National Instruments NI 5401 E

Glossary

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National Instruments Corporation G-3 NI 5401 User Manual

DC direct current

DC coupled allowing the transmission of both AC and DC signals

DDS direct digital synthesis—a digital technique of frequency generation using

a numerically controlled oscillator (NCO), a dedicated lookup memory,

and a DAC

DDS mode a method of waveform generation that uses built-in DDS functionality to

generate very high frequency resolution standard waveforms

DGND digital ground signal

digital word See word.

driver software that controls a specific hardware device

dynamic range the ratio of the largest signal level a circuit can handle to the smallest signal

level it can handle (usually taken to be the noise level), normally expressed

in dB

E

EEPROM electrically erasable programmable read-only memory—ROM that can be

erased with an electrical signal and reprogrammed

external trigger a voltage pulse from an external source that triggers an event such as A/D

conversion

EXT_TRIG external trigger input signal

Contents

Main Page Important Information Warranty Copyright Trademarks WARNING REGARDING MEDICAL AND CLINICAL USE OF NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS PRODUCTS Conventions Contents Chapter 1 Generating Functions with the NI 5401 Chapter 2 Function Generator Operation Page Table Generating Functions with the NI 5401 About Your NI 5401 Connecting Signals ARB Connector SYNC Connector PLL Ref Connector Chapter 1 Generating Functions with the NI5401 National Instruments Corporation 1-5 NI 5401 User Manual Pattern Out Connector (PCI Only) This connector is used on the NI 5401 for PCI to supply the external trigger input to the board. Figure 1-4. NI 5401 50-Pin Digital Connector Pin Assignments Connector Pin Assignments Signal Descriptions SHC50-68 50-Pin Cable Connector Chapter 1 Generating Functions with the NI5401 Figure 1-5. SHC50-68 68-Pin Connector Pin Assignments National Instruments Corporation 1-7 NI 5401 User Manual Software Options for Your NI 5401 Software Included with Your NI 5401 VirtualBench VirtualBench-FG Waveform Editor NI-FGEN Instrument Driver Additional National Instruments Development Tools LabVIEW LabWindows/CVI ComponentWorks Using the Soft Front Panels to Generate Waveforms Generating Standard Functions Page Generating Multiple Frequencies in a Sequence Page Waveform Editor Power-Up and Reset Conditions National Instruments Corporation 2-1 NI 5401 User Manual Function Generator Operation This chapter describes how to use your NI 5401. Figure2 -1 shows the NI 5401 block diagram. Figure 2-1. NI5401 Block Diagram Generating Waveforms Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS) Frequency Hopping and Sweeping Triggering Trigger Sources Modes of Operation Single Trigger Mode Continuous Trigger Mode Stepped Trigger Mode Analog Output NI 5401 User Manual 2-8 www.natinst.com Figure2 -8 shows the essential block diagram of analog waveform generation. Figure 2-8. Analog Output and SYNC Out Block Diagram SYNC Output and Duty Cycle Output Attenuation Output Impedance Output Enable Pre-Attenuation Offset Phase-Locked Loops and Board Synchronization NI 5401 User Manual 2-12 www.natinst.com Figure 2-11. PLL Architecture for the NI5401 for PCI Figure 2-12. PLL Architecture for the NI5401 for PXI Caution Do not increase the voltage level of the clock signal at the PLL reference input clock, they are frequency locked, but the phase relationship is indeterminate. connector by more than the specified limit, 5 Vpk-pk. Note If two or more NI5401 devices are locked to each other using the same reference Analog Filter Correction NI 5401 User Manual 2-14 www.natinst.com RTSI/PXI Trigger Lines Figure 2-14. RTSI Trigger Lines and Routing for the NI5401 for PCI Figure2 -15 shows the PXI trigger lines and routing of NI5401 for PXI signals to the RTSI switch. Figure 2-15. PXI Trigger Lines, 10 MHz Backplane Oscillator, and Routing for the NI5401 for PXI Calibration A Specifications Analog Output Voltage Output Sine Spectral Purity Filter Characteristics Page SYNC Out External Clock Reference Input Internal Clock Mechanical B Optional Accessories Cabling C Frequency Resolution and Lookup Memory Page D Technical Support Resources NI Web Support On-Line Problem-Solving and Diagnostic Resources Software-Related Resources Worldwide Support Glossary Numbers/Symbols A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W Index A B C D I L M N O R S T V W