A system for distributing high-speed synchronous high-precision clock and trigger data over large distances

The distribution of precise timing throughout the European X-ray Free Electron Laser project [1] (XFEL) and its triggering system is a very challenging part of the system design. ADCs in data acquisition systems and DACs in control systems will require very high precision clocks. The clocks need to be synchronous to each other, both in frequency and phase, with a jitter performance better than 5 ps (RMS). At some high-speed ADCs it might even need a precision down to 0.1ps. The frequencies that must be available are the main 1.3 GHz and some frequencies below, which are all derived from the main frequency. The phase needs to be adjustable to allow synchronization between separate devices.