Low Noise Design
Design of low-noise analog and servos, solving problems in existing designs
Circuit board, system or product level
Located in Silicon Valley (near San Jose, California Airport)
Additional services provided:
Contact:
Akos Szoboszlay, BSEE
Low Noise Design
email: LowNoise(Place the @ here) akos.us
website: akos.us/LowNoiseDesign
Glossary (in order of appearance):
PMT = Photo Multiplier Tube
APD = Avalanche Photo Diode
PD = Photo Diode
Quad sensor = circular flat sensor with 4 large photo cells for use with a laser beam
Used in a servo loop to keep the beam centered in two axes even if the quad sensor (or a mirror or the laser) moves.
PSD = Position Sensing Device. Similar to Quad sensor with the same basic equations, but uses resistance instead of current.
Unrelated: This is also the acronym for Power Spectral Density.
RTD = a platinum based temperature sensor. This type provides the highest accuracy temperature measurement.
Servo = Feedback Control System for high accuracy (precision) and fast response time.
Servo loop compensation = Used for stabilizing the servo loop and to achieve the required accuracy in the required time, by one of these:
(1) analog electronics (compensation networks), (2) firmware or (3) FPGA implementing PID or modified PID, or (4) changing PID constants.
PID = Position, Integral, Differential, which are constants (numbers) that greatly effect the servo loop accuracy, response time, and stability.
stabilization = Prevent oscillation, excessive ringing, and saturation.
characterization = Testing the product to obtain (measure) characteristics that can be published in a data sheet or sent to a potential customer.
References:
Article by Akos Szoboszlay: Low-noise design techniques
Project examples: