Propagation Delay, Pulse-Width
Distortion and Propagation Delay Skew
Propagation delay is a figure of
merit which describes how quickly
a logic signal propagates through a
system. The propagation delay
from low to high (tPLH) is the
amount of time required for an
input signal to propagate to the
output, causing the output to
change from low to high. Similarly,
the propagation delay from high to
low (tPHL) is the amount of time
required for the input signal to
propagate to the output causing
the output to change from high to
low (see Figure 8).
Pulse-width distortion (PWD)
results when tPLH and tPHL differ in
value. PWD is defined as the
difference between tPLH and tPHL
and often determines the
maximum data rate capability of a
transmission system. PWD can be
expressed in percent by dividing
the PWD (in ns) by the minimum
pulse width (in ns) being
transmitted. Typically, PWD on the
order of 20-30% of the minimum
pulse width is tolerable; the exact
figure depends on the particular
application (RS232, RS422, T-l,
etc.).
Propagation delay skew, tPSK, is an
important parameter to consider
in parallel data applications where
synchronization of signals on
parallel data lines is a concern. If
the parallel data is being sent
through a group of optocouplers,
differences in propagation delays
will cause the data to arrive at the
outputs of the optocouplers at
different times. If this difference
in propagation delays is large
enough, it will determine the
maximum rate at which parallel
data can be sent through the
optocouplers.
Propagation delay skew is defined
as the difference between the
minimum and maximum
propagation delays, either tPLH or
tPHL, for any given group of
optocouplers which are operating
under the same conditions (i.e.,
the same drive current, supply
voltage, output load, and
operating temperature). As
illustrated in Figure 19, if the
inputs of a group of optocouplers
are switched either ON or OFF at
the same time, tPSK is the
difference between the shortest
propagation delay, either tPLH or
tPHL, and the longest propagation
delay, either tPLH or tPHL.
As mentioned earlier, tPSK can
determine the maximum parallel
data transmission rate. Figure 20
is the timing diagram of a typical
parallel data application with
both the clock and the data lines
being sent through optocouplers.
The figure shows data and clock
signals at the inputs and outputs
of the optocouplers. To obtain the
maximum data transmission rate,
both edges of the clock signal are
being used to clock the data; if
only one edge were used, the
clock signal would need to be
twice as fast.
Propagation delay skew repre-
sents the uncertainty of where an
edge might be after being sent
through an optocoupler. Figure 20
shows that there will be
uncertainty in both the data and
the clock lines. It is important that
these two areas of uncertainty not
overlap, otherwise the clock
signal might arrive before all of
the data outputs have settled, or
some of the data outputs may
start to change before the clock
signal has arrived. From these
considerations, the absolute
minimum pulse width that can be
sent through optocouplers in a
parallel application is twice tPSK.
A cautious design should use a
slightly longer pulse width to
ensure that any additional
uncertainty in the rest of the
circuit does not cause a problem.
The tPSK specified optocouplers
offer the advantages of
guaranteed specifications for
propagation delays, pulsewidth
distortion and propagation delay
skew over the recommended
temperature, input current, and
power supply ranges.