N2806A Calibration Pulse Generator

Introduction

• Sub-7 ps fall time (90%-10%)
• Sub-9 ps rise time (10%-90%)
• Fully differential output
• Unlimited step duration
• Rep rates up to 45 GHz

The New World Standard

Highlights

• Sub-7 ps fall time and sub-9 ps rise time (both 10%-90%) give you frequency content beyond 63 GHz for your high bandwidth applications
• Two differential RF outputs allow you to utilize both the rising and falling edges simultaneously
• Output rep rates up to 45 GHz – buffer any serial data stream to accelerate edge speeds to sub-9 ps and eliminate amplitude variations due to ISI
• Features a step response with the lowest noise and closest to ideal spectral content for the most repeatable pulse generation available, critical for demanding calibration and metrology applications
• Trigger on internal or externally sourced signals

Demanding applications call for the pinnacle of calibration pulse generator performance. The Keysight Technologies, Inc. N2806A leverages microwave expertise and InP technology to produce the world’s fastest, highest spectral purity, fully differential pulses. From calibration and metrology to TDR and network analysis, high performance applications require the N2806A – the new world standard.

The new standard for calibration and rise time in oscilloscopes and other electronic equipment. As oscilloscopes like Keysight’s 90000 Q-Series and other electronic equipment exceed 40 GHz of bandwidth, a pulse generator is needed that can keep up. Enter the N2806A. Boasting 10%-90% rise and fall times less than 9 ps and 7 ps respectively, this source can produce high frequency content beyond 60 GHz. With its near ideal spectral content and fully differential output, the N2806A is the new standard for electronic equipment calibration and rise time measurements.

Network Analysis

The edge speed and pure spectral content produced by the N2806A makes it ideal for applications in high frequency network analysis. Achieving a sub-7 ps falling edge (90%-10%) allows for characterization of components well beyond 60 GHz of bandwidth. These characteristics make the N2806A a critical component in Keysight’s high bandwidth N2807A Precision Probe Advanced Kit for Infiniium oscilloscopes. Further, the differential output of the N2806A enables extremely high frequency differential TDR and TDT measurements.

Quickly and easily remove the effects of cables and fixtures to 63 GHz of oscilloscope bandwidth. The N2806A is included with Keysight’s award winning Precision Probe software for Infiniium oscilloscopes in the N2807A Precision Probe Advanced Kit. You no longer need to ignore the loss of cables due to time and budget constraints. Using the patented Precision Probe Advanced technology, you can characterize cables as fast as 63 GHz and remove the loss they create in oscilloscope measurements. Precision Probe Advanced uses the fast edge from the N2806A to perform a TDT on your cable. Based on the loss of your cable, the software compensates for that loss, gaining back valuable margin.

Make high bandwidth TDR and TDT measurements. Often the efficacy of high frequency TDR measurements is limited by the edge speed the source is capable of generating. Slower edge speeds just do not offer the high frequency content necessary to make TDR measurements or measure s-parameters out past 60 GHz. Integrate the N2806A into your TDR setup and start making accurate high frequency measurements. Shown on the right is a TDR measurement using the N2806A with a Keysight DCA 86100C sampling oscilloscope equipped with a TDR module. Previously edge speed limited, the rise times on this measurement are now sub-10 ps and multiple reflection events are accurately observed.

Advanced IC Design and Technology High performance applications require…The fastest differential rise and fall times available: The N2806A uses Keysight’s proprietary Indium Phosphide technology to achieve a differential amplifier capable of producing sub-7 ps fall times and sub-9 ps rise times on two differential RF outputs (10%-90%). Other pulse generators use inferior technologies that can only produce fast single ended falling edges.

The performance and flexibility of a differential amplifier architecture:

The high performance InP differential amplifier in the N2806A offers critical advantages in performance and flexibility over popular shock line pulse generators, including:

• Access 2 differential RF outputs simultaneously
• Output rep rates up to 45 GHz vs 1 MHz for shock line generators
• Ultra-fast rise AND fall times
• Unlimited step duration
• 0.5V/1.0V selectable output amplitude without need for multiple remote heads

To demonstrate some of these advantages, the figure at the right shows the N2806A buffering an 8.2 Gbps PRBS^7 signal. The rise time and rep rate of other pulse generators is much too slow to buffer this signal.

The best output impedance matching available: Introducing a fast edge into a system can cause a nightmare of reflections if impedance mismatches exist. For this reason, the N2806A offers the best output impedance matching available on a high-speed pulse generator.