SLC Signal generator

Ultra-low Jitter Clock Synthesizer

The SLC is a very affordable single or dual clock 7 GHz synthesizer that exhibits outstanding phase noise and jitter performance in a very small package.

With -178 dBc/Hz phase noise floor at 10 MHz, the SLC is the lowest phase noise compact clock synthesizer of the industry that can help you challenge tomorrow’s requirements for high speed, high bandwidth Software Defined Radio applications (SDR) and low phase noise PLL and DDS synthesis.

Its high power output is ideal to drive mixers’ LO inputs or high-speed digital clocks. Its very low jitter profile makes ADC and DAC testing more accurate. This source is often cleaner than a crystal oscillator and can offer a high SNR, up to 135 dB.

USB control helps you seamlessly integrate this tool in your test project or clock distribution architecture. Both synthesizers can be controlled completely independently and do not share any common reference frequencies. However, when coherent signals are required, they can be locked to each other with the help of their 10 MHz reference signals.

A unique feature allows multiple SLCs to align their outputs when Phase Coherence is important. Not only they are phase locked in a conventional way like other signal generators but their precise phase relationship is always the same even if you have switched to another frequency in between two measurements.

Optional ultra low phase noise OCXO allows the synthesizers to reach their best specification and if this is not enough, the external 10/100/400 MHz reference input/Outputs will extends its long term frequency stability (Allan variance) to the one of atomic clocks.

Noise_XT_SLC_Full_Box.66

Why the SLC Series ?

  • Frequency Range: 2 MHz to 7 GHz
  • Phase Noise Floor: down-to -178 dBc/Hz !
  • One or Two Clock synthesizers configuration
  • Ultra Compact Form Factor Box
  • SNR up to 135 dB
  • USB control
  • 0.001 Hz Resolution
  • Phase alignment for Phase Coherent applications

Specifications

SPECIFICATION VALUE
Output Frequency: 2 MHz to 7 GHz
Frequency Resolution: 0.001 Hz
Frequency Switching time: < 150 us (option)
Frequency Dwell time: 2 ms to 20,000 ms
Output Level: -30 dBm to +13 dBm (to +17 dBm in 4 MHz-4 GHz)
Level Resolution: 0.5 dB
Non-Harmonic spurious: -70 dBc above 1 kHz offset
Modulation: DC coupled FM (8ppm/V VCXO, 0.7ppm/V OCXO option)
Output connector: SMA female, 50 Ohms

Typical Output Power Level

Below is the maximum RF output power level for the whole band. The SLC is capable of +18 dBm in most of its band and drive power demanding applications.

SLC_Power_Output

Phase Noise performance

Typical Phase Noise with standard phase noise installed (VCXO).

dBc/Hz vs
offset (Hz)
100 1K 10k 100k 1M Floor
10 MHz -137 -160 -168 -170 -170 -170
100 MHz -117 -140 -154 -156 -158 -164
1 GHz -97 -120 -134 -137 -142 -160
2 GHz -90 -113 -128 -126 -129 -160
3 GHz -84 -107 -123 -125 -130 -160

please add +5 dB for guaranteed performance

Typical Phase Noise with ultra low phase noise option installed (OCXO).

dBc/Hz vs
offset (Hz)
100 1K 10k 100k 1M Floor
10 MHz -150 -163 -168 -172 -175 -175
100 MHz -131 -143 -154 -156 -158 -164
1 GHz -111 -125 -134 -137 -142 -160
2 GHz -106 -120 -128 -126 -129 -160
4 GHz -99 -114 -123 -125 -130 -160

please add +5 dB for guaranteed performance

Typical Phase Noise plots at various frequencies with ultra low phase noise OCXO option

Typical Residual FM Computation

The Residual FM can be computed from the Phase Noise plots with various un-weighted bandwidth.

RMS FM (Hz)
vs carrier
10 100 1000 2000 4000
50 – 3k Hz 0.001 0.007 0.061 0.094 0.19
300 – 3.4k Hz 0.001 0.008 0.066 0.107 0.19
20 – 15k Hz 0.005 0.032 0.303 0.595 1.03

Typical RMS Jitter Computation

Based on the spectral purity of the Clock, the Jitter can be extracted.

jitter RMS (fs) vs carrier (MHz) 10 100 1000 2000 4000
10 – 1M Hz 67 32 44 54 27
10 – 10M Hz 66 81 78 33
10 – 40M Hz 98 87 83 35
10 – 100M Hz 89 84 36

SLC Dimensions.

For more specification please download the pdf file of the library

Main Options list

      • Option 1: Ultra-low noise OCXO.
      • Option 2: High Speed frequency switching time < 150 us.

Noise_XT_SLC_Dual_Config