Highland P400 User manual

HIGHLAND TECHNOLOGY
Model P400
Benchtop Digital Delay/
Pulse Generator
Technical Manual

Copyright © 2005-2011 Highland Technology
18 Otis Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Phone [phone] • Fax [phone]
NOTICE
HIGHLAND TECHNOLOGY, INC. PROVIDES THIS PUBLICATION “AS IS”
WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
(Disclaimer of expressed or implied warranties in certain transactions is not
allowed in some states. Therefore, the above statement may not apply to you.)
This manual may contain technical inaccuracies and/or typographical errors.
Changes are periodically made to this manual which are incorporated in later
editions. Highland Technology, Inc. may make changes and improvements to the
product(s) and/or programs described in this publication at any time without notice.
The P400 has finite failure rates associated with its hardware, firmware, design, and
documentation. Do not use the product in applications where a failure or defect in the
instrument may result in injury, loss of life, or property damage.
IN NO EVENT WILL HIGHLAND TECHNOLOGY, INC. BE LIABLE FOR
DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS OR OTHER
INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE
OF OR INABILITY TO USE SUCH PRODUCT, EVEN IF HIGHLAND
TECHNOLOGY, INC. OR AN APPROVED RESELLER HAS BEEN ADVISED
OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY
OTHER PARTY.

Table of Contents
1Introduction and Scope ..........................................................................1
1.1 Scope .....................................................................................................1
1.2 Introduction.............................................................................................1
1.3 Operating And Safety Precautions .........................................................2
2Specifications..........................................................................................3
3Theory of Operation................................................................................7
3.1 Basic Timing ...........................................................................................7
3.2 Block Diagram and Basic Functions .......................................................8
4Quick Start: Pulse-Train Example .......................................................11
5Operating Instructions..........................................................................14
5.1 Front- and Rear-Panel Overview ..........................................................14
5.2 Help Mode ............................................................................................17
5.3 Menu Navigation...................................................................................17
5.4 Gate Menu............................................................................................18
5.5 Trigger Menu ........................................................................................ 19
5.6 Channel T0 Menu .................................................................................20
5.7 Channel A through D Menus ................................................................21
5.8 Auxiliary Menu ...................................................................................... 22
5.9 Store and Recall Menus .......................................................................23
5.10 Power-Up States ..................................................................................25
5.11 High Voltage Option .............................................................................25

6Typical Performance.............................................................................29
6.1 Typical Jitter Performance ....................................................................31
7Remote Programming........................................................................... 32
7.1 P400 Commands..................................................................................32
7.2 Remote Error Codes.............................................................................48
7.3 Command Strings................................................................................. 50
7.4 RS-232 Interface ..................................................................................51
7.5 Ethernet Interface .................................................................................52
7.5.1 DHCP-Mode Configuration ......................................................52
7.5.2 Static-Mode Configuration........................................................ 53
7.5.3 Connecting the P400 to the Network........................................ 53
8Versions, Options, and Accessories...................................................55
9Index.......................................................................................................56

Table of Figures
Figure 1. Example Timing Diagram.......................................................................7
Figure 2. Block Diagram .......................................................................................8
Figure 3. Pulse-Train Example Timing................................................................12
Figure 4. Front Panel ..........................................................................................14
Figure 5. Rear Panel...........................................................................................16
Figure 6. Gate Menu ...........................................................................................18
Figure 7. Trigger Menu ....................................................................................... 19
Figure 8. Channel T0 Menu ................................................................................20
Figure 9. Channel A through D Menus................................................................21
Figure 10. Auxiliary Menu ................................................................................... 22
Figure 11. Store Menu ........................................................................................23
Figure 12. Recall Menu....................................................................................... 24
Figure 13. High Voltage Option Block Diagram .................................................. 26
Figure 14. Pulse width as a function of output .................................................... 26
Figure 15. Duty Cycle .........................................................................................27
Figure 16. Pulse rise and fall times.....................................................................27
Figure 17. Typical 50-volt output pulse ...............................................................28
Figure 18. Typical Output Waveforms.................................................................29
Figure 19. 10 V Pulse with High-Impedance Termination ................................... 30
Figure 20. RS-232 Connector Pin-Out ................................................................51
Table of Tables
Table 1. P400 Specifications ................................................................................3
Table 2. Front-Panel Features ............................................................................ 15
Table 3. Back-Panel Features ............................................................................ 16
Table 4. P 400 Commands .................................................................................33
Table 5. Remote Error Codes .............................................................................49
Table 6. Examples of Command Strings.............................................................51

