Clifton LAboratories Z10000?U Installation and operating instructions

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AssemblyandOperationsManual
Z10000‐UBroadbandBufferAmplifier
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Version3.3/03April2009
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7236CliftonRoad
CliftonVirginia20124
Telephone:(703)830‐0368
Fax:(703)830‐0711
http://www.cliftonlaboratories.com

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AssemblyandOperationsManual
Z10000‐U
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Version3.3April2009
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(c)2006,2008,2009JackR.Smithd/b/a/CliftonLaboratories.
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LastRevised03April2009
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CliftonLaboratories–Z10000‐UBufferAmplifierAssemblyandOperation  Page1

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1IntroductionandSpecifications
Introduction
CliftonLaboratories’Z10000IFsamplerbufferamplifierisavailableintwoversions:
•Z10000‐K2model—optimizedtobeusedwithanElecraftK2transceiver,withbandpassresponse
shapingfora4915KHzIF;
•Z10000‐Uor“Universal”model—samePCBastheZ10000‐K2,butwithaflatfrequencyresponse.
TheZ10000‐UisbroadbandandissuitabletousewithElecraft’sK3transceiverforadditional
isolationand/orgainfromthe8215KHzIFoutputport.Thismanualcoversthe–Uversion.
1.1Specifications
ParameterSpecification
PhysicalsizeApprox1.4”(35mm)x1.25”(32mm).Heightapprox0.2”(5mm)plusclearanceforwiring.
Mountinghole:clearancefor4‐40machinescrew.
PowerRequirements+12Vatapprox20mA.Onboardregulatorpermitsoperationwith24Vmaximumsupply
voltage.
ConnectorsNone.Directwire(coaxialcable)connectionviasolderpads.Usermayinstallheaders(0.1”)
spacingifsodesired.
GainUsersettableviaprogrammingresistor.
OutputImpedance50ohms;shortcircuitprotected.
ActiveDevices78L09voltageregulator
AD8007amplifier
ReverseIsolationTypically100dBat4.915MHz;dependsoncableroutingasstraycouplingbecomes
importantatthislevelofisolation.Lessisolationathigherfrequencies.SeeSection1.3.3.
HarmonicDistortion(2ndand
3rdharmonic)
Typically80dBbelowcarrier;dependsongainsettingandinputlevel
3rdorderintermodulation
distortion
Typically‐70dBbelowoutputforsignallevelsfoundinreceiverinputstages.IP3depends
ongainsettingandfrequency,typically+30dBm.
InputSignalLevelDCnottoexceed25volts;ACinputleveldependsongainsetting;typicallyusedwithaless
than100mVPPinput.
BandwidthDependsongain.Ifsetfor+6dBnetgain,usablebandwidth>100MHz.(Seetypical
performanceplot)Lowfrequencyresponseextendstobelow50KHz.1
InputImpedanceDependsonfrequencyandattachmenttechnique.Greaterthan1.5Kohmto10MHz,(See
typicalperformanceplot)
GainDependsonR907value.Typicalmaximumgainat5MHzis+14dB,typicalminimumgainis
‐4dB
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1.3TypicalPerformanceMeasurements
ThedatapresentedisforoneZ10000amplifierequippedwithconnectorsforeasiertesting,setfornet10
dBgain(nominal2).R905=4.7KandR907=95.3ohms.A49.9ohmsurfacemountresistorwasinstalled
acrossthetestamplifier’sinputtoprovidefor50ohmnominalinputimpedance.

