Real-time multichannel scaler measurement of oscillator instabilities

This article describes measurement of oscillator instabilities by a method using the real-time multichannel scaler (RTMS). A theoretical model for suc h application is also considered. The general problem of the oscillator ins tability measurements in time domain is discussed. The results of oscillato r instability measurements using the real-time multichannel scaler and a ti me interval analyzer are compared. The full range of application of this me thod is up to 7E-7 and depends strongly on the RTMS construction. We presen t the results of oscillator instability measurements of the order of 3E-5, using the RTMS with a resolution of 3.13 ns and the range of operation 3.28 ms. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)04406-3].