pico PG900 Series USB Differential Pulse Generators User Guide
- May 15, 2024
- Pico
Table of Contents
- pico PG900 Series USB Differential Pulse Generators
- Introduction
- Safety information
- System requirements
- Included with your PicoSource PG900 pulse generator
- Installing the PicoSource pulse generator and software
- Using your pulse generator
- Warranty and returns
- References
- Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
- Download This Manual (PDF format)
pico PG900 Series USB Differential Pulse Generators
Introduction
Thank you for purchasing a PicoSource pulse generator.
The fast-transition output from the PicoSource pulse generators can stimulate
a transmission path, device, or network with a broad-spectrum signal in a
single instant. These signals, combined with differential capability, are
invaluable for making high-speed broadband measurements in many fields such as
time domain reflectometry, semiconductor testing, gigabit interconnect and
port testing, and radar systems.
Two differential output models are available, offering extensive control over
pulse parameters including amplitude, pulse period, pulse width and deskew
between output channels.
- The PicoSource PG911 is a two-channel pulse generator based on Step Recovery Diode (SRD) technology. It produces two pulses, up to 6 V amplitude with 60 ps rise time.
- The PicoSource PG914 is a four-channel pulse generator benefiting from both SRD and TD technology.
Note: The PicoSource PG912 (no-longer available) was a two-channel pulse
generator based on Tunnel Diode (TD) technology. It used remote tunnel diode
pulse heads to produce positive and negative 200 mV pulses with 40 ps rise
time.
For further setup information following basic installation, see the User’s
Guide by either clicking the Help menu within the PicoSource PG900 software or
by opening the PDF from our website.
Safety information
To prevent possible electrical shock, fire, personal injury, or damage to the product, carefully read this safety information before attempting to install or use the product. In addition, follow all generally accepted safety practices and procedures for working with and near electricity.
This product has been designed and tested in accordance with the harmonized standard publication EN 61010-1: 2010+A1:2019 (Safety Requirements for Electrical Equipment for Measurement, Control and Laboratory Use) and EN 61010-2-030: 2010 (Requirements for Testing and Measuring Circuits). The product left the factory in a safe condition.
The following safety descriptions are found throughout this guide:
WARNING identifies conditions or practices that could result in injury or
death.
CAUTION identifies conditions or practices that could result in damage to the
product or equipment to which it is connected.
Symbols
These safety and electrical symbols may appear on the product or in this
guide.
This terminal can be used to make a measurement ground connection. It is NOT a
safety or protective earth.
Appearance on the product indicates a need to read this safety and operation
instruction.
WARNING: To prevent injury or death use the product only as instructed and use only accessories supplied or recommended. Protection provided by the product may be impaired if used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer.
Maximum input and output ranges
Observe all terminal ratings and warnings marked on the product.
The table below indicates the maximum voltage of the outputs and the
overvoltage protection range for the trigger input on each pulse generator.
The overvoltage protection ranges are the maximum voltages that can be applied
without damaging the instrument.
Connection port| Maximum voltage (output or input)| Overvoltage
protection
---|---|---
Positive and negative integrated pulse outputs| ±8 V unterminated| ±10 V
Do not connect a source
Drive outputs| ±5 V DC or AC pk| ±5 V DC or AC pk
Do not connect a source
Tunnel diode pulse head outputs| 250 mV| 0 V
Do not connect a source
Trigger input| ±2 V DC or AC pk| ±2 V DC or AC pk
Trigger output| +3 V DC or AC pk| +4 V / −2 V DC
Do not connect a source
WARNING To prevent electric shock or permanent damage to the signal
source, do not connect an input voltage to the integrated pulse outputs or the
tunnel diode pulse heads.
CAUTION Exceeding the overvoltage protection range on any connector can
cause permanent damage to the instrument and other connected equipment.
Grounding
WARNING The instrument’s ground connection through the USB cable is for
functional purposes only. The instrument does not have a protective safety
ground.
WARNING To prevent injury or death, or permanent damage to the
instrument, never connect the ground of an input or output (chassis) to any
electrical power source. To prevent personal injury or death, use a voltmeter
to check that there is no significant AC or DC voltage between the pulse
generator’s ground and the point to which you intend to connect it.
CAUTION To prevent signal degradation caused by poor grounding, always
use the high-quality USB cable supplied with the instrument.
External connections
WARNING To prevent injury or death, only use the Pico approved adaptor supplied with the product. This is approved for the voltage and plug configuration in your country.
| PicoSource model | USB connection | EXT power supply |
|---|---|---|
| Voltage (V) | Current (A pk) | Total power (W) |
| PG900 Series | USB 2.0. Compatible with USB 3.0. | 5 V |
CAUTION Take care to avoid mechanical stress or tight bend radii for all connected leads, including all coaxial leads and connectors. Mishandling will cause deformation of sidewalls, and will degrade performance.
