MC68HC908AT32 Datasheet, PDF (107/378 Pages) Freescale Semiconductor, Inc – Microcontrollers

Acquisition/Lock Time Specifications
Obviously, the acquisition and lock times can vary according to how large the frequency error is and may
be shorter or longer in many cases.
8.9.2 Parametric Influences on Reaction Time
Acquisition and lock times are designed to be as short as possible while still providing the highest possible
stability. These reaction times are not constant, however. Many factors directly and indirectly affect the
acquisition time.
The most critical parameter which affects the reaction times of the PLL is the reference frequency, f_RDV.
This frequency is the input to the phase detector and controls how often the PLL makes corrections. For
stability, the corrections must be small compared to the desired frequency, so several corrections are
required to reduce the frequency error. Therefore, the slower the reference the longer it takes to make
these corrections. This parameter is also under user control via the choice of crystal frequency f_XCLK.
Another critical parameter is the external filter capacitor. The PLL modifies the voltage on the VCO by
adding or subtracting charge from this capacitor. Therefore, the rate at which the voltage changes for a
given frequency error (thus a change in charge) is proportional to the capacitor size. The size of the
capacitor also is related to the stability of the PLL. If the capacitor is too small, the PLL cannot make small
enough adjustments to the voltage and the system cannot lock. If the capacitor is too large, the PLL may
not be able to adjust the voltage in a reasonable time. See 8.9.3 Choosing a Filter Capacitor.
Also important is the operating voltage potential applied to V_DDA. The power supply potential alters the
characteristics of the PLL. A fixed value is best. Variable supplies, such as batteries, are acceptable if
they vary within a known range at very slow speeds. Noise on the power supply is not acceptable,
because it causes small frequency errors which continually change the acquisition time of the PLL.
Temperature and processing also can affect acquisition time because the electrical characteristics of the
PLL change. The part operates as specified as long as these influences stay within the specified limits.
External factors, however, can cause drastic changes in the operation of the PLL. These factors include
noise injected into the PLL through the filter capacitor, filter capacitor leakage, stray impedances on the
circuit board, and even humidity or circuit board contamination.
8.9.3 Choosing a Filter Capacitor
As described in 8.9.2 Parametric Influences on Reaction Time, the external filter capacitor, C_F, is critical
to the stability and reaction time of the PLL. The PLL is also dependent on reference frequency and supply
voltage. The value of the capacitor must, therefore, be chosen with supply potential and reference
frequency in mind. For proper operation, the external filter capacitor must be chosen according to this
equation:
CF
=
⎛
CFact_⎝⎜
-V-f--R-D---D-D----V-A---_{⎠⎟⎞}
For acceptable values of C_Fact, see Chapter 29 Electrical Specifications. For the value of V_DDA, choose
the voltage potential at which the MCU is operating. If the power supply is variable, choose a value near
the middle of the range of possible supply values.
This equation does not always yield a commonly available capacitor size, so round to the nearest
available size. If the value is between two different sizes, choose the higher value for better stability.
Choosing the lower size may seem attractive for acquisition time improvement, but the PLL may become
MC68HC908AT32 Data Sheet, Rev. 3.1
Freescale Semiconductor
107