PulseBlasterDDS^TM is a general-purpose, intelligent, programmable, RF and TTL/CMOS pulse/pattern generator system (PCI or ISA board or a portable stand-alone system).   The PulseBlasterDDS^TM series of Intelligent Pulse Generation boards from SpinCore Technologies, Inc., couples SpinCore’s unique Intelligent Pulse Timing Processor core, dubbed PulseBlaster^TM, with Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS) technology for use in system control and radio-frequency (RF) pulse generation.  The PulseBlaster^TM processor, implemented in state-of-the-art programmable logic, provides all the necessary timing control signals required for overall system control and pulse synchronization.  By adding DDS features, PulseBlasterDDS^TM can now meet all the excitation/stimuli needs of demanding users. PulseBlasterDDS^TM provides users the ability to control their systems through the generation of both digital control signals and fully synchronized excitation RF pulses from a small form factor PC board, providing users a compelling price/performance proposition unmatched by any other device on the market today.

Architecture

This figure presents the general architecture of the PulseBlasterDDS-III-100 system.  The two major building blocks are the DDS Core and the Pulse Programming and Timing Processor Core (PP Core). The DDS Core contains a Numerically Controlled Oscillator (NCO) and has 16 programmable frequency registers that are under the pulse program control.  Prior to gating, the DDS signal can be phase offset by one of 16 programmable phase registers for two independent output channels.  The PP Core controls the timing of the gating pulses and provides the necessary control signals for frequency and phase registers.  The DDS and PP cores have been integrated onto a single silicon chip.  High performance DAC chips and high current output amplifiers complement the design.

Benefits of DDS Technology

• Generation of any frequency from DC to 1/2 reference clock oscillator in milliHertz tuning steps (32 bit digital resolution)!
• Agile relative phase control using up to 16 programmable phase registers per channel, 12-bit phase resolution.  Pipeline delay of only 3 reference clock cycles.
• Agile, phase coherent, "zero-time" frequency switching using 16 independent frequency registers.
• Agile pulsed RF output, 10 ns resolution (100 MHz models).
• Easy tuning of frequency outputs.
• Greater immunity to parameter drift due to temperature.

What does SpinCore's Intelligent Pattern Generation give users?

• Timing resolution of 10 ns at a 100 MHz master clock (NOTE: Timing resolution of 2.5 ns is available on non-DDS, TTL-only PulseBlasterESR boards operating up to 400 MHz).
• 10 to 24 independent output bits.
• Simple instruction set.
• Memory space for up to 32k program words (VLIW, 80-bit wide).
• External hardware and software triggering.
• 3.3 V or 5 V (ISA boards only) digital TTL/CMOS outputs, 25 mA per pin.  Output bits can be combined to increase the max. load current.
• Multi-board synchronization.

Added benefits

• Small size and low power consumption.
• Low level and high level programming support.
• Free technical support; extended support available.

Output Signals

This exciting product comes with up to three analog output channels and 10 TTL/CMOS channels, all independently controlled and synchronized.   The analog channels can output RF/IF frequencies down to programmable DC levels. By providing multiple options, PulseBlasterDDS^TM can be your complete excitation device for NMR, NQR, MRI, or related resonance and test technologies.  If more output channels are required, multiple boards can be synchronized to provide as many digital output bits or RF/IF channels as necessary.  The frequency and phase of the RF pulses generated by the DDS output channels are under the complete control of the user and are specified through software programming. PulseBlasterDDS^TM also provides the ability to gate the output of the DDS channels allowing for independent pulsed RF operation of the output channels. Digital sampling rates of the output waveforms up to 100 MHz are supported.

External Triggering and Cascading

PulseBlasterDDS^TM can be triggered and/or reset externally via dedicated hardware lines.  The two separate lines combine the convenience of triggering (e.g., in cardiac gating) with the safety of the "stop/reset-to-zero" line.  The required control signals are active low (or short to ground).  The design also allows for multiple boards to be synchronized, easily extending the available output pattern to more bits and/or more RF/IF channels.  The "Wait-for-event" feature is standard.

Sample NMR Application: Complete RF Larmor digital excitation system

Just add a power amplifier to have a complete RF Larmor digital excitation system for low-field NMR, MRI, and NQR systems (see Application Note). Use for ¹²⁹Xe NMR, retrofit your older console,  revive your old electromagnet,  try NMR with permanent magnets, etc.

Other related applications:

• Complete high IF digital excitation system for high field NMR/MRI (just add mixers!).
• Complete bench test equipment for solid-state NMR probes (just add mixer and power amplifier!) - eliminates the need for wasting the precious magnet time.
• Build a multi-qubit NMR quantum computing device at a fraction of the cost of other solutions.
• Use it for all-digital CRAMPS, SFAM, and other "exotic" solid-state NMR experiments.
• Build a lock system.
• Build a demostration NMR system with/for your students
• Use it for Senior-Project and Masters' classes.
• Use with your microcoil probe.
• Build and control your own equipment for "hyphenated" experiments, LC-NMR, etc.
• For more ideas, please vistit our Applications page

Ordering Information

• Choose between one, two, or three RF output channels (Models -I or -II, or -III);
• Choose between 50 or 100 MHz Reference Clock Frequency (Models -50 or -100);
• Choose between ISA or PCI board (Models -PCI or -ISA)

Sample Part Number: PBDDS-III-100-PCI.