1
1ntroduction and Scope
1.1 Scope
This document is the technical manual for the Highland Technology Model P400
benchtop digital delay generator, Highland part number 23A400-1.
1.2 ntroduction
The P400 is a versatile, four-channel digital delay and pulse generator. The unit
supports five trigger sources.
Internal direct digital synthesis (DDS) rate generator
External logic input
Line input (via external adaptor)
Remote serial input
Manual pushbutton
Any of these five trigger sources can be gated by an external signal. Each of the four
channels can be programmed to trigger on the leading or trailing edge of any other
channel, or on the leading edge of the trigger. Channel timings can be specified as
an initial delay and pulse-width or as a pair of leading and trailing edge-delays. In
both modes, the resolution is one picosecond and the timing cycle must complete
within 999.999… seconds of the start of the cycle.
In addition to programming the edge timings, the following parameters may be set
independently for each channel:
VH (pulse high) and VL (pulse low) levels
Pulse polarity

2
1.3 Operating And Safety Precautions
When using AC-line power, use only the external AC adaptor furnished with the
P400. (See page 3 for power specifications.)
Do not apply potentials to any P400 outputs.
Do not apply more than ±5 volts to the TRIGGER input.
Do not apply more than 0 to +5 volts to the GATE or CLOCK connectors.
The high-speed semiconductors used in the P400 are necessarily static sensitive.
Use standard antistatic precautions when using the P400.
During powerup and powerdown, it is possible that the P400 may create undesired
outputs at the T0, A, B, C, D, or GATE outputs. Do not use the P400 in situations
where such outputs may result in compromises in personnel safety or equipment
damage.

3
2Specifications
Table 1. P400 Specifications
FUNCTION Four-channel digital delay and pulse generator
Independently programmable delay/pulse
width/polarity/high level/low level on all four delay
outputs A, B, C, and D
CHANNELS Four outputs of programmable delay, pulse width,
polarity, and voltage levels
TRIGGER SOURCES Internal DDS synthesizer, external source, AC line with
external transformer adaptor, remote command, and
manual pushbutton
TRIGGER RATE 10 MHz maximum
EXTERNAL TRIGGER
INPUT
Programmable threshold: -2.4 to +4.6 V
Programmable slope
Programmable termination: 50 Ωor 1 MΩ
Minimum pulse width: 2 ns at 0 to 2 V (25 ns in burst
mode)
LINE TRIGGER INPUT 3-24 VRMS using external AC adaptor
DDS TRIGGER RATE 0.01 Hz to 10 MHz in 0.01 Hz steps
PULSE OUTPUTS (A TO
D AND T0)
V
OH
programmable -4.3 to +11.8 V
V
OL
programmable -5.0 to +4.1 V
0.1 V steps, 50Ωsource impedance
4 V/ns slew rate
INSERTION DELAY 25.0 ns ±500 ps
DELAY RESOLUTION 1 ps, delay or width of A,B,C,D outputs

4
DELAY RANGE 999.999999999999 seconds, delay or width of A, B, C,
D outputs, total delay + width not to exceed
999.999999999999 seconds
A to D timings are relative to T0 rising edge
DELAY ACCURACY T0, rises 25 ns ± 500 ps after trigger
A to D outputs, ± 400 ps ± timebase error
A to D delay and width edges are monotonic to 50 ps
JITTER T0, 20 ps RMS max from external trigger
A to D outputs (25 ps RMS + timebase jitter) max, either
edge from external trigger or any other output
GATE INPUT V
IH
: +3.5 V min, +6 V max
V
IL
: -0.5 V min, +1.5V max
Programmable active high/low
GATE OUTPUT V
IH
: +5 V typ, V
IL
: 0 V typ
50 Ωsource impedance, programmable active high/low
10 MHZ CLOCK INPUT V
IH
: +3.5 V min, +6 V max
V
IL
: -0.5 V min, +1.2 V max
0.7 V min hysteresis
10 MHZ CLOCK OUTPUT V
OH
: +5 V typ, V
OL
: 0 V typ
50 Ωsource impedance
DDS OUTPUT Sine wave, 4 V p-p typical, 50 Ωsource impedance
COMMUNICATIONS Standard RS-232 with SCPI-like command set
Optional Ethernet using Telnet mode
Command set identical to RS-232 mode

5
INDICATORS 20-character by 4-line, alphanumeric display
LEDs indicate selected channel, activity, triggers,
communications, and errors
TIMEBASE Standard TCXO:
Initial calibration ±0.25 PPM
Drift <2 PPM/year
Temperature coefficient below 50 ppb/°C
Jitter below 2 ns per second of delay
Optional OCXO:
Initial calibration ±0.1 PPM
Drift <1 PPM/year
Temperature coefficient below 3.6 ppb/°C
Jitter below 400 ps per second of delay
Either oscillator can be phase-locked to an external 10
MHz source
PACKAGING 8" (W) x 12” (L) x 4.5" (H), exclusive of external power
module
Weight: 8 lbs
POWER 100 to 240 VAC, 47 to 63 Hz, 60 W max using AC
adaptor furnished
Operable from +24 VDC, 2.5 amps max via 2.5 mm x 5
mm female connector