D ATA S H E E T

D9040PCIC PCI Express® 4.0 (Gen4)

Electrical Compliance Software
for Infiniium Oscilloscope

Verify and Debug your PCI Express® Designs More Easily

Keysight Technologies, Inc. PCI Express electrical performance validation and
compliance software provides you with a fast and easy way to verify and debug
your PCI Express 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1/1.0a designs for both silicon validation
(as per the PCIe® BASE specification) as well as for PCI Express 3.0, 2.0,
and 1.1/1.0a add-in cards and motherboard systems (as per the PCIe CEM
specification). In addition, this software tool will support testing using a U.2 (SFF-
8639) at speeds up to 8 GT/s.

The PCI Express electrical test software allows you to automatically execute PCI
Express electrical transmitter tests, and it displays the results in a flexible report
format. In addition to the measurement data, the report provides a margin analysis
that shows how closely your device passed or failed each test.

The PCI Express electrical test software utilizes the prescribed test methods
and algorithms as required by the PCI Express Card Electromechanical (CEM)
specifications for all current PCI Express Standards through PCIe 3.0. This
produces results that are not only consistent with the PCI-SIG® SigTest utility,
but also provides you with a fast and easy means of executing complex two-port
motherboard tests and single port add-in card test with total automation.

In addition to transmitter testing, the N5990xxA Automated Compliance and

Device Characterization Test suit sets up the M8020A and M8040A jBERT for
performing PCI Express receiver tests such as the CEM paragraph 2.8 and
2.10 compliance tests as well as the paragraph 2.3 and 2.4 Link Equalization
Tests. Additional receiver tests include Jitter Tolerance, Sensitivity, Equalization
Coefficient Matrix Scan, and Equalization Pre-Shoot De-Emphasis Scan.

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The PCI Express electrical performance validation and compliance software performs a
wide range of electrical tests as per the PCI Express CEM 3.0, 2.0, 1.1/1.0a electrical
specifications for add-in cards and motherboard systems as documented in chapter 4
of the PCIe 3.0 base specification and chapter 4 of the PCIe 3.0 card electromechanical
specification.

With the growing popularity of SSD drives, PCI Express has become the de-facto physical
layer interface for solid state storage drives. One of the more common connectors used
in SSDs today is the U.2 (also called the SFF-8639 connector). Using U.2 Test fixtures
provided by the PCI-SIG, the Keysight PCI Express electrical test software supports the
testing of U.2 based end points and root complexes at 2.5 G, 5 G, and 8 GT/s.

In addition to full swing (800 mV) testing, the software also supports testing for low-power,
half-swing devices (400 mV) as per the PCI Express Architecture Mobile Graphics Low-
Power Addendum to the PCI Express Base Specification Revision 1.0.

Features
The Keysight D9040PCIC PCI Express 4.0 electrical transmitter (TX) test software
represents the latest PCI Express TX test tool that supports PCI Express 4.0 with speeds of
up 16 GT/s. Below is a list of a few of the key features of this software package.

• PCIe 4.0 BASE TX measurements including uncorrelated TJ, DJ, and PWJ, pseudo
package loss and other parameters defined in the 0.7 version of the PCI Express BASE
specification.
• BASE spec TX measurements are supported at 16 GT/s, 8 GT/s, 5 GT/s, and 2.5 GT/s.
• Legacy support for PCI Express 3.x, 2.x, and 1.1 compliance tests (BASE and CEM).
• PCI 4.0 reference clock measurements as defined in v0.9 of the PCIe 4.0 BASE spec.
• Support for U.2 (SFF-8639) PCIe 3.0 CEM measurements for endpoint and root
complex devices (8 GT/s, 5 GT/s, and 2.5 GT/s).
• Automated DUT control for endpoint and root complex testing using a Keysight 81150A
or 81160A Pulse Function Arbitrary Noise Generator.
• New Workshop Compliance mode for rapid PCI SIG-style compliance testing including
Sigtest HTIML report files.
• Support for de-embedding of test fixtures, high speeds switches and cables 1 or the
embedding of channel or package model losses.
• Support for Keysight and BitifEye high speed switch networks to automate testing of
multi-lane DUTs.

