Filter Optimization for Real Time Digital Processing of Radiofrequency Signals: Application to Oscillator Metrology

Abstract

Software Defined Radio (SDR) provides stability, flexibility and reconfigurability to radiofrequency signal processing. Applied to oscillator characterization in the context of ultrastable clocks, stringent filtering requirements are defined by spurious signal or noise rejection needs. Since real time radiofrequency processing must be performed in a Field Programmable Array to meet timing constraints, we investigate optimization strategies to design filters meeting rejection characteristics while limiting the hardware resources required and keeping timing constraints within the targeted measurement bandwidths.