Understanding

Oscillator Specs

Hugo Fruehauf
FEI-Zyfer Inc.
August 2004
hxf@fei-zyfer.com
 Agenda

• Definitions

• The Time and Frequency Domains

• Time Domain

• Frequency Domain

• General Comparisons

2
 Frequency and Time Basics

I
• F= T , where F = frequency (= number of “events” per unit time)
T = period (= time between “events”)

• The unit for frequency is Hertz (Hz). One event or cycle per
second = 1 Hertz, 1000 cycles per second = 1000 Hz, etc.

• The unit for time is of course seconds. Since 1967, the second
is defined by the cesium atomic oscillator.
Total Number of Events
• Accumulated Clock Time = Number of Events Per Unit of Time
• Frequency Standard + Counting Mechanism = A Clock

3
Definition of Terms as Applied to Oscillators(1)

Aging (Implying Frequency Aging)

The change in frequency with time due to internal changes in the oscillator. It
is the frequency change with time while factors external to the oscillator
(environment, power supply, etc.) are kept constant. Generally aging, rather
than drift, is what one measures during oscillator evaluation.

1 2 ∆Τ = Time Error
∆Τ = at a = aging
2
t = Elapsed Time
Drift (Implying Frequency Drift)
The change in frequency with time that one observes in an application. Drift is
due to aging plus changes in the environment and other factors external to the
oscillator.
Accuracy (Of Output Frequency)
The degree of conformity of a measured or calculated value to some specified
value or definition. In the case of time and frequency, the ultimate frequency
accuracy is defined by the 133Cs Atomic Resonance of 9,192,631,770 Hz.
Frequency Offset
The difference between the realized value and the nominal frequency value.
4
 Definition of the ‘SECOND’

• The ‘SECOND’ is the duration of 9,192,631,770

periods of the radiation corresponding to the
transition between the two (unperturbed)
hyperfine levels of the ground state of the
133Cesium atom

5
 Accuracy (Precision) and Stability

Precise but Not accurate and Accurate but Accurate and

not accurate not precise not precise precise

f f f f

Time Time Time Time

Stable but Not stable and Accurate but Stable and

not accurate not accurate not stable accurate

6
 Time Domain vs. Frequency Domain
A
f

(a)

Amplitude - Frequency
Amplitude - Time t

(c)
(b)

A(f)
A(t)
Example (a) shows a sine wave and its second harmonic. A signal consisting of the sum of the two waves is
shown in the time domain (b), and in the frequency domain (c). In the time domain, all frequency components of a
signal are summed together. In the frequency domain, signals are separated into their frequency components and
the power level at each frequency is displayed.

7
 Time and Frequency Noise vs. Time Error

Time Domain Stability Freq. Aging vs. Time Error

1E-10 (Time Noise)

4

1E-11 3

o.
Ag -11
M
2

g/
1E
in
1E-12 1 T(error) = 1/2 at 2
~0.5µs
1E-13
10-1 100 101 102 103 104 105 1 2 3 4
Averaging Time (Sec.) Time In Days

Freq. Domain Stability Freq. Offset vs. Time Error

-80
~3µs et
(Phase Noise)
-100 ffs
O
~2µs 1
dBc 1 E-1
-120 f = 1
Τ
~1µs T(error) = ∆ f/f x t
-140
0
-160 1 2 3 4
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 Time In Days

Hertz From Carrier

8
How Do You Measure Time Domain Noise?

10-9
F S - = Total Deviation
QUESTION: Why are the Total R T Ο = Allan Deviation
and Allan deviations (shown on E A
10-10

top plot) recommended for time Q B

U I
domain noise characterization E L
of oscillators (shown on the N I 10-11
bottom plot)? C T
Y Y
10-12
100 101 102 103 104 105
ANSWER: The standard T(s)
deviation applied to the F 8095
F
measurement of the frequency R
R
of an oscillator implies a false A
E 8085
C
assumption that there exists a T
Q
U
true mean frequency. The I
E
8075
Total and Allan deviations can O
N
N 8065
estimate frequency stability A
C
Y
even if the mean is changing, L 8055
such as the frequency step that 0 75 150 225 300
is shown in the figure. DAY
9
 Given the Time Residuals from a
Precision Oscillator

x(t)

x i +1 − x i
τ yi =
τ

yM
y3 Etc.
x(t) y1 y4
yi
y2

2
1 M
(yi + 1 − yi )
M1
1
σSTD DEV y (τ ) = (y i − y )
2
∑
M −1 i =1
σ y (τ ) = ∑
2(M − 1) i = 1

