Jackson Labs PHASE STATION 53100A User manual

TM
53100A Phase Noise Test Set
User’s Manual
Revision 1.04
April 25, 2022

PhaseStation 53100A User’s Manual V1.04 25-Apr-2022 ii
Rev 1.00 (1-Oct-19) Initial
Rev 1.01 (29-Apr-20) Added reference to TSERVE remote access server
Rev 1.02 (30-Jan-21) Updated for TimeLab beta 1.53
Rev 1.03 (3-Mar-21) Updated for TimeLab beta 1.54
Rev 1.04 (25-Apr-22) Updated for TimeLab beta 1.6
Manual and software copyright © 2022 Miles Design LLC and Jackson Labs Technologies, Inc. . All rights reserved.
All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks used in this document are property of their respective owners.

PhaseStation 53100A User’s Manual V1.04 25-Apr-2022 iii
Table of Contents
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 15
Specifications ........................................................................................................................................ 17
Getting Started...................................................................................................................................... 19
What’s in the box?............................................................................................................................. 19
USB driver and software installation.................................................................................................. 19
Support ............................................................................................................................................. 19
Installing TimeLab™ ........................................................................................................................... 21
Performance notes ............................................................................................................................ 22
Front panel features .......................................................................................................................... 23
Rear panel features ........................................................................................................................... 25
Guidelines for input signal connections.............................................................................................. 26
Choosing reference sources............................................................................................................... 26
Working with dual reference sources................................................................................................. 28
Making your first measurements ....................................................................................................... 31
Tips for new users.............................................................................................................................. 34
Next steps ......................................................................................................................................... 35
Block diagram.................................................................................................................................... 37
A brief architectural note................................................................................................................... 39
Making Measurements.......................................................................................................................... 41
“What’s all this ADEV stuff, anyhow?” ............................................................................................... 43
Allan Deviation (a) .........................................................................................................................................................44
Modified Allan Deviation (m) .........................................................................................................................................45
Hadamard Deviation (h).................................................................................................................................................45
Time Deviation (t)..........................................................................................................................................................46
Maximum Time Interval Error (M) ..................................................................................................................................46
Examining changes in stability over time ........................................................................................................................47
Common artifacts in ADEV and related measurements ...................................................................................................48
Hints for xDEV measurements........................................................................................................................................53
Working with phase- and frequency-difference traces....................................................................... 55
Phase difference (Original) (w).......................................................................................................................................55

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Phase difference (Unwrapped) (p)..................................................................................................................................55
Frequency difference (f).................................................................................................................................................56
How does TimeLab measure frequency? ........................................................................................................................57
Phase/frequency measurements with the 53100A..........................................................................................................57
Examining traces in detail ..............................................................................................................................................58
Navigating zoomed graphs.............................................................................................................................................59
Hints for phase/frequency stability measurements.........................................................................................................61
Phase noise, AM noise, and jitter....................................................................................................... 63
Integrated noise and jitter measurement .......................................................................................................................65
The spur table................................................................................................................................................................66
Show or hide known spurs .............................................................................................................................................66
Spur measurement options............................................................................................................................................67
Is it a spur, or isn’t it?.....................................................................................................................................................68
Understanding instrument spurs....................................................................................................................................69
Manual spur removal.....................................................................................................................................................70
Using noise markers.......................................................................................................................................................71
Hints for noise measurements........................................................................................................................................72
TimeLab Command Reference............................................................................................................... 73
File menu........................................................................................................................................... 75
Load .TIM file (l).............................................................................................................................................................75
Save image or .TIM file (s)..............................................................................................................................................75
Copy image to clipboard (Ctrl-c) .....................................................................................................................................76
Import .RES or .PNP phase noise data (N) .......................................................................................................................76
Import ASCII phase or frequency data (L)........................................................................................................................76
Export ASCII phase data (x) ............................................................................................................................................77
Export ASCII frequency data (X)......................................................................................................................................77
Export binary phase data ...............................................................................................................................................78
Export phase data to Stable32 (Ctrl-x) ............................................................................................................................78
Export ASCII xDEV trace .................................................................................................................................................79
Export ASCII AM/PM noise trace ....................................................................................................................................79
Export AM/PM spur table ..............................................................................................................................................79
Exported ASCII files include headers for Microsemi TimeMonitor....................................................................................80
Print image....................................................................................................................................................................80
Scale file dialogs by window size ....................................................................................................................................80
Confirmation prompts default to Yes..............................................................................................................................80
Limit MTIE processing to 10K points...............................................................................................................................80

