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DAC3482EVM: confirmation of performance of TWS1400EVM+DAC3482EVM

Genius 9880 points
Part Number: DAC3482EVM
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: DAC3482

Hi Team

Good day,  we received inquiry and to confirm if the combination can support his application. Ill copy the query below.

"I am considering using a TWS1400EVM with DAC3482EVM to generate 25ns wide pulse trains of 200 to 400 MHz sin waves as part of a physics experiment.  I will not be modulating a carrier but directly synthesizing the wave train using the boards as an arbitrary waveform generator.  Will the stated board combination perform that function."

Thank you and looking forward for your kind response.

Regards,

Maynard

  • Maynard,

    Yes, this is possible. The DAC3482 NCO will need to be set at 300MHz, with the user load their own sine wave pulse train waveform through HSDC PRO to the TSW1400EVM.

    -Kang

  • Hi Kang,

    I just received response from customer, for me to not miss any information Ill copy the followup question below.

    "I'm not sure that answers my question. My requirement is a pulse train in the 200 to 300 MHz range which consists of and integer number of complete sine waves starting at exactly the same point ... minor jitter of 10 degrees acceptable. Is the synchronization between the DAC output and the modulator tight enough to do that?
    If not, I need to use the output of the DAC directly as an arbitrary waveform generator driven by the pattern stored to the TWS1400 pattern generator ???"

    Regards,

    Maynard

  • Hi Maynard,

    feel free to ask the customer to post their questions directly. We may need to redirect his/her questions to HSC team forum as the application is similar to the HSC team's focus.

    To answer the question:

    1. each DAC within one DAC3482 device are synchronized by design (i.e. digital deterministic latency amongst the channels are the same). The design simulation shows a worst delay on the analog output portion is about 100ps amongst the channels. 

    2. the waveform: "ulse train in the 200 to 300 MHz range which consists of and integer number of complete sine waves starting at exactly the same point" will need to be generated by the user and load into HSDC PRO. The DAC3482 does not generate such waveform itself. (i.e. it is not a DDS).

    -Kang

  • Kang,

    I don't think I have posed the question properly.  I am not looking for a DDS function.  But I see nothing in the 3482 data sheet which prohibits its use as an arbitrary function generator.  As long as I satisfy sampling theory requirements and follow the DAC output with an appropriate low pass filter function, it should be able to create a sine wave pulse train of a particular length.

    The other possibility is to use the 3482 post DAC modulator function.  In order to use that, it would be necessary to drive the modulator so that the output was a sine wave train at the desired frequency with a width determined by the DAC and with the output waveform for each pulse train beginning at 0 phase.

    Thanks,

    Jules

  • Jules,

    We have customers using this device as arb generator. As long as you can generate these signals in the baseband from FPGA, the DAC can output the waveforms (assuming you take care of Nyquist theorem, etc as you have mentioned).

    -Kang

  • Kang,

    Thank you. That's the information I was  looking for ...

    Jules