Environment
This product is for indoor or outdoor use, in dry locations only. The
product’s external mains power supply (if required) is for indoor use only.
WARNING To prevent injury or death, do not use in wet or damp conditions,
or near explosive gas or vapor.
CAUTION To prevent damage, always use and store your pulse generator in
appropriate environments.
| Storage | Operating | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | –20 to 50 °C | 5 to 35 °C |
15 °C to 25 °C for quoted accuracy
Humidity| ≤ 95 %RH
(non-condensing)
| ≤ 85 %RH at 35 °C
(non-condensing)
Altitude| 2000 m
Pollution degree| 2
Care of the product
The product and accessories contain no user-serviceable parts. Repair,
servicing and calibration require specialized test equipment and must only be
performed by Pico Technology or an approved service provider. There may be a
charge for these services unless covered by the Pico Technology five year
warranty (see www.picotech.com for details).
WARNING To prevent injury or death, do not use the product if it appears
to be damaged in any way, and stop use immediately if you are concerned by any
abnormal behavior.
CAUTION To prevent damage to the device or connected equipment, do not
tamper with or disassemble the instrument, case parts, connectors, or
accessories.
When cleaning the product, use a soft cloth and a solution of mild soap or
detergent in water, and do not allow liquids to enter the instrument’s casing.
Conformity
General statement of conformity
The enclosed instrument has been calibrated in accordance with the
manufacturer’s verification procedure using standards that are traceable to UK
national standards. The test locations quality management system and its
calibration processes are designed to certify that the instrument was within
its published specification at the time of calibration. The measurements were
made in a monitored environment.
A full calibration certificate including test data and traceable to national
standards is available on request. Please refer to picotech.com/products for
pricing.
CE & UKCA notices
This PicoSource PG900 pulse generator meets the intent of the CE EMC directive
2014/30/EU and UKCA SI2016/1091 EMC Regulations.
It also meets the intent of the CE Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU and UKCA
SI 2016/1101 Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations.
For more information, please refer to your product’s UKCA Declaration of
Conformity or EU Declaration of Conformity, available for download from
www.picotech.com/downloads
System requirements
To ensure that the PicoSource pulse generator and PicoSource PG900 software operate correctly, you must use a computer with the system requirements and one of the operating systems shown in the table below.
| Processor, memory, free disk space | As required by the operating system |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows, 32-bit and 64-bit versions Linux and |
macOS (beta software only), 64-bit versions See
picotech.com/downloads for details
Ports| USB 2.0 (also compatible with USB 3.0)
Included with your PicoSource PG900 pulse generator
PicoSource PG900 Pulse Generator kits contain the following items:
- PicoSource PG900 Pulse Generator
- PicoSource PG900 software disk
- Storage and carry case
- Power adaptor 5 V DC at 2 A, universal input
- USB 2.0 cable, 1.8 m
- SMA/PC3.5/2.92 PicoWrench
- Quick Start Guide
Each pulse generator is also supplied with additional accessories, as shown below.
| Accessories | Order code | PicoSource model |
|---|---|---|
| PG911 | PG912 | PG914 |
| 9040 40 ps TD positive pulse head | – | |
| 9041 40 ps TD negative pulse head | – | |
| 12 GHz N(f) to SMA(m) adaptor (fitted to TD pulse heads) | TA172 | |
| 10 GHz 20 dB SMA(m-f) attenuator (fitted to SRD pulse outputs) | TA173 | 2 |
| 50 Ω coaxial SMA(m-m) pulse drive cable, 60 cm | – |
Some product packs may contain additional items. For a full list of all available kits and additional accessories, see the User’s Guide or visit www.picotech.com
Installing the PicoSource pulse generator and software
-
Install the PicoSource PG900 software using the software disk supplied. Alternatively, you can download the software from picotech.com/downloads. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.
Note : Do not connect the pulse generator until the installation is complete. -
Connect the power cord to the power adaptor, and plug it into a mains (line) power socket. Then connect the DC power cord to the back of the pulse generator, and switch on the mains power.
-
Earth (ground) terminal. Some laptop power supplies can produce electrical noise which may interfere with your measurements. If this occurs, the earth terminal can be connected to an external ground point (for example, on the system you are testing) to provide a ground reference for the instrument. This can help to avoid external noise interfering with your signal. Alternatively, you can run the laptop using battery power.