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Warn before exiting with unsaved plots .........................................................................................................................80
Warn before retriggering measurement in progress .......................................................................................................80
Reset all parameters, options, and settings at next startup .............................................................................................81
Close selected plot (Del).................................................................................................................................................81
Close all visible plots (Home)..........................................................................................................................................81
Delete selected plot’s .TIM file (Ctrl-Del) ........................................................................................................................81
Quit (q or Esc)................................................................................................................................................................81
Edit Menu.......................................................................................................................................... 83
Trace properties (e) .......................................................................................................................................................83
Flatten selected noise region (Ctrl-F8) ............................................................................................................................85
Restore flattened noise regions (Ctrl-F9) ........................................................................................................................86
Flatten selected or zoomed phase data (Ctrl-f) ...............................................................................................................86
Remove selected or zoomed phase data (F4)..................................................................................................................87
Subtract global linear phase trend (frequency offset) (Ctrl-o) ..........................................................................................88
Subtract global linear frequency trend (drift line) (Ctrl-l).................................................................................................88
Subtract quadratic linear frequency trend (drift curve) (Ctrl-q)........................................................................................88
Apply notch filter to phase data (Ctrl-n)..........................................................................................................................89
Undo last flatten or subtract operation (Ctrl-z) ...............................................................................................................90
Trace Menu ....................................................................................................................................... 91
Phase/frequency traces begin at zero (z) ........................................................................................................................91
Show linear phase/frequency residual (r) .......................................................................................................................91
Show linear phase/frequency trend (Ctrl-t).....................................................................................................................93
Phase/frequency Y axis unlocked in zoom mode (y) ........................................................................................................93
Averaging window for phase/frequency traces (g) ..........................................................................................................94
Increase averaging window (Ctrl +).................................................................................................................................94
Decrease averaging window (Ctrl -) ................................................................................................................................94
Draw xDEV traces with spline interpolation (i) ................................................................................................................95
Show xDEV error bars (Ctrl-e).........................................................................................................................................96
Clip xDEV traces by noise bandwidth (Ctrl-b) ..................................................................................................................96
Clip xDEV traces by confidence (Ctrl-v) ...........................................................................................................................96
Show separated xDEV variances (N-cornered hat) when available (Ctrl-h) .......................................................................97
Show cross ADEV traces when available (Ctrl-j)...............................................................................................................98
Show original traces in computed xDEV displays (F6) ......................................................................................................98
Show correlation gain for selected noise trace (Ctrl-g) ....................................................................................................98
Show FFT segment filter slopes (Ctrl-i)............................................................................................................................99
Show imaginary part of cross spectrum (Ctrl-F3)...........................................................................................................100

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Show estimated instrument noise (F2) .........................................................................................................................100
Mark spurs in noise traces (Ctrl-m)...............................................................................................................................101
Suppress spurs in noise traces (Ctrl-s)...........................................................................................................................101
Smooth noise traces (Ctrl-w)........................................................................................................................................101
Show raw noise trace(s) (Ctrl-r) ....................................................................................................................................101
Show AM noise in PN view (F8) ....................................................................................................................................102
Tick marks (k) ..............................................................................................................................................................103
Toggle trace thickness for current measurement (T) .....................................................................................................103
Display Menu .................................................................................................................................. 105
Edit colors ...................................................................................................................................................................105
Edit selected trace color (E)..........................................................................................................................................105
Restore default colors..................................................................................................................................................105
Restore selected trace color.........................................................................................................................................105
High contrast (C)..........................................................................................................................................................106
Set spot cursor positions (j)..........................................................................................................................................106
Show numeric tables (Ctrl-n)........................................................................................................................................106
Clear noise markers (Ctrl-F4) ........................................................................................................................................107
Show cursor time (Ss) ..................................................................................................................................................107
Show cursor time (Hh:Mm:Ss)......................................................................................................................................107
Show cursor time/datestamp.......................................................................................................................................107
Do not show cursor values ...........................................................................................................................................107
Phase/frequency X axis labels in Ss format ...................................................................................................................107
Phase/frequency X axis labels in Hh:Mm:Ss format.......................................................................................................107
Phase/frequency X axis labels in Hh:Mm format ...........................................................................................................107
Phase/frequency X axis labels in Hh format ..................................................................................................................107
Tau labels in scientific notation ....................................................................................................................................108
Browse plots one at a time (b)......................................................................................................................................108
Overlay all loaded plots (o)...........................................................................................................................................108
Toggle visibility of selected plot (v)...............................................................................................................................108
Select next plot in chart (+ or down arrow)...................................................................................................................108
Select previous plot in chart (- or up arrow)..................................................................................................................108
Move selected plot up (Ctrl-up arrow)..........................................................................................................................108
Move selected plot down (Ctrl-down arrow) ................................................................................................................108
X zoom in ( ] ) ..............................................................................................................................................................109
X zoom out ( [ ) ............................................................................................................................................................109
Y zoom in ( } )...............................................................................................................................................................109

