Development of a 5 MHz frequency difference pre-multiplier for a short term frequency stability bench of the oscillators

TL;DR

This paper presents a newly developed 5 MHz frequency difference pre-multiplier that enhances short-term frequency stability measurements of oscillators by synthesizing and subtracting signals to generate a precise 5 MHz difference.

Contribution

A novel 5 MHz frequency difference pre-multiplier design that replaces obsolete equipment, improving measurement precision for oscillator stability analysis.

Findings

Allan variance at 1 s is 5.10^-14

Phase noise floor is about -160 dBc/Hz at 5 MHz

Successfully replaces obsolete pre-multiplier in laboratory

Abstract

This paper reports the realization of a 5 MHz frequency difference x10 pre-multiplier, developed in the laboratory to replace an obsolete one. The principle we chose is to synthesize a 45 MHz and a 50 MHz from a reference signal and from the signal to be measured, and to subtract one to the other to generate a 5 MHz, whose precision on the measurement is increased by a factor 10. Obtained Allan variance y() at 1 s is 5.10-14 and output spectral density of phase noise floor is about -160 dBc/Hz at 5 MHz.