Model	Number of RF Output Channels	Clock Frequency	Memory Words	Form-factor
PBDDS-III-100-32k	3	100 MHz	32k	PCI

To inquire about the availiability and pricing of our PulseBlasterDDS line of products, please use our Contact Form.

Models

• Configuration DDS-III - Three DDS RF/IF outputs and 10 TTL/CMOS outputs.   In this configuration, one RF output can drive the transmitter.  The remaining two other RF outputs provide two orthogonal signals for two phase-sensitive quadrature detectors.  To accomodate for propagation delays, the orthogonality of the Rx channels can be adjusted with 12-bit precision, i..e, in 4096 steps (0.09 degree).  The Tx and Rx channels are independently gated.  Agile frequency and phase switching with a zero-time latency, phase coherent, ideal for chirp pulses, etc.  Up to 100 MHz reference clock oscillator.  TTL/CMOS lines are synchronized with RF pulses.  RF and TTL/CMOS pulses from 90 ns to over two years in duration, 10 ns timing resolution.  Program space - up to 32k words, including loops (nested up to 8 levels deep), subroutines, and the "Wait-for-event" funtion with user-programmable response time.
• Configuration DDS-II - Two DDS RF outputs and 10 TTL/CMOS outputs.   The two DDS outputs are independenly gated and phase-offset, e.g., for quadrature DDS signal generation.  The 10 TTL/CMOS outputs are all independently controlled and can deliver 25 mA per channel; channels can be combined together to provide more output current.  This is the most popular configuration - it can be used to provide independent Tx (excitation) and Rx (reference) signals for NMR, NQR, etc., where the Rx phase-coherent signal is used for signal detection.   Agile frequency and phase switching with a zero-time latency, phase coherent, ideal for chirp pulses, etc.  Up to 100 MHz reference clock oscillator.  TTL/CMOS lines are synchronized with RF pulses.  RF and TTL/CMOS pulses from 90 ns to over two years in duration, 10 ns timing resolution.  Program space - up to 32k words, including loops (nested up to 8 levels deep), subroutines, and the "Wait-for-event" funtion with user-programmable response time.
• Configuration DDS-I - Single DDS RF output and 10 TTL/CMOS outputs.  Ideal for applications where one RF generator channel is required. Up to 100 MHz reference clock oscillator.  This configuration can be provided with a special, clock-doubling DAC chip.  TTL/CMOS lines are synchronized with RF pulses.  RF and TTL/CMOS pulses from 90 ns to over two years in duration, 10 ns timing resolution.  Agile frequency and phase switching with a zero-time latency, phase coherent, ideal for chirp pulses, etc.  Program space - up to 32k words, including loops (nested up to 8 levels deep), subroutines, and the "Wait-for-event" funtion with user-programmable response time.

Customer Designs

• Spin-Decoupler.  Autonomous, pre-programmed RF generator customized for NMR/MRI decoupling applications.  To simplify the pulse-sequence programming, WALTZ and MLEV decoupling sequences are hard-coded via firmware and can be selected with an external TTL signal.  The RF output frequency and pulse lengths can be controlled via a simple ASCII RS232 serial interface.  The RF output power is approx. 10 dBm.
• Clock Generator.   Single square-wave output of  DDS-derived frequencies, 32 bits of frequency precision (47 mHz at 100 MHz reference oscillator frequency), may be used for driving digital systems as a digital clock generator; simplified programming interface.
• Additional DDS channels -  each channel may have independently controlled frequency and phase, and all channels can be independently gated. The channels could be used to drive independent transmitters, e.g., for multidimensional and/or multi-qubit NMR quantum computing.  Compare and save - the excitation part of an 8-qubit NMR quantum computer could be built with just two PulseBlasterDDS^TM boards!
• Stand-alone system USB (or RS-232) controlled.
• GPS-locked reference clock oscillator.

Product Manual

• PulseBlasterDDS-III-100 Manual

Programming

To complement the power and performance of the PulseBlasterDDS^TM board, the software programming of the board is straightforward.  The programming architecture, based on the Very-Long-Instruction-Word (VLIW) concept, assures that all RF and DAC events are always properly synchronized with the timing control signals generated by PulseBlaster^TM pulse programmer core.  The 32k memory depth and powerful flow control statements allow the most complicated patterns/sequences to be executed with ease.  The PulseBlasterDDS^TM board can run under Microsoft Windows operating systems, including XP.  The control software can be compiled to operate under other operating systems as well.

Free Software Support

• Available as a part of the SpinAPI Package:
• Example programs (executables and C source files)
• PulseBlaster Interpreter for easy programming without writing C code
• The SpinAPI package available for download on the Software Downloads page.
• Interfaces and examples - LabView, Matlab, IGOR-PRO, Visual Basic, Custom GUI.

Warranty Information

• Standard warranty  - two years
• Longer warranty periods available 
• Money-back guarantee – 30 days.