[time-nuts] Time interval measurement vs dual mixer method

Bob kb8tq kb8tq at n1k.org
Sun Jan 21 09:04:36 EST 2018


Hi

What level of stability are you trying to measure?

What sort of offset frequency are you running? 

What kind (phase noise / spurs / adev) offset oscillator are you using? 

What sort of limiter are you running with what sort of pre filtering?

We have run around on a lot of generalities. You may have some issues 
that are specific to your setup. There is no “one size fits all” approach here.
If you are running a couple of oscillators it the THz region and trying to look
at ADEV from 1us to two months tau with one setup, a lot of what we have
been saying simply does not apply.

Bob

> On Jan 21, 2018, at 4:23 AM, timeok at timeok.it wrote:
> 
> 
>   Corby,
>   thanks for the information.
> 
>   I'm definitely interested in the short therm ADEV but especially for Tau from 1 day and over to test high stability standard over the time.
>   I will have further tests.
>   Cheers,
>   Luciano
> 
> 
>   Da "time-nuts" time-nuts-bounces at febo.com
>   A time-nuts at febo.com
>   Cc
>   Data Sat, 20 Jan 2018 16:14:10 -0800
>   Oggetto [time-nuts] Time interval measurement vs dual mixer method
>   Luciano,
> 
>   I don't know of a commercial version.
> 
>   As you have seen as the two signals move away from close phase
>   coincidence the system noise level will increase.
> 
>   This is because the common offset oscillator noise will only cancel when
>   the phases are closely matching.
> 
>   This is mainly important for the lower Tau (like 1 to 10 seconds).
> 
>   I will normally adjust the phase of my reference or DUT so that myTIC is
>   reading 0.00000XX (close to phase match) and very slowly rising. (with my
>   setup most DUT will age downward).
> 
>   Then I start logging the data.
> 
>   A typical run with a 1 week aged quartz will show the TIC count slowly
>   increase (and may wrap) and then as the aging continues the count will
>   reverse and eventually go "below" zero and wrap.
> 
>   A phase plot will show a nice parabolic looking curve going up and then
>   as the aging crosses it will curve down.
> 
>   If there are wraps the plotter program can take them out.
> 
>   Any long plot of Quartz WILL wrap!
> 
>   Now if you plot the AD you will see a normal type plot for a good Quartz.
> 
>   If the TIC count increased well past coincidence only the Higher Taus
>   will be accurate.
> 
>   For the lower Tau you need to cut off the data past where it climbed too
>   high.
> 
>   I typically will setup as described and run a short log of say 5 minutes.
> 
>   I might only keep the first 100 Seconds and plot the AD against that.
> 
>   This will give you an accurate plot for the lower Tau.
> 
>   These two plots can then be combined to give you the whole range.
> 
>   The attached plot of an FE405B illustrates this.
> 
>   The Red plot is against a very good FTS 1200 (2X10-13th at 1 thru just
>   past 10 Sec)
> 
>   The blue continuation is against a very good HP 5065A (1.5X10-13th at 100
>   Sec)
> 
>   So if the lower Tau are important only use logged data that are in near
>   phase match!
> 
>   Hope this helps!
> 
>   Cheers,
> 
>   Corby
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