why the series resistor?

Thread Starter

pinnacle06

Joined Feb 9, 2007
16
Hi folks,

I am playing with a circuit at the moment. I have a clock signal going through a digital buffer and fanning out. I am looking at an application circuit. I understand the need for a small series resistor at the output of the buffer. But there is also a 1k series resistor on the digital input of the chip that uses this clock signal. What is the purpose of that 1k resistor? Any ideas?
 

Thread Starter

pinnacle06

Joined Feb 9, 2007
16
Once I get on my other computer I can post the schematic, I know it seems a little unclear.

These resistors on the output side of the resistor, not the input. It goes like this:

clock buffer output --> small resistor --> PCB trace etc --> 1 k resistor --> digital input of chip. All in series, nothing else on the line actually.

Thanks again!
 

Art

Joined Sep 10, 2007
806
Sounds like the same thing:



The inputs would normally clocks?
They are there, I think, because everything is adding capacitance either end of the buffer chip,
including PCB tracks and the buffer chip itself.
If you keep adding more clocks, in the end, the original clock fails to oscillate.
 
Last edited:

KJ6EAD

Joined Apr 30, 2011
1,581
It may be a feedback line to set the gain of the buffer, if I'm understanding your description. Post the schematic.
 

Thread Starter

pinnacle06

Joined Feb 9, 2007
16
In this particular case it is a clock input for a digital microphone. But I have seen this 1k resistor on digital input pins for other devices as well such as a clock line for SPI as well. I have been confused as to why it's there. I'll try and dig around a little more and figure it out.

Thanks a lot for the help!
 

KJ6EAD

Joined Apr 30, 2011
1,581
I suspect we're missing some information such as a connection to Vcc or ground. Considering that the basic function of a resistor in a circuit is usually to divide voltage or limit current, could the present case be a pullup/pulldown or some kind of crude level shifter?
 
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Thread Starter

pinnacle06

Joined Feb 9, 2007
16
That is really all there is to it... there is no other connection on that line but I think it might be a mistake. Since I do not understand it, I am going to build the board with a 0 ohm and experiment with it. Thanks a lot for the help!
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,618
A series resistor of 33Ω or 50Ω for impedance matching is common for fast signals.

1kΩ resistor in series with the input can be used to protect the inputs if the signal level is higher than the chip's supply voltage. You don't indicate this is the case.
 

WBahn

Joined Mar 31, 2012
29,930
If you have fast transitioning signals, it can inject noise into other parts of the circuit (via several mechanisms) or radiate and cause EMI problems. A series resistance, in combination with the parasitic capacitance, can slow the signal edges and reduce the problem. Not necessarily the best way to go about it, but quick, dirty, and cheap.
 

atferrari

Joined Jan 6, 2004
4,763
In (most or all?) Microchip's PICs, a resistor is reccomended at one of the oscillator inputs when there is an AT strip cut crystal used.
 

Tesla23

Joined May 10, 2009
542
The 50R at the output of the HC buffer looks like a source termination resistor as suggested by Mr Chips. This would make sense if the "Digital In" pin of the "chip" is edge sensitive as the source termination, if done correctly, will eliminate ringing.

Google 'source termination clock edge' or similar.
 
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