Classical Variance Allan Variance

Does Not Converge as M Does Converge as M
Increases Increases
10
 Allan Variance Concept

Difference in Slope = ∆y = y2 - y1

x2 x3
y2
X = Time Difference

x1
y1

τ τ

1
σ 2y (τ ) = (∆ y )2 ~ τ µ
2

Time

11
 Computing Allan Variance
The Two-Sample Deviation or square-root of the Allan Variance is the standard method of describing the short-
term stability of oscillators in the time domain. It is usually described by σy(τ), where:

1 m−1
σ2y (τ ) = (
∑ y −
2(m − 1) k =1 k +1
yk 2 ) 10-10 1st Data Point

10-11

σy(τ)
In the example below: 10-12
Number of data values available, m=9 10-13
Number of differences averaged, m-1=8
Sampling time interval τ=1s
10-14
10-1 100 101 102 103 104
(τ)

Data Values First Differences First Differences Squared Based on these data:
(y) (y k +1 − y k ) (y k +1 − yk ) 2
133165
σ y 2 (τ ) = = 8322.81
892 2(8 )
809 -83 6889
823
798
14
-25
196
625
[σ y (τ )]
2
1/ 2
= 8322 . 81

671 -127 16129 σ y (τ ) = 91.23, τ = 1s

644 -27 729
883 239 57121 In this example, the data values
400 are parts in 1013.
903 20
677 -226 51076

∑ (y )
m −1

k +1
− yk 2
= 133165
k =1 12
 Comparison of Qz, Rb, GPS, Cs, & Maser
Time Domain Stability
10-10
HP 5061A, Cs Hi-Per Qz

HP 5071A, Cs
10-11
Symmetricom
Cs III, Cs GPS-Disciplined
(AllanVariance) 2, σy (τ )

10-12 Qz/Rb
VR
EM KV
Y AR
1

AV
CH ZP
10-13 -10 as s
06 ive Hi-Per Rb
KV Pa Ma
AR ssi ser
ZA ve
ctiv M
e M aser HP 5071A, Cs
10-14 ase Hi-Per Option
r

10-15
1 Day 1 Week
1 Hr 10 Hrs. 1 Mo.

10-16
1 10 102 103 104 105 106
Averaging Time, T(Sec.)
13
 Carrier REF. (Osc. Output Amplitude at the Intended Osc. Freq.) Frequency Domain Noise

-80
1
f =
(Phase Noise) Τ
dBc/Hz down from REF.

-100

-120

-140

-160 Measure Energy in 1 Hz Bandwidth

10-1 100 101 102 103 104 105

(1 mHz) (1 Hz) (10 Hz) (100 Hz) (1 KHz) (10 KHz) (100 KHz)

Hertz From Carrier

dBc = Decibels (referenced to the carrier)
14
 Phase Noise Under Vibration
Vibration Induced Phase Noise
Vibration Induced
Side Band (Slope 6 dB/Octave)
L(f) L(f)

Quiescent Oscillator Performance Quiescent Oscillator Performance

f-From Carrier f-From Carrier

Acceleration Power
Acceleration Power

Spectral Density
Spectral Density

f-Vibration f-Vibration

Sinusoidal Vibration Random Vibration

15
 Typical Specs for the Precision Quartz Oscillators
Basic Parameters TCXO OCXO (0.5” High) OCXO (0.75” High) DOCXO For Reference Only
(Temp. Comp. XO) (Oven Control XO) (Oven Control XO) (Double Oven XO) Rubidium Osc.

