HP 54753A User manual

User’s Guide
Publication number 54753-97010
Second edition, January 1999
For Safety information, Warranties, and Regulatory information, see pages
behind the index
© Copyright Hewlett-Packard Company 1999
All Rights Reserved
HP 54753A and HP 54754A TDR
Plug-in Modules

ii
HP 54753A and HP 54754A Plug-in Modules
The HP 54753A and 54754A TDR plug-in modules provide you with TDR
and TDT measurement features. In addition to the TDR and TDT
measurement features, the TDR plug-ins provide two accurate
oscilloscope measurement channels with user selectable bandwidths of
12.4 or 18 GHz. The lower bandwidth mode provides excellent
oscilloscope noise performance for accurate measurement of small
signals. The high bandwidth mode provides high-fidelity display and
measurement of very high-speed waveforms.
The HP 54753A TDR plug-in module provides:
• Automatic and manual single-ended TDR and TDT measurement
capability
• Automatic and manual waveform, histogram, FFT, waveform math,
eye pattern measurements, statistical measurements, and limit
testing capabilities.
• User selectable 12.4 or 18 GHz bandwidth (Channel 1).
• User selectable 12.4 or 20 GHz bandwidth (Channel 2).
• 2.5 GHz bandwidth trigger channel.
• 3.5 mm (m) connectors.
The HP 54754A TDR plug-in module provides:
• Automatic and manual single-ended and differential TDR and TDT
measurement capability.
• Automatic and manual waveform, histogram, FFT, waveform math,
eye pattern measurements, statistical measurements, and limit
testing capabilities.
• User selectable 12.4 or 18 GHz bandwidth.
• 2.5 GHz bandwidth trigger channel.
• 3.5 mm (m) connectors.

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Accessories Supplied
The following accessories are supplied with the TDR plug-in modules:
One 50 ohm SMA (m) terminator, HP part number 1250-2153
Two SMA shorts (m), HP part number 0960-0055
TDR Demo Board, HP part number 54754-66503
One User’s Guide
One Programmer’s Guide
One Service Guide
Accessories Available
The following accessories are available for use with the TDR plug-in
modules.
Options
Option 0B1 Additional set of user documentation
Option 001 HP 83480A mainframe operating system upgrade
Option 002 HP 54750A mainframe operating system upgrade
Option 003 Delete demo board
HP 54755A TDR option for HP 83480A mainframe operating system upgrade
Optional Accessories
HP 10086A ECL terminator
HP 54006A 6 GHz divider probe
HP 54007A accessory kit
HP 54008A 22 ns delay line
HP 54118A 500 MHz to 18 GHz trigger
HP 54701A 2.5 GHz Active Probe with Option 001
Connection Devices
SMA (f-f) adapter, HP part number 1250-1158
APC 3.5 (f-f) adapter, HP part number 1250-1749

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In This Book
This book is the operating manual for the HP 54753A and HP 54754A TDR plug-
in modules, and contains 13 chapters.
General Information Chapter 1 contains overview information, menu
and front panel key information, trigger information, and calibration
information. Chapter 2 contains important information on the care of the
TDR plug-in connectors.
TDR Front Panel and Menu Keys Chapter 3, 4, 5 and 6 describe the
front panel keys and all the menu keys.
Task Oriented Examples Chapter 7 contains example single-ended
TDR measurements using a demo board included with each TDR plug-in
module. Chapter 8 contains example differential TDR measurements.
TDR Theory Chapters 9, 10, and 11 contain in-depth theory of TDR
transmission lines and how to use TDR in designing systems.
Specifications and Characteristics Chapter 12 contains the
specifications and characteristic for the TDR plug-in modules.
Problems and Error Messages Chapter 13 contains troubleshooting
information and error messages.

