A Complete PLL Compliance Test Solution
for PCIe Components and Add-In Cards
- Simple Compliance Test
- Accurate
- Repeatable
- Single Instrument Solution
The BERTScope PLA is an easy to
use, single instrument measurement solution for PLL loop response
characterization and compliance testing to the PCIe specifications.
The instrument features fast setup as well as accurate and
repeatable results.
Ease of Use
Of all the methods for testing PLL compliance
in PCIe components and add-in cards, the BERTScope PLA analysis instruments
are the easiest to set up and use. Simply connect four cables to the Compliance
Base Board, plug the instrument’s USB cable into any PC, load the
software, and you are up and testing. No specialized instrument setups
or calibration runs are required.
Pass-Fail determination is just as easy.
The simplified user interface allows any user to quickly get
the compliance test results they need, without complicated
cursor setup or interpretation that is required using other
methods. 
Works with All
PCIe PLL Topologies
The BERTScope PLA reference generator maintains a duty cycle
of exactly 50%, regardless of the amount of frequency modulation,
allowing the instrument to test any PLL topology. Other instruments
amplitude-modulate the 100 MHz reference oscillator, essentially
modulating the duty cycle rather than the period. While this
technique works with single-edge phase detectors, it won’t
work with PLLs using dual-edge detectors that new designs incorporate
to reduce the multiplier ratio, resulting in lower clock jitter.
Fast
The instrument sweeps the full range of test frequency in
under 15 seconds. Unlike spectrum analyzers, which must reduce
the sweep time to achieve good frequency resolution, the BERTScope
PLA analysis instrument always maintains full resolution without
slowing down test time. The fast measurements improve design
confidence, allowing the characterization of a large number
of devices without adding extra days of characterization to
a design introduction schedule.
Highly Accurate and Repeatable
The BERTScope PLA does
not sacrifice accuracy and resolution to achieve
ease of use and fast test times. An amplitude measurement
resolution of 0.01 dB provides high confidence when
testing the peaking limit to the +1 dB allowed by
the standard. Other approaches have limited resolution
of 0.5 or even 1 dB, limiting the ability to accurately
measure peaking and -3 dB bandwidth.
The high measurement
resolution and clean reference oscillator provide
the granularity required for consistent results – validated
through dozens of tests at compliance workshops.
Other methods with limited resolution can give less
decisive results. Test made today with the BERTScope
PLA will agree with those made last week, or in
another lab using a different BERTScope PLA.
More than Just Compliance Testing
The BERTScope PLA provides additional measurements
useful for the PLL designer to characterize their
design In addition to directly measuring
the edge density of the Tx data, the BERTScope PLA
can also generate a phase plot, allowing the designer
to see the phase margin of the PLL.
The instrument provides both high resolution
and high dynamic range — typically 75 dB. This allows
the user to see the transfer of low frequency jitter
sources, orders of magnitude below the PLL – 3
dB point. The SSC modulation jitter component
can be directly measured.
BERTScope PLA Family
The BERTScope PLA is available in two models:
- CRJ
12500A-PCIe combines the powerful spectral
jitter analysis and instrumentation quality clock
recovery functionality of the CRJ 12500A with PCIe-PLL
analysis. All of the
CRJ 12500A
features and specifications are maintained
in the CRJ 12500A-PCIe model.
- The PLL-PCIe is
a cost effective, dedicated instrument for PCIe-PLL
compliance testing.
Ordering Information: |
| Product Code |
 |
Description |
 |
| PLL-PCIE |
|
BERTScope PLA Clock PLL Response Analyzer
for PCIe |
|
|
| CRJ 125A-PCIE |
|
BERTScope CRJ Clock Recovery Instrument
with Jitter and PLL Analysis |
|
| |
|
|
Contact your sales
representative for more information.
|
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