Phase Noise to Jitter Calculator

Phase noise is a measure of frequency instability in oscillators, and the Phase Noise to Jitter Calculator converts that instability into timing jitter — the random deviation in a clock signal's edge placement. Enter your carrier frequency, integration start and end frequencies, and a set of phase noise data points (offset frequency and dBc/Hz pairs) to calculate RMS Phase Jitter. Secondary outputs include RMS jitter in seconds, RMS jitter in radians, and the total integration bandwidth. Also try the calculate Signal Propagation Delay Propagation Delay.

Hz

Fundamental frequency of the oscillator

Hz

Lower limit for jitter integration

Hz

Upper limit for jitter integration

Format: offset_frequency,phase_noise_dBc_per_Hz (one pair per line)

Results

RMS Phase Jitter

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RMS Jitter (seconds)

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RMS Jitter (radians)

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Integration Bandwidth

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Results Table

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the relationship between phase noise and jitter?

Phase noise is a frequency-domain measurement of oscillator instability, while jitter is the time-domain equivalent. RMS jitter corresponds to the integrated area under the phase noise curve over a specified frequency range. See also our Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) Calculator.

How do I interpret phase noise measurements in dBc/Hz?

Phase noise in dBc/Hz represents the ratio of noise power in a 1 Hz bandwidth at a specific offset frequency to the total signal power, expressed in decibels relative to the carrier.

What integration bandwidth should I use for jitter calculation?

The integration bandwidth depends on your application. For digital systems, typically use 12 kHz to 20 MHz. For RF applications, the range might extend from 1 kHz to several hundred MHz.

Why is RMS jitter important in digital systems?

RMS jitter determines timing uncertainty in digital clocks, affecting bit error rates, sampling accuracy, and overall system performance. Lower jitter means better timing precision. You might also find our Baud Rate Calculator useful.

How accurate is the phase noise to jitter conversion?

The conversion accuracy depends on the density and accuracy of phase noise measurements. More data points across the integration bandwidth provide better accuracy.

Can I convert jitter back to phase noise?

Yes, but you need the spectral distribution of the jitter. A single RMS jitter value cannot uniquely determine the original phase noise spectrum without additional assumptions about the noise characteristics.

What units are commonly used for jitter measurements?

Jitter is typically expressed in picoseconds (ps) for practical measurements, seconds for scientific calculations, or radians for theoretical analysis. All three units are provided in the results.