PhaseStation 53100A User’s Manual V1.04 25-Apr-2022 vii
Y zoom out ( { ) ............................................................................................................................................................109
Decrease font size ( ( or Ctrl-mouse wheel )..................................................................................................................109
Increase font size ( ) or Ctrl-mouse wheel )...................................................................................................................109
Refresh ( F5 ) ...............................................................................................................................................................109
Legend Menu................................................................................................................................... 110
Measurement Menu ........................................................................................................................ 115
Masks Menu.................................................................................................................................... 117
Clear mask selection ....................................................................................................................................................117
User-defined mask entries ...........................................................................................................................................118
Edit mask definitions . . . ..............................................................................................................................................118
Scripts Menu ................................................................................................................................... 119
Creating a new test script.............................................................................................................................................119
Examples .....................................................................................................................................................................119
Run script ….................................................................................................................................................................120
Edit script ….................................................................................................................................................................120
Delete script ….............................................................................................................................................................120
Run last-executed script (Shift-Space)...........................................................................................................................120
Toggle script console for selected plot (F11) .................................................................................................................121
Stop all running scripts (F12)........................................................................................................................................121
Acquire Menu.................................................................................................................................. 123
Jackson Labs PhaseStation / Microchip 53100A ............................................................................................................123
Miles Design TimePod..................................................................................................................................................123
Acquire from counter in Talk-Only mode......................................................................................................................123
Acquire from live ASCII file...........................................................................................................................................124
HP 53131A/53132A/53181A and 53220A/53230A .......................................................................................................124
HP 5335A and 5370A/B................................................................................................................................................124
HP 5371A/5372A .........................................................................................................................................................124
Philips/Fluke PM6680 ..................................................................................................................................................124
Picotest/Array U6200A series.......................................................................................................................................124
Stanford Research SR620 .............................................................................................................................................124
Wavecrest DTS-2050/2070 series.................................................................................................................................124
Symmetricom 5115A / 5120A / 5125A (Frequency stability)..........................................................................................125
Symmetricom 5115A / 5120A / 5125A (Phase noise).....................................................................................................125
Stop/repeat acquisition (Space) ...................................................................................................................................125
Abort and retrigger selected acquisition (Ctrl-a) ...........................................................................................................126
Keep and retrigger selected acquisition (Ctrl-k).............................................................................................................126

PhaseStation 53100A User’s Manual V1.04 25-Apr-2022 viii
Acquisition options (Ctrl-F7).........................................................................................................................................127
Enable deferred acquisition (Ctrl-d)..............................................................................................................................128
Trigger deferred acquisition(s) (Enter)..........................................................................................................................128
Help Menu....................................................................................................................................... 129
User guide (F1) ............................................................................................................................................................129
About TimeLab ............................................................................................................................................................129
Debug mode................................................................................................................................................................129
Check for updates (Ctrl-u) ............................................................................................................................................129
PhaseStation 53100A Measurement Roles........................................................................................... 131
Measure single DUT with single external reference.......................................................................................................131
Measure single DUT with dual internal references........................................................................................................132
Measure single DUT with dual external references .......................................................................................................132
Measure two DUTs with single external reference........................................................................................................133
Measure three DUTs with single external reference......................................................................................................133
Measure three independent DUTs (three-cornered hat) ...............................................................................................135
Measure single DUT with cross ADEV statistics .............................................................................................................136
Manual configuration ..................................................................................................................................................139
Two-Port Residual Measurements....................................................................................................... 141
JavaScript API Function Reference ....................................................................................................... 145
AcqChannel([Number user_value, ] Number channel)...................................................................................................145
AcqCheckOptions(String option_name [{, String option_name}]) ..................................................................................145
AcqClearParams() ........................................................................................................................................................146
AcqGetAMSpurTable(Array offset_array, Array amplitude_array) .................................................................................146
AcqGetPMSpurTable(Array offset_array, Array amplitude_array) .................................................................................146
AcqGetXDEVBins(String selection, Array tau_array, Array sigma_array).........................................................................146
AcqGetXDEVChart(Array tau_array, Array sigma_array)................................................................................................146
AcqNumAcquiredPoints().............................................................................................................................................146
AcqNumChannels() ......................................................................................................................................................147
AcqParam(String key)...................................................................................................................................................147
AcqStrParam(String key) ..............................................................................................................................................147
AcqNumParam(String key) ...........................................................................................................................................147
AcqReadAMNoiseTrace(Number offset_Hz) .................................................................................................................147
AcqReadPMNoiseTrace(Number offset_Hz)..................................................................................................................147
AcqSetParam(String key, String value) ..........................................................................................................................148
AcqStartAcquisition(String menu_entry, Boolean skip_dialog [, Number user_value]) ...................................................148
AcqStopAcquisition() ...................................................................................................................................................149