1ItispossibletoextendtheZ10000’slowfrequencyresponseto3KHzbyreplacingall0.22µFcapacitors
with1.0µF.TheZ10000‐Uusedinthetestdatapresentedhasthismodification.
2Thetheoreticalgainforthetestedconfigurationis9.9dB,representing15.9dBamplifiergain,followedby
6dBlossresultingfromtheseries49.9ohmoutputseriesresistance.
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1.3.1FrequencyResponseandGain
At5MHz,thesampleunit’smeasuredgainis9.78dB,0.12dBlessthantheoreticallypredicted.The3dB
bandwidthextendsfrom3KHzto174MHz.
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1.3.2InputImpedance
Thebufferamplifier’sinput
impedanceisdominatedbytwo
elements;thebiasisolationresistor
(4.7KΩintheZ10000‐U’snormal
configuration)andshunt
capacitancefromthePCBtraces,
connectingwirestotheamplifier
andtheamplifier’sinput
capacitance.
Themeasureddatapresentedatthe
rightshouldbeconsideredas
representativeofaZ10000‐U
amplifierwithshort(atwoinches/
50mm)coaxialcableinputleads.
1.3.3ReverseIsolation
Thebufferamplifier’sreverse
isolationisafunctionoffrequency,as
illustratedintheamplifier
measurementspresentedatthe
right.At8MHz,themeasured
sampleexhibited115dBreverse
isolation.
Reverseisolationisalsoaffectedby
howtheamplifierishoused,lead
dress,shielding,etc.Accordingly,the
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isolationillustratedattherightmaynotbeachievedineveryinstance.
1.3.4IntermodulationPerformance
Theillustrationattherightshows
theoutputofthetestunitwith
twoequalsignals(9900KHzand
10100KHz)of‐10dBmappliedto
theamplifierinput.Theamplifier
outputis0dBm(a3dBattenuator
isappliedaheadofthespectrum
analyzerinthisplot.)
Thethirdorderintermodulation
productis‐71.8dBmdownfrom
eithertone.Withanoutputbased
reference,therefore,theIP3is
thus+35.9dBm.
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2SchematicandCircuitDescription
2.1Schematic
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2.2TheoryofOperation
2.2.1PowerSupply.
TheAD8007amplifierisratedatanabsolutemaximumoperatingvoltageof12V.Inordertoprovidea
safetymargin,andtodecoupletheamplifierfromthepowersupply,U902,athree‐terminalfixed
regulator,providesasourceofstable+9VtoU901.C907andC908provideadditionaldecoupling.U901,
theAD8007amplifier,obtainsitspowerviatheRCdecouplingnetworkcomprisedofR902,C902and
C906.
Sincethecircuitoperatesfromasinglepositivepowersupply,itisnecessarytobiasU901’sinputto
approximatelyV/2.Thisisaccomplishedbythe2:1voltagedividerchainofR902/R903.C903bypassesthe
V/2referencevoltage;whilstR905increasesU901’sinputimpedancebyisolatingC903’sRFground.
R905’smaximumvalueisdeterminedbytheU901’sinputbiascurrentonthepositivepin,specifiedby
AnalogDevicesas8μA.For4.7KΩ,thisbiascurrentrepresentsanIRdropof38mV.WithaDCgainof4,
thecorrespondingoutputDCoffsetwillbeabout150mV.Ifabsolutelynecessaryforhighinput
impedance,R905maybesubstitutedwithahighervalueresistor,uptoapproximately22KΩ.However,at
frequenciesaboveafewMHz,theinputimpedanceisdominatedbyshuntcapacitance;increasingR905
shouldbedoneonlywithanunderstandingofallthefactorsaffectingtheinputimpedance.3
2.2.2Amplifier
U901,anAnalogDevicesAD8007,isahighperformance,lownoisecurrentfeedbackamplifier,witha
gain‐bandwidthproductexceeding650MHz.Acurrentfeedbackamplifierisalsoknownasa
“transimpedance”amplifier.AnalogDevicesdescribeshowacurrentfeedbackamplifierworks:
First,thenegativeinputofaCFArespondstocurrent;theoutputvoltageisproportionaltothat
current,hencetransimpedance(V(out)=Z(t)I(in)).Insteadofkeepingthenegativeinputcurrent
smallbymaintaininghighinputimpedance,andusingfeed‐backandvoltagegaintokeepthe
inputvoltagedifferencesmall,theCFAkeepsthevoltagedifferencesmallbyvirtueofitslow
inputimpedance(likelookingbackintoalow‐offsetemitterfollower);anditkeepsitsnetinput
currentsmalldynamicallybyfeedbackfromtheoutput.
WhenanidealCFAisdrivenatthehigh‐impedancepositiveinput,thenegativeinput,withitslow
impedance,followscloselyinvoltage;andthehighgainforerrorcurrentandthenegative
feedbackthroughRfrequirethatthecurrentsthroughRfandRinbeequal;henceV(out)=
V(in)[R(f)/R(in)+1],justlikeforvoltage‐feedbackamplifiers.Amajordifferenceisthattheslew
ratecanbequitehigh,becauselargetransientcurrentscanflowintheinputstagetohandle
rapidchangesinvoltageacrossthecompensatingcapacitor(s).Also,thelowimpedanceatthe
negativeinputmeansthatstrayinputcapacitancewillnotsubstantiallyaffecttheamplifier's
bandwidth.
U901’sgain(indB)isdeterminedbytheratioofresistorsR906andR907:

