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1–56
Altera Corporation
Stratix Device Handbook, Volume 2
July 2005
Conclusion
Guidelines
Use the following guidelines for optimal jitter performance on the
external clock outputs from enhanced PLLs 5 and 6. If all outputs are
running at the same frequency, these guidelines are not necessary to
improve performance.
■
When driving two or more clock outputs from PLL 5 or 6, separate
the outputs into the two groups shown in
Figure 1–24. For example,
if you are driving 100- and 200-MHz clock outputs off-chip from PLL
5, place one output on PLL5_OUT0p (powered by VCC_PLL5_OUTA)
and the other output on PLL5_OUT2p (powered by
VCC_PLL5_OUTB
). Since the output buffers are powered by different
pins, they are less susceptible to bimodal jitter. Bimodal jitter is a
deterministic jitter not caused by the PLL but rather by coincident
edges of clock outputs that are multiples of each other.
■
Use phase shift to ensure edges are not coincident on all the clock
outputs.
■
Use phase shift to skew clock edges with respect to each other for
best jitter performance.
1
Delay shift (time delay elements) are no longer supported
in Stratix PLLs. Use the phase shift feature to implement the
desired time shift.
■
If you cannot drive multiple clocks of different frequencies and
phase shifts or isolate banks, you should control the drive capability
on the lower frequency clock. Reducing how much current the
output buffer has to supply can reduce the noise. Minimize
capacitive load on the slower frequency output and configure the
output buffer to drive slow slew rate and lower current strength. The
higher frequency output should have an improved performance, but
this may degrade the performance of your lower frequency clock
output.
Conclusion
Stratix and Stratix GX device enhanced PLLs provide you with complete
control of your clocks and system timing. These PLLs are capable of
offering flexible system level clock management that was previously only
available in discrete PLL devices. The embedded PLLs meet and exceed
the features offered by these high-end discrete devices, reducing the need
for other timing devices in the system.