1. Requires the purchase of the optional D9010DMBA De-Embedding or D9020ASIA Keysight

InfiniiSim Advanced Waveform Transformation Toolset for Infiniium Oscilloscopes.

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 • Test setup wizard for ease-of-use.
• Pass/fail margin analysis.
• Two-port (explicit clock and data) supported for motherboard signal quality testing 2.
• Support for both full-swing and low-power, half-swing devices.
• Supported on Keysight UXR-Series, Z-Series, V-Series, Q-Series, X-Series, and
90000A real time oscilloscopes. Also supported for 2.5 G measurements only on the
S-Series oscilloscope (See ordering information).

With the PCI Express D9040PCIC electrical test software, you can use the same
oscilloscope you use for everyday debugging to perform automated testing and margin
analysis based on the PCI-SIG-specified tests.

PCI Express Compliance Testing

To pass signal quality testing at a PCI-SIG-sponsored compliance workshop, your
product must successfully pass “Gold Suite” testing, based on the PCI-SIG SigTest
application. The SigTest application tests your device against the minimum signal-quality
performance requirements for PCIe. If you are developing receivers and transmitters for
add-in boards and system motherboards, the PCI Express electrical test software helps
you execute the SigTest tests and additional oscilloscope based TX tests. See the list of
tests in Table 3 on page 16 (for 1.1 test coverage).

While SigTest tests provide a good overview of PCI Express electrical signal quality,
it addresses only a subset of the electrical compliance measurements specified in
the PCI-SIG specification. The SigTest application also provides minimal reporting
capability with pass/fail indication and measurement values, and has limited debugging
capabilities to decipher eye mask violations or excessive jitter.

For PCI Express 4.0 measurements, the software automatically calculates uncorrelated
total jitter, uncorrelated deterministic jitter, and uncorrelated PWJ necessary for
validating new PCIe 4.0 or 3.0 compliant chipsets compliant chipsets. For devices
compliant with versions of PCI Express 2.0 or earlier, random jitter is also reported
for completeness and a voltage margin “eye” diagram is included in the final HTML
report. DJ and TJ values are specified in the PCIe 2.0 specification and are required for
compliance verification compliance verification under that version of the standard.

2. Requires a 4 channel Oscilloscope with the required bandwidth on all 4 channels or the use of
appropriate InfiniiMAX probes and SMA/3.5 mm probe head adapters.

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Figure 1: PCI Express 4.0 supports data rates up to 16 GT/s as shown above (P4 preset)

Benefits
PCI Express electrical test software benefits
The PCI Express electrical test software saves you time by setting the stage for automatic
execution of PCI Express electrical tests. Part of the difficulty of performing electrical tests for
PCI Express is hooking up the oscilloscope, loading the proper setup files, and then analyzing
the measured results by comparing them to limits published in the specification. The PCI
Express electrical test software does much of this work for you. In addition, if you discover a
problem with your device, robust debug tools are available to aid in root-cause analysis. Tools
are provided by the Keysight E2688A high-speed serial data analysis software, which you must
install on your oscilloscope to use the PCI Express electrical test software.

The software also now has an integrated interface for controlling the InfiniiSim Waveform
Transformation Toolset for de-embedding of test fixtures. Introduced with PCIe 2.0 and
also required under the PCIe 3.0 and 4.0 standards, de-embedding of test fixtures utilizes
S-parameters as input to create a de-embed model that helps to restore high frequency signal
content that is often lost or significantly attenuated by test fixtures and cables.

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This can help to recover significant jitter margin normally lost to fixtures used in a test
setup. The InfiniiSim Waveform Transformation Toolset can also be used to embed
package model losses, channel losses, or a combination of both package and channel
losses together. This can be useful for determining end of channel characteristics of your
PCIe signal.

The PCI Express electrical test software offers many more electrical tests than the SigTest
application. PCI Express electrical test software automatically configures the oscilloscope
for each test, and it provides an informative results report that includes margin analysis
indicating how close your product is to passing or failing a particular test assertion. Table
1 shows a side-by-side comparison of the capabilities of the SigTest application and the
Keysight PCI Express electrical test software. A list of the measurements made by the PCI
Express electrical test software can be found in Table 3, (Table 3 contains comparison of
SigTest vs. Keysight).