3CliftonLaboratorieswillprovideinterestedZ10000ownerswiththeLTSpicemodeloftheAD8007andan
LTSpicemodeloftheamplifiercircuitsuponrequest.SPICEmodelingwillallowtheusertodeterminetheeffectsof
componentchangeswithareasonabledegreeofaccuracy.
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907
907906
log20 10 R
RR
Gain
+
=
R908,49.9Ω,allowsU901todrivecapacitiveloads,suchascoaxialcableandalsoprotectsU901against
operationintoshortcircuits.However,thevoltagedividereffectofR908,whichisinserieswiththeload,
reducesthenetavailablegainintoa50ohmloadby6dB.
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2.2.3GainSettingintheZ10000‐UBufferAmplifier
Tovarybufferamplifier’sgain,selectR907usingthefollowingtable.
NetGain(netofR908seriesresistance) R907
+15dB49.9Ω
+10dB100Ω
+6.7dB150Ω
+4.3dB221Ω
0dB499Ω
‐2.5dB1000Ω
‐3.5dB1500Ω
‐4.2dB2200Ω
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R906andR901shouldnotbevariedfromtheirdesignvalueswithoutathoroughanalysisofthecircuit.
2.2.4ValuestousewithElecraftK3Transceiver
WhenusingaZ10000‐UwithanElecraftK3transceivertoprovideadditionalgainandisolationoverthat
providedwiththeK3’sstandardIFoutputport,thefollowingcomponentvaluesshouldbeused:
IfyouhavenotmademodificationstotheK3’sIFsamplecircuitry,theK3willexhibitabout15dBnet
transferlossbetweentheantennaportandtheIFoutputportwhenmeasuredwiththeK3’spreamplifier
offandwitha50ohminstrumentontheIFport.Inordertobringthetransfergainto0dB,buildthe
Z10000for10dbnominalgain.(Approximately6dBgainwillbeaddedduetotheZ10000’shighinput
impedance,therebynettingoutat16dBtransfergain.)
R905:4K7Ω
R907:100RΩ
IfyouhavemadethemodificationtotheK3’sIFsamplecircuitdescribedbyLarry,N8LP,at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LP‐PAN/files/K3_Buffer_Mod/,theK3’stransfergainwillbeincreasedto
6dBloss,animprovementof9dBfromtheunmodifiedcase.Inthisevent,youwillwishtobuildthe
Z10000for0dBnominalgain.
R905:4K7Ω
R907:499RΩ
TheZ10000kitincludesextraresistorswiththesevalues.
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3PartsList
TheZ10000‐Upartsarepackagedinaseveralsmallenvelopes.
•Resistors.
•Capacitors
•Printedcircuitboard
•Semiconductors(AD8007and78L09)
Whenworkingwithcapacitorsparticularly,donotremovedtheindividualpartsfromtheircolor‐
codedpackaginguntilyouarereadytousethecomponent,astheirvaluesarenotmarkedonthe
partandcannotnormallybevisuallydistinguished.Hence,ifyoumixupthecapacitors,youwill
havetomeasuretheirvalueswithacapacitancemeter.
Also,donotconfuse100ohm1%resistors(identifiedas1000)with1.0Kohm1%parts,identified
as1001.


Notethattheschematicidentifiespartswiththemultiplierasthe“decimal”point.Forexamplea
1Kohmresistorisidentifiedasa1K0,anda49.9ohmresistoras49R9.


TypicalPhotoDesignation Value Marking Qty

C9010u1 Notmarked 1
C9020u01 Notmarked 1
C9030u1 Notmarked 1
C9040u22 Notmarked 1
C9061u0 Notmarked 1
C9070u1 Notmarked 1
C9080u1 Notmarked 1

R901200R 2000 1
R90210R 10R0 1
R9031K0 1001 1
R9041K0 1001 1
R9054K0 4701 1
R906499R 4990 1
R90849R9 49R9 1
L901
Zeroohm
jumper0001
L902
Zeroohm
jumper0001
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TypicalPhotoDesignation Value Marking Qty
U901AD8007AD8007ARZ1
U902LM78L09KA78L09AZ1
GainSettingParts
SeemanualSection2.2.3and2.2.4todeterminepropervalue

