CPDL Colby Instruments Programmable Delay Line

The Colby Instruments CPDL (Custom Programmable Delay Line) product line does not use the trombone delay line unit, but is made entirely from precision phase matched semirigid coaxial cables and microwave coaxial relays only. For this Custom Programmable Delay Line, the customer can specify any minimum step size, but not less than 10 ps; and any delay range, but not to exceed 16 binary steps.

To compute the Number of binary Steps, multiply 3.332 x log10 x (max. delay/step size). The result needs to be rounded up to the next higher integer.

Conversely, if the step size and the number of binary steps are known, the Maximum Delay Range is computed as follows: min. step size x [ 2 exp(number of binary steps) - 1 ]. Please notice that the maximum delay range can be any number within the 16 binary steps available.

This delay line model is custom-built by specifying the Minimum Step Size and the Maximum Delay Range. Min. Step Size is 10 ps, and the max. allowable Delay Range is limited to 16 ea. binary steps. Insertion and Return Loss will depend on the length of the delay. Only precision phase matched 0.141" diameter semirigid coaxial cables are used for this unit, combined with microwave coaxial relays. Typical accuracy is 0.1%, ±5 ps.