Stabilization of the backward wave oscillator frequency for operation with high quality resonators

Abstract

This article describes the performance of a backward wave oscillator, stabilized with phase locked loop. The backward wave oscillator is locked to the frequency of a direct digital synthesizer using an automatic phase locked loop. The direct digital synthesizer is playing the role of tuning part in the suggested frequency synthesizer. Mathematical evaluations of the stability, phase noise and locking speed of the suggested frequency synthesizer are obtained. The optimization technique of frequency synthesizers parameters is presented. This allows to get the maximum response speed and the lowest phase noise and level of spurious with fine tuning (less than 1 Hz). It was shown that the order and type of loop filter in the frequency synthesizer will affect simultaneously the response speed, phase noise and spurious level. The results of this paper shows that the frequency synthesizer can be used in small samples properties measurement using open resonators.