OptionalResistorSupplied
R9052K2 2201 1
R9051K1 1101 1
R90749R9 49R9 1
R907100R 1000 1
R907150R 1500 1
R907220R 2200 1
R907499R 4990 1
R9071K0 1001 1
R9071K5 1501 1
R9072K2 2201 1
Z10000‐08 Printedcircuitboard 1

MultiplepartvaluesareprovidedforR905andR907,tobeselectedbythebuilderasdiscussedinat
Section2.2.3and2.2.4.
Printedinstructionsarenotsupplied;thismanualistobedownloadedfromtheCliftonLaboratoriesweb
site.
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4Assembly
4.1Orientation
LocatetheappropriatePCBandorientyourself
withtheboard.Identifythetopandbottom.
Thetophassilkscreeningaswellassolder
masking.

Thephotographshowsanearlierversionofthe
PCB.LaterPCBscorrectthesilkscreenerror
identifyingR907asR807,andslightlyrearrange
othersilkscreenlegends.Inaddition,
productioncircuitboardsmaybeslightly
smallerthaninthephotographs.
ThebottomPCBsurfaceissoldermaskedbut
notsilkscreened.Pleaseusethefollowing
annotatedphotographforpartsplacement.
000
Open
Open
C908
C907
C902 C906
OUTPUT
INPUT
+12V
Bottom
View
Open
000
Threecapacitors,shownas“Open”inthe
photographarenotusedintheUversionand
hencethesepadsareunused.Thetwoareas
marked“000”showthelocationofthetwo0
ohmjumpers.
Theboardshownusesplug‐inheadersfortest
purposes.Yourboardwillnormallyusedirect
wireconnectionstothepower,inputand
outputpads,
althoughyou
are,ofcourse,
freetouse
headerpinsif
sodesired.(The
bottomview
photograph
blanksouta
component
addedfortest
purposes.It
alsoshowsa
tantalumcapacitoratC906.CurrentkitsareshippedwithaceramicC906.)

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4.2ComponentInstallation
TheassemblyinstructionsarealmostidenticalforboththeK2andUniversalboard.Whereappropriate,
gainprogrammingresistor(R907)andtheinput
3and2.3.4.
nthetop:


remainingsurfacemountcomponents:

partsonthepads.Aftersolderingoneendofeachzeroohmjumperinplace,checkforaninadvertent
thefollowinginstructionswillidentifythedifferences.
Beforestartingconstruction,itisnecessarytoselectthe
resistor(R905)asdescribedatSections2.3.
Installthesurfacemountpartso
InstallU901(AD8007)
InstallC9010.1uFunmarked
InstallC9030.1µF,unmarked
InstallC9040.22µF,unmarked
InstallR901200Ω,marked2000
InstallR902(10Ω,marked10R0)
InstallR9031KΩ,marked1001
InstallR9041KΩ,marked1001
InstallR906499Ω,marked4990
InstallR90849.9Ω,marked49R9
InstallC9050.22µFunmarked
SelectR905followinginstructionsatSections2.3.3,2.3.4;InstallR905
SelectR907followinginstructionsatSections2.3.3,2.3.4;InstallR907
Fliptheboardupsidedownandinstallthe
InstallC9020.01µF,unmarked
InstallC906.1.0µF,unmarked
InstallC9070.1µF,unmarked
InstallC9080.1µF,unmarked
InstallL901bypassZero‐ohmjumpermarked000
InstallL902bypassZero‐ohmjumpermarked000
Thetwozero‐ohmjumpersareslightlysmallforthepadspacingbutwillworkifyoucarefullycenterthe
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shorttoground.Bothendsofbothpadsshouldbeopencircuittogroundwhenmeasuredwithan
ohmmeter.Checkagainaftersolderingthesecondendofeachzeroohmjumper.
Nowinstallthethrough‐holepart:
InstallU902.Thisisa78L093‐terminalregulatorinaTO‐92package.Notetheorientationofthe
deviceasshowninthesilkscreenoutline.Youwillhavetoformtheleadstofitthehole.

4.3Checkout
Beforeapplyingpower,makethefollowingresistancechecks.Thedatapresentedistakenwitha
Fluke189digitalmulti‐meteranddifferentmetersmayprovidedifferingreadings.However,any
significantvariancefromthesevaluesshouldbeinvestigatedforpotentialproblems.Thenegative
meterleadshouldbeconnectedtoagroundpointontheBufferAmplifierPCB.Thetestpoint(TP)
Keynumbersaredepictedinthephotographbelow.

