Features¶
This section provides an overview of the features of the HDIQ Instrument. The first subsection contains the description of the graphical overview and the hardware feature list. The following subsection details the front panel and the back panel of the HDIQ Instrument. The last section describes the product power supply and remote control.
Functional Overview¶
The HDIQ Instrument according to Figure 1 consists of several internal units (light blue color) surrounded by several interface units (dark blue color), the front panel on the left-hand side, and the back panel on the right-hand side. The arrows between the panels and the interface units indicate selected physical connections and the data flow.
| Operating mode | Output signal | RF SW11 | RF SW22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| RF (default) | RF (Exp.) | L | L |
| LO | LO (Exp.) | H | L |
| Calibration | RF (Calib.) | L | H |
| N/A | N/A | H | H |
1 SW1 is the RF switch for the RF or the LO signal that goes
to the Exp. output port.
2 SW2 is the RF switch for the RF signal that goes to the
Calib. or to the Exp. output port.
The HDIQ IQ Modulator consists of 4 identical frequency up-conversion units. Each of them counts 3 inputs, I (in-phase), Q (quadrature) and LO (local oscillator), and two outputs, Exp. (experiment) and Calib. (calibration). The amplified and filtered up-converted signal after the IQ mixer goes either to the Calib. port for mixer calibration or to the Exp. port for qubit manipulation. The Exp. port can also output the attenuated LO signal, which can then be used for qubit spectroscopy. The operating mode (mixer calibration, RF output, or LO output) is selected by 2 RF switches controlled either by direct digital input signals for the instrument with the serial number below 14100, described in Table 1, or by a host computer via Ethernet connection for the instrument with the serial number 14100 and above, described in Connecting to the Instrument.
Key features
- 4-channel IQ modulator
- RF frequency range 4 - 8 GHz
- Intermediate frequency range DC - 6 GHz
- Experiment output port switchable between RF output and direct LO output
- Separate output port for mixer calibration
- AC-coupled RF circuit design preventing ground loops
- Python programming examples for mixer calibration
Front Panel Tour¶
The front panel SMA connectors and control LEDs are arranged as shown in Figure 2 and listed in Table 2.
| Position | Label/Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A | N/A | This multi-color LED indicates the state of the associated output. color blue: output enabled, RF output to the Exp. port (default RF mode) color green: output enabled, LO output to the Exp. port (LO mode) color orange: output enabled, RF output to the Calib. port (calibration mode) |
| B | Calib. | calibration output port |
| C | Exp. | experiment output port |
| D | LO | local oscillator input |
| E | I | In-phase signal input |
| F | Q | quadrature signal input |
Back Panel Tour¶
The back panel is the main interface for power and control. Please refer to Figure 3 and Table 3 for the detailed description of the items.
| Position | Label / Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| A |  |
4 mm banana jack connector for chassis ground, electrically connected to the chassis. In order to guarantee a controlled ground impedance of the HDIQ, the grounding cable provided must be connected to the PE terminal of the HDAWG. |
| B | LAN 100 Mb | 100 Mbit LAN connector for connection to a host computer. Note that this is available only for the instrument with the serial number 14100 and above. |
| C | Digital Input | Digital input for RF switch control. The connector DB15 drawing is shown in Figure 4 and the pin description is listed in Table 4 |
| D | USB | Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 port only for static IP address configuration and maintenance. Note that this is available only for the instrument with the serial number 14100 and above. |
| E | N/A | Power switch |
| F | DC in | DC external 12 V power supply |
| Pin | HDIQ channel | RF switch |
|---|---|---|
| DB1 | 1 | SW2 |
| DB2 | 1 | SW1 |
| DB3 | 3 | SW2 |
| DB4 | 3 | SW1 |
| DB5 | 4 | SW2 |
| DB6 | 4 | SW1 |
| DB7 | 2 | SW2 |
| DB8 | 2 | SW1 |
| DB9 | NC (SN < 14100); Enable digital input interface (SN >= 14100) | - |
| DB10 | NC | - |
| DB11-DB15 | GND | - |
Power Supply and remote control¶
The HDIQ is powered by 12 V, 2 A, DC input. The AC/DC power adapter and the power cord with a power plug suited to your country are included in the product package. The HDIQ instrument is a PoE+ Powered Device (Standard 802.3at-2009 Type 2 class 4) and can be powered by a PoE+ capable switch (PSE). While the HDIQ can be powered simultaneously by a AC/DC power adapter and a PoE switch Zurich Instruments recommends to use only one means of powering the HDIQ. In case of PoE the power switch is bypassed.
Note
In order to guarantee a controlled ground impedance of the HDIQ, the grounding cable provided must be connected to the protective earth (PE) ground terminal of the HDAWG.
The HDIQ operating modes can be controlled by a host computer via Ethernet connection, or by digital input signals via a third-party digital output card with current at least 5 mA for each channel. Please find more information in Connecting to the Instrument.