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AcqSetupEnd().............................................................................................................................................................149
DisplayFontSize([Number points])................................................................................................................................149
DisplayOverlayMode([Boolean overlay_mode])............................................................................................................149
DisplayShowNumTab([Boolean status])........................................................................................................................149
DisplayRefresh([Number mask])...................................................................................................................................150
DisplaySpotTau(Number secs)......................................................................................................................................150
DisplaySpotTime(Number secs)....................................................................................................................................150
DisplaySpotOffset(Number Hz).....................................................................................................................................150
DisplaySpotLowerOffset(Number Hz) ...........................................................................................................................150
DisplaySpotUpperOffset(Number Hz) ...........................................................................................................................150
EventAcqDone([success][,user]) ...................................................................................................................................150
EventAcqSetup([user]) .................................................................................................................................................151
EventAcqTriggered([user]) ...........................................................................................................................................151
EventRunScript()..........................................................................................................................................................151
EventTimer()................................................................................................................................................................152
FileCloseAllChannels()..................................................................................................................................................152
FileCloseAllPlots() ........................................................................................................................................................152
FileClosePlot([Number selection]) ................................................................................................................................152
FileExecute[Wait](String path_to_file [, String params])................................................................................................153
FileExecute()................................................................................................................................................................153
FileExitApplication([code]) ...........................................................................................................................................153
FileExists(String path, [String subdir,] String filename) ..................................................................................................153
FileImageURI() .............................................................................................................................................................154
FileLoad(String path, [String subdir,] String filename)....................................................................................................154
FileNumLoadedPlots()..................................................................................................................................................154
FileNumUnsavedPlots()................................................................................................................................................154
FileSave(String path, [String subdir,] String filename)....................................................................................................154
FileSaveText(String path, [String subdir,] String filename, String contents) ....................................................................155
LegendSelect([String field_name] [,] [Boolean status])..................................................................................................155
MaskResultMargin([Number mask_num]) ....................................................................................................................155
MaskResultValid([Number mask_num]) .......................................................................................................................156
MaskSelect([String mask_name [, Number mask_num]) ...............................................................................................156
MeasurementSelectView(String hotkey).......................................................................................................................157
MeasurementDeferSelectView(String hotkey) ..............................................................................................................157
MeasurementView()....................................................................................................................................................157
Print(…) .......................................................................................................................................................................157
ScriptBindToPlot(Number selection).............................................................................................................................157

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ScriptBoundToPlot().....................................................................................................................................................158
ScriptEnd()...................................................................................................................................................................158
ScriptFilename(Boolean full_path) ...............................................................................................................................158
ScriptGetString(String heading, String message, Object user_text, String b1_text [, String b2_text [, String b3_txt]]) ......159
ScriptHostFilename([bool full_path])............................................................................................................................159
ScriptLastStatusMessage() ...........................................................................................................................................160
ScriptMessageBox(String heading, String message, String b1_text [, String b2_text [, String b3_txt]]) ............................160
ScriptMinsToHMS(Number minutes) ............................................................................................................................160
ScriptNumParam(Number n ).......................................................................................................................................161
ScriptNumVal(String format_string, Number value) ......................................................................................................161
ScriptParamCount() .....................................................................................................................................................161
ScriptPlaySound(String filename) .................................................................................................................................161
ScriptSetTTYHeader(Number linenum [, String text]) ....................................................................................................162
ScriptShowTTY([Boolean show])...................................................................................................................................162
ScriptStrParam(Number n ) ..........................................................................................................................................162
ScriptUnbind() .............................................................................................................................................................162
SetupDetectedAmpldBfs..............................................................................................................................................162
SetupDetectedValid.....................................................................................................................................................162
SetupDetectedFreqHz..................................................................................................................................................163
SetupDetectSignals......................................................................................................................................................163
SetupMeasuredAmpldBm ............................................................................................................................................163
SetupMeasuredFreqHz ................................................................................................................................................163
SetupMeasureSignals...................................................................................................................................................163
SetupNumQuery..........................................................................................................................................................163
SetupSetDefaultAttenuation ........................................................................................................................................163
SetupStrQuery.............................................................................................................................................................163
TimeHoursSinceTrigger()..............................................................................................................................................163
TimeMinsSinceTrigger() ...............................................................................................................................................163
TimeSecsSinceTrigger() ................................................................................................................................................163
TimeSetTimer(Number msec [, Boolean persist]) ..........................................................................................................163
TraceAvgWindow([Number seconds]) ..........................................................................................................................164
TraceFreqZero([Boolean status]) ..................................................................................................................................164
TraceMarkSpurs([Boolean status]) ...............................................................................................................................164
TraceNCorneredHat([Boolean status])..........................................................................................................................164
TraceOverlayAMPM([Boolean status])..........................................................................................................................164
TracePhaseFreqAutoY([Boolean status]).......................................................................................................................164
TracePhaseFreqResid([Boolean status])........................................................................................................................165