MeasuringPointTPKey Reading Comments
J902(+12Vinput)12.5KThisvaluemayvaryconsiderablyfrom
ohmmetertoohmmeter.
J901inputpad2infinite ShouldbeinfinitetogroundasDCis
blockedbyC901
J903outputpad3infinite ShouldbeinfinitetogroundasDCis
blockedbyC905.
U901,pin7(Vcc)42.0KΩReadingdominatedbyR903/904
voltagedividerimpedance.
U901,pin6(output)55MΩShouldbehighimpedance;hundredsof
KΩatleast.
U901,pin4(ground)60Ω
U901,pin3(+input)75.9KΩThisvaluemayvaryconsiderablyfrom
ohmmetertoohmmeter.
U901,pin2(‐input)85MΩShouldbehighimpedance;hundredsof
KΩatleast.

IftheBufferAmplifiermeetsthesemeasurements,apply+12VDCtothepowerinput,withthe
negativereturntothePCBground.Measuretheinputcurrent.Itshouldbeapproximately20mA,and
readingssignificantlyoverthisvalueshouldbeinvestigated.

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5.Troubleshooting
TheBufferAmplifierisasimplecircuitandthereareonlytwoactivedevicestopresentproblems;the
voltageregulator,U902andtheAD8007amplifier,U901.
FaultsinU902canbeeasilylocatedbymeasuringtheinputandoutputvoltageacrosstheregulator.With
12Vinput,theregulatoroutputshouldbe9V±0.5V.Ifitisabove9V,the78L09islikelydefective.Ifitis
below9V,thenbeforedeterminingthatthe78L09isdefective,thepossibilityofashortcircuitorlow
impedanceloadontheregulatedoutputmustbefirsteliminated.
FaultsinU901willnormallymanifestthemselvesasreducedgainorreducedsignalleveloutputfromthe
BufferAmplifier.Inthiscase,wherethesupplyandregulatedvoltagesarewithinrange,itmaybebestto
conductagaintest.Note:TheschematicfollowingisoftheZ10000‐K2version.AllDCvoltagesare
identicalwiththe–Uversion,however.
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5.1SchematicwithNominalDCVoltageValuesandNormal
Schematic

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CliftonLaboratories–Z10000‐UBufferAmplifierAssemblyandOperation  Page15
Warranty
Thiswarrantyiseffectiveasofthedateoffirstconsumerpurchase.
Whatiscovered:Duringtheninety(90)daysafterdateofpurchase,CliftonLaboratorieswillcorrectany
defectsintheZ10000duetodefectivepartsor,iftheZ10000wasassembledbyCliftonLaboratories,
workmanship,freeofcharge(post‐paid).YoumustsendtheunitatyourexpensetoCliftonLaboratories,
butwewillpayreturnshipping.CliftonLaboratories’warrantydoesnotextendtodefectscausedbyyour
incorrectassemblyoruseofunauthorizedpartsormaterialsorconstructionpractices.
Whatisnotcovered:IftheZ10000ispurchasedasakit,thiswarrantydoesnotcovercorrectionof
assemblyerrorsormisalignment;repairofdamagecausedbymisuse,negligence,orbuilder
modifications;oranyperformancemalfunctionsinvolvingnon‐CliftonLaboratoriesaccessoryequipment.
Theuseofacid‐coresolder,water‐solublefluxsolder,oranycorrosiveorconductivefluxorsolventwill
voidthiswarrantyinitsentirety.Whetherpurchasedasanassembledunitorasakit,alsonotcoveredis
reimbursementforlossofuse,inconvenience,customerassemblyoralignmenttime,orcostof
unauthorizedservice.
Limitationofincidentalorconsequentialdamages:Thiswarrantydoesnotextendtonon‐Clifton
Laboratoriesequipmentorcomponentsusedinconjunctionwithourproducts.Anysuchrepairor
replacementistheresponsibilityofthecustomer.CliftonLaboratorieswillnotbeliableforanyspecial,
indirect,incidentalorconsequentialdamages,includingbutnotlimitedtoanylossofbusinessorprofits.
UndernocircumstancesisCliftonLaboratoriesliablefordamagetoyouramateurradioequipment
resultingfromuseoftheZ10000,whetherinaccordancewiththeinstructionsinthisManualor
otherwise.