-
Connect the pulse generator to the PC using the USB cable supplied. Windows may automatically display a New Hardware Found notification. Follow any instructions shown. Note: If Windows asks to connect to Windows Update, select No.
-
Run the PicoSource PG900 software.
- Laptop or PC
- USB cable supplied
- USB port
- DC power socket
- USB port
- PicoSource Pulse Generator
- Power adaptor supplied
Using your pulse generator
Getting started with the PicoSource PG900 software
-
Main menu
Store and recall your settings, and access detailed Help information. -
Display scaling
These controls allow you to adjust how information is shown in the Display area. The Intensified zone shows a section of the waveform that can be expanded using the Horizontal scale control. This function can be used to show the pulse train and the pulse timing, including the timing in relation to the trigger. -
Mode menu
Select a trigger source (internal or external) and operating mode. When Ext Trigger is selected as the source, the External trigger menu will be enabled. -
Timing menu
Adjust the period and width of the pulse. -
Output menu
Select the appropriate channel and adjust the related parameters. Choose from Positive Out and Negative Out (for the integrated step recovery diode outputs) or TD Head1 Out and TD Head2 Out (for the tunnel diode pulse heads). -
Adjusting a parameter
The value of a parameter can be adjusted in a number of ways:
- Use the up and down arrows to adjust the value in Fine or Coarse increments, or click D to return to the default value.
- Click and drag the Range Indicator bar.
- Click the parameter box to highlight it, and directly type a precise new value using your keyboard.
- Right click on the value to quickly access the Maximum, Middle, or Minimum value.
- Right click on the value and select Calculator to enter a precise new value using the on-screen keypad.
Connection diagrams
The following diagrams illustrate time domain transmission and reflectometry
setup options using a PicoSource pulse generator, a PicoScope oscilloscope,
and the device under test (DUT). In all setups, the pulse generator shown can
be substituted by the PicoSource PG914.
Signal connections should be made using precision SMA cables, unless otherwise
specified. Trigger connections can be made using lower grade cables.
TDR applications
TDT applications
Single-ended and differential connections for TDT testing, using a PicoSource pulse generator with SRD outputs
TDT and crosstalk
Single-ended and differential connections for simultaneous TDT and crosstalk assessment, using a PicoSource pulse generator with SRD outputs
Diagram key
Additional accessories and kits are available from Pico Technology Ltd. For ordering information, see the product data sheet or visit www.picotech.com
Free newsletter
Pico Technology sends out a free monthly newsletter by email. This gives news
of product launches, software upgrades and application notes, as well as hints
and advice. We treat your e-mail address and other details as confidential and
will not pass them to any third party. To subscribe, visit:
www.picotech.com/newsletter
Software updates and replacement
The latest versions of all Pico software and manuals can be downloaded free of
charge at: www.picotech.com/downloads
User’s guides
All User’s Guides can be downloaded from:
www.picotech.com/downloads
Specifications
The User’s Guide and Data Sheet contain the latest specifications for your
PicoSource pulse generator.
Technical support
Regularly updated technical support information can be found in the Pico
Technology support forum here: www.picotech.com/tech-
support
Warranty and returns
These PicoSource pulse generators are supplied with a five year return-to- manufacturer warranty. For full terms and conditions, see www.picotech.com
UK global headquarters:
Pico Technology
James House Colmworth Business Park St. Neots Cambridgeshire
PE19 8YP
United Kingdom
+44 (0) 1480 396 395
sales@picotech.com
North America regional office:
Pico Technology
320 N Glenwood Blvd
Tyler
TX 75702
United States
+1 800 591 2796
sales@picotech.com
Asia-Pacific regional office:
Pico Technology
Room 2252, 22/F, Centro 568 Hengfeng Road Zhabei District
Shanghai 200070
PR China
+86 21 2226-5152
pico.asia-pacific@picotech.com
Germany regional office and EU Authorized Representative:
Pico Technology GmbH
Im Rehwinkel 6
30827 Garbsen
Germany
+49 (0) 5131 907 62 90
info.de@picotech.com
Pico Technology, PicoScope and PicoSource are internationally registered trade
marks of Pico Technology Ltd. Windows is a registered trade mark of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and other countries.
Copyright © 2016–2023 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights reserved.
DO252-3
www.picotech.com
References
- pico.asia
- PicoScope oscilloscope software and PicoLog data logging software
- Oscilloscopes & data loggers | Pico Technology
- PC Oscilloscope, Data Logger & RF Products | Pico Technology
- PicoScope oscilloscope software and PicoLog data logging software
- T&M Newsletter: February 2024
- Technical Support for oscilloscope and data loggers
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Read User Manual Online (PDF format) >>