Agilent 53200A Series RF/Universal Frequency Counter/Timers Data Sheet 53210A 350 MHz RF Frequency Counter, 10 digits/sec 53220A 350 MHz Universal Frequency Counter/Timer, 12 digits/sec, 100 ps 53230A 350 MHz Universal Frequency Counter/Timer, 12 digits/sec, 20 ps
Imagine Your Counter Doing More! Introduction Frequency counters are depended on in R&D and in manufacturing for the fastest, most accurate frequency and time interval measurements. The 53200 Series of RF and universal frequency counter/timers expands on this expectation to provide you with the most information, connectivity and new measurement capabilities, while building on the speed and accuracy you’ve depended on with Agilent’s decades of time and frequency measurement expertise.
Input Channel Characteristics 53210A 53220A 53230A Input characteristics (nom) Channels Standard (DC - 350 MHz) Ch 1 Ch 1 & Ch 2 Optional (6 or 15 GHz) Ch 2 Ch 3 Standard inputs (nom) Frequency range DC coupled DC (1 mHz) to 350 MHz (2.8 ns to 1000 sec) 1 AC coupled, 50 Ω or 1 MΩ 10 Hz - 350 MHz Input Front panel BNC(f). Option 201 adds parallel rear panel BNC(f) inputs2 Connector Input impedance (typ) Selectable 1 MΩ ± 1.5% or 50 Ω ± 1.
Input Channel Characteristics continued 53210A 53220A 53230A Optional microwave inputs (nom) Frequency range Option 106 100 MHz - 6 GHz Option 115 300 MHz - 15 GHz Input Connector Front panel precision Type-N(f) Option 203 moves the input connector to a rear panel SMA(f) Input impedance (typ) 50 Ω ± 1.5% (SWR < 2.5) Input coupling AC Continuous wave amplitude range Option 106 Autoranged to +19 dBm max. (2 Vrms) Option 115 Autoranged to +13 dBm max. (1.
Measurement Characteristics 53210A 53220A 53230A Measurement range (nom) Frequency, period (average) measurements Common Channels Ch 1 or optional Ch 2 Digits/s 10 digits/s 12 digits/s 12 digits/s 12 digits 15 digits 15 digits Reciprocal Reciprocal and resolution enhanced Reciprocal, resolutionenhanced or continuous (gap-free) Maximum display Resolution1 Measurement technique Signal type Ch 1, Ch 2 or optional Ch 3 Continuous Wave (CW) Level & slope Automatically preset or user selectabl
Measurement Characteristics continued 53210A 53220A 53230A Time interval A to B, B to A Range9 N/A -1 ns to 100,000 s (nom) -0.
Measurement Characteristics continued 53210A 53220A 53230A 6 GHz (Option 106) 15 GHz (Option 115) 12 Pulse/burst frequency and pulse envelope detector (Option 150) Pulse/burst measurements N/A N/A Pulse/burst width for carrier frequency measurements10 N/A N/A >200 ns Narrow: <17 µs Wide: >13 µs > 400 ns Narrow: <17 μs Wide: >13 μs Minimum pulse/burst width for envelope measurements N/A N/A >50 ns > 100 ns Acquisition N/A N/A PRF, PRI range N/A N/A 1 Hz – 10 MHz 1 Hz - 5 MHz Pulse d
Gate, Trigger and Timebase Characteristics 53210A 53220A 53230A Gate characteristics (nom) Gate Source Time, external Gate time (step size) 1 Time, external or advanced 1 ms - 1000 s (10 µs) 100 µs - 1000 s (10 µs) 1 µs - 1000 s (1 µs) Advanced: gate start Source N/A Internal or external, Ch 1/Ch 2 (unused standard channel input) N/A Positive or negative Delay time N/A 0 s to 10 s in 10 ns steps Delay events (edges) N/A 0 to 108 for signals up to 100 MHz N/A Internal or external, Ch 1
Trigger and Timebase Characteristics (nom) 53210A 53220A 53230A Trigger characteristics (nom) General Trigger source Internal, external, bus, manual Trigger count 1 to 1,000,000 Trigger delay 0 s to 3600 s in 1 µs steps Samples/trigger 1 to 1,000,000 External trigger input (typ) Connector Rear panel BNC(f) Impedance 1 kΩ Level TTL compatible Slope Selectable positive or negative Pulse width > 40 ns min.
Math, Graphing and Memory Characteristics (nom) 53210A 53220A 53230A Math operations Smoothing (averaging) 1 Selectable 10 (slow), 100 (medium), 1,000 (fast) reading moving average Selectable filter reset .1% /1000 ppm (fast), .03%/300 ppm (medium), .
Speed Characteristics4 (meas) 53210A Measurement/IO timeout (nom) 53220A 53230A no timeout or 10 ms to 2000 s, in 1 ms steps Auto-level speed Slow mode (50 Hz): 350 ms (typ) Fast mode (10 kHz): 10 ms (typ) Configure-change speed Frequency, Period, Range, Level: 50 ms (typ) 5 Single measurement throughput : readings/s (time to take single measurement and transfer from volatile reading memory over I/O bus) Typical (Avg.
