A field-programmable-gate-array based high time resolution arbitrary timing generator with a time folding method utilizing multiple carry-chains

A carry-chain based high time resolution arbitrary timing generator, which is fully implemented using field-programmable-gate-array resources, is reported in this paper. The arbitrary timing generator channel operates with two alternative carry-chains to achieve non-deadtime timing sequence generation, and a 45.3 ps time resolution with a 383 ps minimum pulse width can be obtained. The time resolution is further improved to 11.3 ps by employing four parallel carry-chains in a single arbitrary timing generator channel to realize “time folding.” The timing generator has a high time stability, and the time uncertainty is below 12 ps within a wide time range of 1 ns–108 ns. The arbitrary timing generator can be used to generate continuous spike timing sequences with a picosecond time resolution.