Table 1. Comparison of capabilities of the Keysight PCI Express electrical test software and
the PCI-SIG SigTest application.
Capability Keysight PCI PCI-SIG SigTest
Express software
Support for PCIe 4.0 BASE Spec BASE Spec
Integrated de-embedding support or the Yes (InfiniiSim Varies with version
embedding of channel or package loss waveform level of PCIe std.
transformation toolset
required)
Number of measurement assertions Up to 47 4
Support for PCIe CEM 1.0a, 1.1, 2.0, 3.0 Yes Yes
Support for U.2 2.5G, 5G, and 8G
Reference clock tests 12 (1.1, 2.0, 3.0) 13 0 1

(4.0)
Automated oscilloscope setup for each Yes, guided No, single setup
measurement
Measurement results Pass/fail with margin Pass/fail with
analysis measured value
CEM based measurement methodology Yes Yes
Clock recovery method PCI-SIG SigTest or PCI-SIG SigTest
1st/2nd order PLL
Brick wall filter (2.0 testing) Yes Yes
Custom HTML report generation Yes No
Support for low power device Yes No
Selectable number of tests performed Yes No
Multi-trial run support Yes No
Debug mode for “what if” analysis Yes No
Compliance test boards supported CBB1-4 CLB1-4, U.2 CBB1-4 CLB1-4, U.2
CBB CLB

1. PCI-Sig offers a separate utility (Clock Jitter) for analyzing reference clock phase jitter.

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Easy Test Definition
The PCI Express electrical test software extends the ease-of-use advantages of Keysight’s
Infiniium oscilloscopes to testing PCI Express designs. The Keysight automated test
engine walks you quickly through the steps required to define the tests, set up the tests,
perform the tests, and view the test results. You can select a category of tests all at once,
or specify individual tests. You can save tests and configurations as project files and recall
them later for quick testing and review of previous test results. Straightforward menus let
you perform tests with a minimum of mouse clicks.

The software allows you to easily specify the test standard you want to use to test the
compliance of your device. This makes test setup easy as only the appropriate tests for
the test point you pick are shown on later test selection pages.

Pick the standard you

want to test against

Choose the test point

or specific signal you
want to test

Figure 2a: The software allows you to easily specify the test standard you want to use to
test the compliance of your device. This makes test setup easy as only the appropriate
tests for the test point you pick are shown on later test selection pages

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Pick the data rates you
want to test

Test with SSC enabled

or with a clean clock
(for compliance)

Allows the Software to

automatically toggle
between compliance
patterns

Uses SigTest only for

testing to emulate
workshop testing

Figure 2b: The Device Definition dialog allows the selection of the data rates to be tested,
testing with SSC enabled or a clean clock, Automatic toggling of compliance patterns,
testing with SigTest, and more

Figure 2c: The Connection Setup dialog allows the user to setup multiple lane testing. One
or two lanes can be tested with the scope alone but all the lanes will be documented. This
testing can be automated with the use of switches available from Keysight or BitifEye

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Easy to follow
task flow for
configuring and
running tests

Select one test

or a group of
tests with a
single mouse
click

Figure 3: The Keysight automated test engine guides you quickly through selecting tests,
configuring tests, setting up the connection, running the tests, and viewing the results.
Individual tests or groups of tests are easily selected with a mouse click

PCI Express 4.0

The D9040PCIC compliance application includes support for testing PCI Express 4.0
integrated circuits. The tests supported are shown below in Figure 4. This specification
elevates the data rate for PCIe 4.0 devices to 16 GT/s. This results in a maximum
throughput of approximately 15.8 Gb/s per lane (taking into account encoding
overhead). PCIe 4.0 shares many elements in common with PCIe 3.0 including 128/130
bit encoding. Nevertheless, at 16 GT/s, the signal is significantly attenuated by a typical
FR4 channel which increases the importance of ensuring your design has the best signal
integrity possible. With Keysight oscilloscopes, you are ensured of using instruments
with the lowest noise floor in the industry which helps to ensure you will perform your
compliance tests with the greatest margin possible.

