National Instruments 785034-01 Rubidium PXI Synchronization Module

The National Instruments 785034-01 is a high-precision PXI Synchronization Module. It designed to generate stable clock signals for PXI or third-party instrumentation and is also known as PXIe-3352. It offers both sine wave and square wave outputs with an output frequency of 10 MHz. The sine wave output has an amplitude of 10 dBm ± 2 dBm into 50 Ω. On the other hand, the CMOS square wave output of this unit is 2.5 V into 10 kΩ. The module ensures exceptional spectral purity along with harmonics lower than -44 dBc and spurious signals lower than -80 dBc within the 10 Hz to 100 kHz range from the carrier.

The NI 785034-01 offers impressive phase noise performance along with -102 dBc/Hz at a 10 Hz offset, -135 dBc/Hz at a 100 Hz offset, -145 dBc/Hz at a 1 kHz offset, and -150 dBc/Hz at a 10 kHz offset. It also features an initial accuracy of 5 x 10-11 at 25° C, and a frequency stability with a drift of 5 x 10-11 per month. The module achieves a rapid warm-up time, locking in under 4 minutes and reaching a stability of 5 x 10-10 within 5 minutes at 25° C. A built-in GPS receiver of the NI 785034-01 requires an external antenna and enhances long-term stability by disciplining the rubidium oscillator.

The receiver architecture supports 22 x parallel tracking channels and can acquire signals from 66 simultaneous satellites while operating on the L1 frequency (1575.42 MHz) with C/A code. The GPS receiver offers precise timing accuracy of ± 11 ns for 1 pps signals. It also features quick acquisition times such as less than 1 second for a hot start, under 30 seconds for a warm start, and typically 32 seconds for a cold start. The 785034-01 module interfaces include SMA connectors for sine wave, square wave, and 1 pps outputs, as well as inputs for external rubidium power and GPS antenna. Front panel status lights indicate system fail, access, and rubidium lock statuses. Power requirements of this unit are +3.3 VDC at 1.2 A and +12 VDC at 2.5 A.

The NI 785034-01 synchronization module is compatible with various software environments that support VXI plug & play for WIN32, WIN64, LabWindows/CVI, LabVIEW, and Visual Studio. It also includes an interactive control soft front panel. It meets stringent environmental standards, operating between 0° C to 55° C up to 10,000 ft altitude, and storage between -40° C to 75° C up to 15,000 ft. It holds CE certifications for emissions, immunity, and safety, and has a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 35,740 hours. The module weighs 0.567 kg (1.26 lbs) and fits within a 2-slot width PXI Express chassis.