18 63.897600MHz
34537 A0715
and...
soldering iron, solder and scrap electronics :)

Thanks,
Fabio.

Bruce

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