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Figure 4: PCI Express 4.0 BASE Specification transmitter tests

Figure 5: The D9040PCIC provides the option to use a user provided S-Parameter file
S-Parameter file for 8 GT/s CEM testing

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PCI Express U.2
The D9040PCIC compliance application includes support for testing PCI Express U.2
Devices and Hosts using the PCI-SIG U.2 CBB and CLB shown in Figure 6. This includes
the same Gen3 2.5, 5.0, and 8.0 Gbps tests as with CEM Add-in cards and Systems.
Your device will be tested to the parameters specified for U.2 devices. And with Keysight
oscilloscopes, you benefit from using instruments with the lowest noise floor in the
industry which helps to ensure you will perform your compliance tests with the greatest
margin possible.

Figure 6: PCI-SIG U.2 CBB and U.2 CLB

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Configurability and Guided Connections
The PCI Express electrical test software provides flexibility in your test setup. It guides you
to make connection changes with hookup diagrams when the tests you select require it.
All PCI Express electrical compliance tests you perform are based on the official PCI-SIG
approved set of test fixtures. The compliance fixtures include the Compliance Base Board
(CBB3) for add-in card testing, and the Compliance Load Board (CLB3) for motherboard
or system testing. Connection to the compliance test fixtures is selectable between SMA/
SMP cables or Keysight InfiniiMax active differential probes.

Run tests in Compliance

or Debug mode. Debug
mode allows more
configuration options when
investigating a test failure

Configure allows the

setting of test options like
De-embedding test fixtures

Figure 7: In the Configure tab you can set parameters like number of UI, noise reduction,
signal check, etc.

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If more than one test setup You are prompted to make
connection is required, you the appropriate connections
will be notified here for the set of tests

Figure 8: When you make multiple tests where the connections must be changed, you are
prompted with connection diagrams and/or photographs

Toggle circuit to switch between 2.5, 5, 8,

and 16 Gb/s. This Toggle can be automated
as well.

Figure 9: Shown here are the proposed PCI-SIG Compliance Base Board the PCI-SIG
Compliance Base Board (CBB4) for Gen4 add-in card testing, and the Compliance Load
Board (CLB4) for Gen4 motherboard or host system testing

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Reports with Margin Analysis
In addition to providing you with measurement results, the PCI Express electrical test
software provides a report format that shows you not only where your product passes
or fails, but also reports how close you are to the limits specified for a particular test
assertion. You can select the margin test report parameter, which means you can
specify the level at which warnings are issued to alert you to electrical tests where your
product is operating close to the official test limits defined by the particular version of
the PCI Express specification you are testing.

Figure 10: The PCI Express electrical test software results report documents your test,
indicates the pass/fail status, the test specification range, the measured values, and shows
how much margin you have

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 Test setup conditions

Gen2 Voltage margin

results presented in
identical format used
by SigTest

Figure 11: The HTML report provides additional details including test setup conditions,
graphical results, and test limits (where appropriate)

Figure 12: How close you are to passing or failing a test is indicated as a % in the margin
field. A result highlighted in yellow or red indicates that the margin threshold level for a
warning or failure was detected

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Extensibility
You may add additional custom tests or steps to your application using the User Defined
Application (UDA) development tool (www.keysight.com/find/uda). Use UDA to develop
functional “Add-Ins” that you can plug into your application.

Add-ins may be designed as:

• Complete custom tests (with configuration variables and connection prompts)

• Any custom steps such as pre or post processing scripts, external instrument
control and your own device control

Figure 13: Importing a UDA Add-In into your test application

Figure 14: UDA Add-In tests and utilities in your test application

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Automation
You can completely automate execution of your application’s tests and Add-Ins from
a separate PC using the Remote Programming Interface feature. You can create and
execute automation scripts right inside the application using a convenient built-in client.

The commands required for each task may be created using a command wizard or from
“remote hints” accessible throughout the user interface.

Using automation, you can accelerate complex testing scenarios and even automate
manual tasks such as:

• Opening projects, executing tests and saving results

• Executing tests repeatedly while changing configurations
• Sending commands to external instruments
• Executing tests out of ord

Combine the power of built-in automation and extensibility to transform your application
into a complete test suite executive:

• Interact with your device controller to place it into desired states or test modes
before test execution.
• Configure additional instruments used in your test suite such as a pattern generator
and probe switch matrix.
• Export data generated by your tests and post-process it using your favorite
environment, such as MATLAB, Python, LabVIEW, C, C++, Visual Basic etc.
• Sequence or repeat the tests and “Add-In” custom steps execution in any order for
complete test coverage of the test plan.