Contents
Contents-1
1 The Instrument at a Glance
Menu and Key Conventions 1-3
The HP 54753A, 54754A TDR Plug-In Modules 1-4
Plug-in Module Purpose 1-4
Front Panel of the Plug-in Module 1-4
Getting the Best Performance 1-5
Installing a Plug-in Module 1-6
Trigger 1-6
2 Care and Handling of Precision Connectors
3.5 mm Connector Care 2-3
Connector Wear 2-3
Operator Skill 2-3
Device Specifications 2-3
Accuracy Considerations 2-6
Visual Inspection 2-8
Mechanical Inspection 2-8
Connecting the Devices 2-16
3 Setup Channel Menu
Displaying the Setup Channel menu 3-4
Display 3-4
Scale 3-4
Offset 3-5
Bandwidth. . . 3-6
Alternate scale. . . 3-6
Calibrate . . . 3-8
Calibration Overview 3-12
Factory Mainframe Calibration 3-13
User Calibrations 3-16
4 HP 54753A TDR/TDT Setup Menu
Displaying the TDR/TDT Setup Menu 4-4
Stimulus 4-4
TDT 1 dest 4-4

Contents
Contents-2
TDR 1 dest 4-5
Normalize response . . . 4-5
TDR rate automatic . . . (250 kHz) 4-8
Preset TDR/TDT 4-8
5 HP 54754A TDR/TDT Setup Menu
Displaying the TDR/TDT Setup Menu 5-7
Stimulus 5-7
TDT 1 dest 5-8
Normalize response . . . 5-8
TDR rate automatic . . . (250 kHz) 5-11
Preset TDR/TDT 5-12
TDT 2 dest 5-13
Normalize response . . . 5-13
TDR rate automatic . . . (250 kHz) 5-16
Preset TDR/TDT 5-17
TDT 1 dest 5-18
TDT 2 dest 5-18
Normalize 1 response . . .
Normalize 2 response . . . 5-19
TDR rate automatic . . . (250 kHz) 5-21
Preset TDR/TDT 5-22
TDR/TDT 5-23
TDR response 1 5-23
TDR response 2 5-24
TDT response 1 5-25
TDT response 2 5-25
Establish ref plane 5-26
TDR rate automatic . . . (250 kHz) 5-27
Preset TDR/TDT 5-28
TDT 1 dest 5-30
TDR 1 dest 5-30
Normalize response . . . 5-31
TDR rate automatic . . . (250 kHz) 5-34
Preset TDR/TDT 5-34
6 Measure and Other TDR Specific Menus
TDR/TDT Measure Menu 6-4

Contents
Contents-3
Marker Menu 6-9
Reference 6-9
Marker units . . . 6-9
Response Menu Items 6-10
7 Single-ended TDR Measurements
Single-ended TDR Features 7-3
Establishing the Reference Plane and Normalizing 7-8
Measuring Transmission Line Impedance 7-19
Measuring Transmission Line Percent Reflection 7-25
Measuring Excess L/C 7-32
Measuring the Distance to a Discontinuity 7-37
8 Differential TDR Measurements
Differential TDR Features 8-3
Measuring Differential and Common Mode Impedance 8-5
Making Differential TDT Measurements 8-15
9 TDR Fundamentals
Propagation on a Transmission Line 9-4
Step Reflection Testing 9-6
Instrument Configuration 9-20
10 Improving Time Domain Network Measurements
Sources of Measurement Error 10-3
Removing Measurement Errors 10-6
11 Transmission Line Theory Applied to Digital Systems
Transmission Line Design 11-2
Signal Propagation Delay for Microstrip and Strip Lines with Distributed or Lumped
Loads 11-15
Microstrip Transmission Line Techniques Evaluated Using TDR Measurements 11-
21
References 11-38

Contents
Contents-4
12 Specifications and Characteristics
Specifications 12-3
Vertical Specifications 12-4
Environmental Specifications 12-5
Power Requirements 12-6
Weight 12-6
Characteristics 12-6
Trigger Input Characteristics 12-6
Product Regulations 12-7
13 In Case of Difficulty
If You Have Problems 13-3
If the Mainframe Does Not Operate 13-3
If the Plug-in Does Not Operate 13-4
Error Messages 13-5

1
The Instrument at a Glance

1-2
The Operating the Instrument
CAUTION The input circuits canbe damaged byelectrostatic discharge (ESD). Therefore,
avoid applying static discharges to the front-panel input connectors. Before
connecting any coaxial cable to the connectors, momentarily short the center
and outer conductors of the cable together. Avoid touching the front-panel
input connectors without first touching the frame of the instrument. Be sure
the instrument is properly earth-grounded to prevent buildup of static charge.
What you’ll find in this chapter
This chapter describes:
• the key conventions used in this manual
• the front panel, rear panel and keys that do
not display menus on the screen
Understanding the information in this chapter will help you successfully operate
the instrument.