Speed Characteristics4 (meas) continued 53210A 53220A 53230A 6 Maximum measurement speed to internal non-volatile memory : (readings/s) Timestamp Frequency, period, totalize Frequency ratio Time interval, rise/fall, width, burst width N/A N/A 1,000,000 75,000 300 44,000 N/A 1000 90,000 Duty cycle N/A 48,000 Phase N/A 37,000 PRI, PRF N/A N/A 75,000 Transfer from memory to PC via: LAN (sockets) 600,000 readings/sec LAN (VXI-11) 150,000 readings/sec USB 800,000 readings/sec GPIB 2
General Characteristics (nom) 53210A 53220A Warm-up time Display User interface and help languages 53230A 45-minutes 4.3" Color TFT WQVGA (480 x 272), LED backlight English, German, French, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Korean USB flash drive FAT, FAT32 Programming language SCPI 532xx Series and 53131A/53132A/53181A Series compatibility mode Programming interface LXI-C 1.3 USB 2.0 device port GPIB interface 10/ 100/ 1000 LAN (LAN Sockets and VXI-11 protocol) USB 2.
General Characteristics (nom) continued 53210A 53220A 53230A Battery (Option 300) Technology Internal lithium ion battery with integrated smart battery monitor & charger Use for maintaining timebase accuracy or environments with unstable AC power Operating temperature limits 0 to 55 °C. Battery will only charge under 35 °C. Instrument running on battery power above 50 °C will turn off to minimize battery capacity degradation. Storage temperature limits -10 °C to 60 °C.
Timebase Timebase Uncertainty = ( Aging + Temperature + Factory Calibration Uncertainty ) Standard TCXO Timebase Option 010 Ultra-High Stability OCXO Aging 1 (spec) 24-hour, TCAL ±1 °C ± 0.3 ppb (typ) 30-day, TCAL ±5 °C ± 0.2 ppm (typ) ± 10 ppb 1-year, TCAL ±5 °C ± 1 ppm ± 50 ppb 2-year, TCAL ±5 °C ± 0.5 ppm ± 25 ppb ± 1 ppm ± 5 ppb ± 0.5 ppm ± 50 ppb 5-min. warm-up error 4 ± 1 ppm ± 10 ppb 5 < 50 ppb < 2 ppb 1 ppb 0.
Accuracy Specifications Definitions Random Uncertainty The RSS of all random or Type-A measurement errors expressed as the total RMS or 1-σ measurement uncertainty. Random uncertainty will reduce as 1/√N when averaging N measurement results for up to a maximum of approximately 13-digits or 100 fs. Systematic Uncertainty The 95% confidence residual constant or Type-B measurement uncertainty relative to an external calibration reference.
Accuracy Specifications continued Measurement Function 1-σ Random Uncertainty Systematic Uncertainty Timebase Uncertainty2 6 GHz (Option 106): Optional Microwave Channel Opt 150 - Pulse/Burst Measurements3, 13 PRF, PRI (parts error) 14 Pulse/Burst Carrier Frequency 15 (Narrow Mode) (parts error) Pulse/Burst Carrier Frequency 16 (Wide Mode) (parts error) If RE = 1: 500 ps / gate 200 ps RE * gate 100 ps 200 ps Burst Width Burst Width 40 ps 100 ps RE * Burst Width RE * Burst Width If RE > 1: 20
Accuracy Specifications continued 1. Apply the appropriate errors detailed for each measuring function. 2. Use Timebase Uncertainty in Basic Accuracy calculations only for Measurement Functions that show the ● symbol in the Timebase Uncertainty column. 3. Assumes Gaussian noise distribution and non-synchronous gate, non-gaussian noise will effect Systematic Error. Note all optional microwave channel specifications (continuous wave and pulse/burst) assume sine signal. 4.
Definition of Measurement Error Sources and Terms used in Calculations 53210A 53220A 53230A RE 1 use RE equation use RE equation TSS 100 ps 100 ps 20 ps Skew 100 ps 50 ps Taccuracy 200 ps 100 ps Confidence Level (k) For 99% Confidence use k= 2.5 in accuracy calculations. For 95% Confidence use k= 2.0 in accuracy calculations.
Definition of Measurement Error Sources and Terms used in Calculations continued Phase Noise and Allan Deviation The input signal’s jitter spectrum (Phase noise) and low-frequency wander characteristics (Allan variation) will limit the achievable measurement resolution and accuracy. The full accuracy and resolution of the counter can only be achieved when using a high-quality input signal source or by externally filtering the input signal to reduce these errors.
Ordering Information Model numbers 53210A 350 MHz, 10-digits/s RF Frequency Counter 53220A 350 MHz, 12 digits/s, 100 ps Universal Frequency Counter/Timer 53230A 350 MHz, 12-digits/s, 20 ps Universal Frequency Counter/Timer All models include: • Certificate of Calibration and 1-year standard warranty • IEC Power Cord, USB cable • CD including: Programming Examples, Programmer's Reference Help File, User's Guide, Quick Start Tutorial, Service Guide • Agilent IO Library CD Available options Option 010 Ultra-hi
Appendix A - Worked Example Basic Accuracy Calculation for Frequency Measurement Parameter assumptions: • 53220A • 95% confidence • 100 MHz signal, 1 sec gate • AUTO frequency mode • Level: 5 V input signal amplitude • TCXO standard timebase for unit plugged in for 30 days • Assume operating temperature is within TCAL ± 5 °C • Instrument has been re-calibrated so Factory Calibration Uncertainty term is not required.
Definitions The following definitions apply to the specifications and characteristics described throughout. Specification (spec) The warranted performance of a calibrated instrument that has been stored for a minimum of 2 hours within the operating temperature range of 0 °C - 55 °C and after a 45-minute warm up period. Automated calibration (*CAL?) performed within ±5 °C before measurement. All specifications were created in compliance with ISO-17025 methods.
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