Title

Frequency Stability of Crystal Oscillator

with GPS PPS Signal

Dinesh Kumar
Mo Hyunho

26361
26366

Objectives
To learn RTL design using VHDL
Finding out one of the parameters of the crystal oscillator.
i,e frequency stability using GPS pps signal.
pps signal as a reference signal, and compare the
crystal oscillator output signal. (frequency variation of the
crystal oscillator.)
Frequency stability will vary with respect to temperature.
(Below is the example table shown for reference )

Concepts Learned during the Project

VHDL Coding (VHSIC (Very High Speed Integrated Circuit)
Hardware Description Language)
Designing of state machines.
Designing of Counters.
Advantages of state machines.
FPGA Design Flow.
Writing of Test Bench.
Model Sim Simulation.
Xilinx ISE

Oscillator
An oscillator is a circuit that produces a repetitive signal from a
dc voltage.
Oscillators are circuits that produce a continuous signal of some
type without the need of an input.
These signals serve a variety of purposes.
Communications systems, digital systems (including computers)
,and test equipment make use of oscillators
Sine wave

Square wave
Sawtooth wave
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Crystal Oscillator
Digital applications require the use of oscillators with extremely
stable output.
Overcome the output fluctuation experienced by conventional
oscillators.
Crystals used in electronic applications consist of a quartz wafer
held between two metal plates and housed in a package

Crystal Oscillator
Piezoelectric Effect

The quartz crystal is made of silicon oxide (SiO2) and exhibits a

property called the piezoelectric
When a changing an alternating voltage is applied across the cry
stal, it vibrates at the frequency of the applied voltage. In the other
word, the frequency of the applied ac voltage is equal to the natura
l resonant frequency of the crystal.
The thinner the crystal, higher its frequency of vibration. This ph
enomenon is called piezoelectric effect.

Crystal Oscillator
Piezoelectric Effect

The quartz crystal is made of silicon oxide (SiO2) and exhibits a prope
rty called the piezoelectric
The thinner the crystal, higher its frequency of vibration. This phenom
enon is called piezoelectric effect.
Applications

Radio and television stations require oscillators to develop the basic

signal to transmit their information.
Cell phones, electronic circuits and remote controls use oscillators to
produce the required frequencies for operation.
Variable oscillators, known as signal generators, are used to generate
frequencies and waveforms needed for troubleshooting and the testing of
electronic equipment.
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Crystal Oscillator
Output Characteristics

Amplitude
Frequency
Waveform type
Stability
On some oscillators, the capability to change
frequency

Crystal Oscillator
Oscillator Stability

Sometimes referred to as a stable oscillator

Source of a signal with consistent amplitude
Source of a signal with consistent frequency

Various parameters of crystal oscillator

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GPS PPS
Sharp rising, abruptly falling that accurately
repeats once per second.
Accuracy ranging from a 12 picoseconds to a few
nano seconds.
Used for precise timekeeping and time measurement (in
our project we are using it to know the start of a second.)
It doesnt have 50% Duty cycle.

FPGA Design Flow

Synthesize, checks code syntax and analyze the hi
erarchy of your design which ensures that your desi
gn is optimized for the design architecture you have
selected. The resulting netlist is saved to an NGC fi
le or an EDIF file
Implement/Translate, which merges the incomin
g netlists and constraints into a binary database
Implement/Map, which maps the design into the
available resources on the target device, like LUT,
Flip Flops, BRAM,...
Implement/Place and Route, which places and ro
utes the mapped database and checks the timing co
nstraints
Generate Programming File, which creates a bits
tream file that can be downloaded to the device
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Block Diagram

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TOP MODULE ARCHITECTURE

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ENTIRE DESIGN ARCHITECTURE

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SUB MODULE ARCHITECTURE

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Typical counter operation in FPGA

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sec pulse generator

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Synchronization

Edge detection

19

Phase detector (sec lead case)

20

Phase detector (pps lead case)

21

FSM for phase detector

22

Phase difference count block

23

Simulation result (phase difference count)

24

Simulation result (synchronization)

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Application of our project

This IP is used to measure the frequency error of a Crystal

Oscillator (DUT) with respective time.
This IP can be used in application where precision clock is
required at a minimum cost.

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Demonstration

lead_lag : 01 sec pulse lag to pps pulse

Final error
= -18 in decimal
= -1.8s
[(18 * 100ns (10 Mhz I/P Clock)]

Analysis
Maximal operation frequency
Critical Path Delay of the implemented design is 5.2 ns so Maximum frequency of the des
ign is 192.3 MHz

f =1/T

Timing Summary:
--------------Speed Grade: -5
Minimum period: 5.200ns (Maximum Frequency: 192.313MHz)
Minimum input arrival time before clock: No path found
Maximum output required time after clock: 4.134ns
Maximum combinational path delay: No path found
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Danke schn
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