A 9 ps time interval digitizer based on pulse repetition and averaging

A high-resolution time interval digitizer based on a novel method of averaging the width of a cyclically repeated pulse is described. Information about the measured time interval is contained in the width of a pulse that circulates in a discrete delay loop and is measured by counting with the use of a high frequency multiphase clock. Such a digitizer implemented in a programmable device Cyclone (Altera) resulted in the high resolution of 8.7 ps and the measurement uncertainty of 30.4 ps within the measurement range of 13.5 ns. Both the resolution and precision may be controlled relatively easily and independently on microelectronic technology used.