Output 10 MHz, Sine 10 MHz, Sine 10 MHz, Sine 10 MHz, Sine 10 MHz, Sine
0.5Vrms, 50 Ω 0.5 Vrms, 50 Ω 0.5 Vrms, 50 Ω 0.5 Vrms, 50 Ω 0.5 Vrms, 50 Ω
Short Term Stab. 1s 1 E-9 1E-11 5E-12 5E-12 3E-11
10s 5 E-10 1E-11 1E-11 1E-11 7E-12
100s 5 E-10 1E-10 1E-11 1E-11 3E-12

Phase Noise, 1Hz - 55 dBc/Hz - 80 dBc/Hz - 90 dBc/Hz - 90 dBc/Hz -75 dBc/Hz

100Hz -115 dBc/Hz -135 dBc/Hz -135 dBc/Hz -135 dBc/Hz -125 dBc/Hz
1000Hz -130 dBc/Hz -145 dBc/Hz -145 dBc/Hz -145 dBc/Hz -145 dBc/Hz

Aging/Day/Month/Year --- 5E-10/day 2E-10/day 2E-10/day 5E-11/day

5E-7/yr 2E-7/yr 2E-8/yr 2E-8/yr 5E-10/yr
Temp Range 0° to 75°C 0° to 75°C 0° to 75°C 0° to 70°C 0° to 60°C
Frequency Stability 5E-7 2E-8 2E-9 2E-10 3E-10

Power Consumption 50 miliwatts 2 watts 2.5 watts 3.5 watts 8 watts

Warm-up Time 50 milisec 10 min, 1E-8 10 min, 1E-8 10 min, 1E-8 4 min, ~1E-9

Magnetic Field Sensitivity --- --- --- --- 2E-11/Gauss

Input Volts Range 5 Vdc± 0.25% 12 Vdc± 10% 12 Vdc± 10% 12 Vdc± 10% 15 to 28 Vdc
Supply Volts Sensitivity 1E-8 for +/-10% 1E-9 for +/-10% 1E-9 for +/-10% 1E-9 for +/-10% 2E-11 for +/-10%

Size 1.0” x 0.7” x 0.22” H 1.5” x 1.5” x 0.5” H 2.0” x 2.0” x 0.75” H 2.0” x 2.0” x 1.0” H 3.0” x 3.0” x 1.4” H
3 3 3 3 3
Volume 0.154 in 1.125 in 3 in 4 in 13 in
Weight < 0.1 lbs < 0.15 lbs < 0.22 lbs < 0.3 lbs 0.75 lbs

16
 Frequency Aging and Offset vs. Time Error
Accumulated Time Error

100 ms
100 ns

100 µs

10 ms

10 sec
10 ns

1 sec
10 µs

1 ms
1 ns

1 µs
Min.
10
30

O
ffs

ffs
O
Of
Hr.

ffs
et

et
1

O
fse

et

ffs
1

1
t1

x
1

et
2

10

10
x
x

1
-8

-5
10
10

x
-7

10
-9
4

-6
Dr
i ft
8

1x
Elapsed Time

Dr 10 -4
ift
1 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 1 16

Dr

O
1x ift

ffs
Day

10 -1 1x

et
Dr 3 10 -5
ift

1
1x

x
Of

10 -1 Dr

10
fse

ift

-1
4 Dr 1x

0
Dr
t

ift 10 -6
Of

ift 1x
1x
x
fse
Week

10 -7
10

10 -1
t

-1
1

5
Of

Dr
10
fse

Dr ift Dr
-1

Dr Dr 1x ift
Of

ift
t1

ift ift 1x
Month

1x 10 -9
fse

1x 1x 10 -8
x1

10 -1
Of

10 -1 10 -1
t1

1
fse

0
-1

2
x1
2

3
t1

0
-1
x

4
4

10
-1
5
Year
1

Note: • Aging Lines Represent “Aging/Day”

• Offset Lines are Independent of a Time Period
• Add Aging and Expected Offset for ~ Total Time Error 17