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LMX2572: Loosing lock at low temperatures

Part Number: LMX2572

I am using the LMX2572 in a wide temperature range. Starting the operation at room temperature the PLL frequently goes out of lock at temperatures below -35°C (no problems at high temperatures up to the datasheet limits). If I send nothing but a CAL command to register 0 PLL is back in lock again without any problems. To my suprise I observe that the relevant registers R16, R19 and R20 contain the same values before and after the event. Loosing PLL lock therefore seems not to be primarily a CAL issue.

Since lock loss and the following CAL command causes bit errors and sometimes even a frame loss in my data stream it would be good to know the mechanism behind to find some cure. Any idea someone?

Thank you

Holger

  • Hi Holger,

    could you provide your TICS Pro configuration?

  • Hi Noel,

    thank you for the reply. I am not using TICS Pro. My design has its own controller. Please see the register contents below. I guess you can import it directly into TICS Pro. My board has 50MHz reference clock

    Holger

    R125    0x7D2288
    R124    0x7C0000
    R123    0x7B0000
    R122    0x7A0000
    R121    0x790000
    R120    0x780000
    R119    0x770000
    R118    0x760000
    R117    0x750000
    R116    0x740000
    R115    0x730000
    R114    0x727802
    R113    0x710000
    R112    0x700000
    R111    0x6F0000
    R110    0x6E0000
    R109    0x6D0000
    R108    0x6C0000
    R107    0x6B0000
    R106    0x6A0007
    R105    0x694440
    R104    0x680000
    R103    0x670000
    R102    0x660000
    R101    0x650000
    R100    0x640000
    R99    0x630000
    R98    0x620000
    R97    0x610000
    R96    0x600000
    R95    0x5F0000
    R94    0x5E0000
    R93    0x5D0000
    R92    0x5C0000
    R91    0x5B0000
    R90    0x5A0000
    R89    0x590000
    R88    0x580000
    R87    0x570000
    R86    0x560000
    R85    0x550000
    R84    0x540000
    R83    0x530000
    R82    0x520000
    R81    0x510000
    R80    0x500000
    R79    0x4F0000
    R78    0x4E0001
    R77    0x4D0000
    R76    0x4C000C
    R75    0x4B0800
    R74    0x4A0000
    R73    0x49003F
    R72    0x480001
    R71    0x470081
    R70    0x46C350
    R69    0x450000
    R68    0x4403E8
    R67    0x430000
    R66    0x4201F4
    R65    0x410000
    R64    0x401388
    R63    0x3F0000
    R62    0x3E00AF
    R61    0x3D00A8
    R60    0x3C03E8
    R59    0x3B0001
    R58    0x3A9001
    R57    0x390020
    R56    0x380000
    R55    0x370000
    R54    0x360000
    R53    0x350000
    R52    0x340421
    R51    0x330080
    R50    0x320080
    R49    0x314180
    R48    0x3003E0
    R47    0x2F0300
    R46    0x2E07F3
    R45    0x2DCE00
    R44    0x2C3FA3
    R43    0x2B0000
    R42    0x2A0000
    R41    0x290000
    R40    0x280000
    R39    0x2703E8
    R38    0x260000
    R37    0x250305
    R36    0x240034
    R35    0x230004
    R34    0x220010
    R33    0x211E01
    R32    0x2005BF
    R31    0x1FC3E6
    R30    0x1E18A6
    R29    0x1D0000
    R28    0x1C0488
    R27    0x1B0002
    R26    0x1A0808
    R25    0x190624
    R24    0x18071A
    R23    0x17007C
    R22    0x160001
    R21    0x150409
    R20    0x145848
    R19    0x1327B7
    R18    0x120064
    R17    0x110083
    R16    0x100080
    R15    0x0F060E
    R14    0x0E1840
    R13    0x0D4000
    R12    0x0C5001
    R11    0x0BB018
    R10    0x0A10F8
    R9    0x091004
    R8    0x082000
    R7    0x0700B2
    R6    0x06C802
    R5    0x0530C8
    R4    0x040A43
    R3    0x030782
    R2    0x020500
    R1    0x010808
    R0    0x00211C

  • Hi Holger,

    Your configuration is good, I have no idea why you have problem losing lock at cold temperature.

    R16, R19 and R20 remain unchanged is correct because these are the values you have written to the device. 

    Just wanted to clarify:

    1. The temperature you mentioned is the temperature chamber temperature?

    2. You are not toggling it ON/OFF with the CE pin at cold temperature?

  • Hi Noel,

    ad 1. The temperature is measured at the temperature reference point of the unit. The temperature of the chip is perhaps 2 or 3 degrees warmer.

    ad 2. CE is not toggled. I just monitor the lockdetect output and send a CAL command if it goes low.

    If modulation is off and I monitor the clean carrier I notice that the phase noise is increasing at low temperatures, even long before the PLL goes out of lock. In particular the part of the spectrum which is within the loop bandwith rises. The far-off carrier spectrum remains good. I guess this could be a hint that rather the phase detector has a problem than the VCO.

    Holger

  • Hi Holger,

    I tested a board using your configuration, I don't have unlock issue at cold. I first lock the device at 30C and then took the temperature down to -40C.

    Phase noise changed a bit at cold, this is normal and expected.

    In below plot, light blue trace = -40C; dark blue trace = 30C.