AD9550
Loop Filter
DESCRIPTION OF FUNCTIONAL BLOCKS
The charge pump in the PFD delivers current to the loop filter
(see Figure 24). The components primarily responsible for the
bandwidth of the loop filter are external and connect between
Pin 16 and Pin 17.
Input Frequency Prescaler (Divide-by-5)
The divide-by-5 prescaler provides the option to reduce the
input reference frequency by a factor of five. Note that the pre-
scaler physically precedes the ×2 frequency multiplier. This
allows the prescaler to bring a high frequency reference clock
down to a frequency that is within the range of the ×2 frequency
multiplier.
The internal portion of the loop filter has two configurations: one
is for low loop bandwidth applications (~170 Hz) and the other is
for medium (~20 kHz)/high (~75 kHz) bandwidth applications.
The low loop bandwidth condition applies when the feedback
divider value (N) is 214 (16,384) or greater. Otherwise, the
medium/high loop bandwidth configuration is in effect. The
feedback divider value depends on the configuration of the Ax
and Yx pins per Table 8.
Input ×2 Frequency Multiplier
The ×2 frequency multiplier doubles the frequency at its input,
thereby taking advantage of a higher frequency at the input to
the PLL. This provides greater separation between the frequency
generated by the PLL and the modulation spur associated with
frequency at the PLL input.
AD9550
FROM
CHARGE
PUMP
PLL (PFD, Charge Pump, VCO, Feedback Divider)
375Ω
The PLL (see Figure 23) consists of a phase/frequency detector
(PFD), a partially integrated analog loop filter (see Figure 24),
an integrated voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), and a 20-bit
programmable feedback divider. The PLL generates a 3.35 GHz
to 4.05 GHz clock signal that is phase-locked to the input reference
3kΩ
TO
VCO
400kΩ
53pF
CONTROL
LOGIC
BUFFER
170pF
SWITCHES CHANGE
STATE FOR N ≥ 16384
signal, and its frequency is the phase detector frequency (fPFD
multiplied by the feedback divider value.
)
16
17
FILTER
LDO
R
The PFD of the PLL drives a charge pump that increases, decreases,
or holds constant the charge stored on the loop filter capacitors
(both internal and external). The stored charge results in a voltage
that sets the output frequency of the VCO. The feedback loop of
the PLL causes the VCO control voltage to vary in such a way as
to phase lock the PFD input signals.
C2
C1
Figure 24. External Loop Filter
The bandwidth of the loop filter primarily depends on three
external components (R, C1, and C2). There are two sets of recom-
mended values for these components corresponding to the low and
medium/high loop bandwidth configurations (see Table 9).
The PLL has a VCO with 128 frequency bands spanning a range
of 3350 MHz to 4050 MHz (3700 MHz nominal). However, the
actual operating frequency within a particular band depends on
the control voltage that appears on the loop filter capacitor.
Table 9. External Loop Filter Components
Loop
The control voltage causes the VCO output frequency to vary
linearly within the selected band. This frequency variability allows
the control loop of the PLL to synchronize the VCO output signal
with the reference signal applied to the PFD. Selection of the VCO
frequency band (as well as gain adjustment) occurs automatically
as part of the automatic VCO calibration process of the device,
which initiates at power-up (or reset). VCO calibration centers
the dc operating point of the VCO control signal. During VCO
calibration, the output drivers provide a static dc signal.
A3 to A0 Pins
0001 to 1100, and 1111
11101
R
C1
C2
Bandwidth
6.8 kΩ 47 nF 1 µF
12 kΩ 51 pF 220 nF 20 kHz
12 kΩ 51 pF 220 nF 75 kHz
0.17 kHz
1101 to 1110
1 The 20 kHz loop bandwidth case only applies when the A3 pin to A0 pin =
1110 and the Y5 pin to Y0 pin = 111111.
To achieve the best jitter performance in applications requiring a
loop bandwidth of less than 1 kHz, C1 and C2 must have an
insulation resistance of at least 500 ΩF.
The feedback divider (N-divider) sets the frequency multiplication
factor of the PLL in integer steps over a 20-bit range. Note that the
N-divider has a lower limit of 32.
PLL Locked Indicator
The PLL provides a status indicator that appears at Pin 20
(LOCKED). When the PLL acquires phase lock, the LOCKED
pin switches to a Logic 1 state. When the PLL loses lock, however,
the LOCKED pin returns to a Logic 0 state.
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