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Figure 15: Remote Programming script in the Automation tab

Compliance app + Automation engine

Custom tests
UDA add-in Matlab processing
- Custom test/Steps
- Post processing C++ Script

LabVIEW
UDA add-in
- DUT control Results
- Instrument control

Pattern Switch DUT or external

generator matrix instrument control

Live signals
DUT
Custom tests/Steps
or post processing

Figure 16: Combine the power of built-in automation and extensibility to transform your
application into a complete test suite executive

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Switch Matrix
The Keysight D9040PCIC PCI Express Compliance application, used together with
switch matrix hardware, enables fully automatic testing for a multi-lane implementation
of the PCIe bus. The benefits of this automated switching solution include:

• Eliminate reconnections, which saves time and reduces errors through automating
test setup for each lane of a multi-lane bus.
• Maintain accuracy with the use of unique D9010DMBA De-embedding and InfiniiSim
software to compensate for switch path losses and skew.
• Customize testing by using remote programming interface and the user-defined
application tool for device control, instrument control and test customization.

For information of the switching solution and configuration, visit

http://keysight.com/find/switching and Keysight U3020AS26 Switching Test Set product
page.

Figure 17: Automated testing for multi-lane digital bus interface through switching solution

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Figure 18: Switch matrix software feature enabled in the compliance application

Figure 18a: A connection diagram is provided to help setup the switch

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Reference Clock Measurements
The PCI Express 1.0a specification failed to specify the TX PLL loop bandwidth of the
reference clock receiver or phase jitter of the reference clock itself. This is important
because jitter that lies within the loop bandwidth the receiver PLL for the reference clock
will transfer onto the high speed data lines. This hole in the PCI Express specification was
corrected in the 1.1 version of the PCIe specification.

The D9040PCIC includes powerful reference clock evaluation tools including phase
jitter. The PCIe 1.1 specification calls for a very specific phase jitter filter that focuses
the measurement on the jitter that lies between 1.5 and 22 MHz. The filter also amplifies
the jitter 3 dB (peaking) within this region. The Keysight D9040PCIC includes proprietary
filtering software the that exactly implements the significantly expanded phase jitter filters
specified in the PCI Express 4.0 Specification. The D9040PCIC also includes reference
clock tests based on the PCIe 2.0 and 3.0 specification.

Utilizing Keysight’s InfiniiMax 1169A or InfiniiMax III/III+ N2802A high performance

differential probes, or direct cabled connections, you can measure your reference clock
using the test fixture, compliance load, and probing requirements specified in the PCI
Express 4.0 BASE specification.

• Reference clock tests

• Phase jitter
• Rising edge rate
• Falling edge rate
• Differential input high voltage
• Differential input low voltage
• Average clock period
• Duty cycle

Reference clock test connection using PCI Express 4.0 Test setup, load, and probe
requirements.
Reference clock
~ 12 inches measurement point

Reference clock
generator component

Differential PCB trace

2.0 pf 2.0 pf
Z DIFF = 100 Ohms (± 10%)

Figure 19: This figure shows the reference clock compliance channel, compliance load, and
probing requirement for all PCIe 4.0 reference clock tests. Note that these tests are intended
to be used to validate your PCIe reference clock at the component level

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Powerful Debugging Aids
If your device fails a test, you need to determine how it failed. To use the PCI Express
electrical test software, you must install Keysight’s high-speed serial data analysis
software, which provides you with several powerful debugging tools. Clock recovery
allows you to produce an eyediagram of your data. And mask creation and testing is
provided as well.

Installing the optional D9010PCIP Protocol decode tool provides 8b/10b or 128b/130b
decoding that allows you to identify data-dependent errors that result in eye mask
violations caused by inter-symbol interference (ISI). You can perform 8b/10b decoding
to capture and display serial data synchronized with the analog view of a serial data
stream (For PCIe 1.x and 2.x). The D9010PCIP Protocol Decode Tool also supports the
decoding of 8G and 16G PCIe data under the PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 3.0 standard.

Make sure your

compliance pattern
has the proper
disparity

Verify that your

compliance pattern is
correct or any other
pattern you may be
looking at

Figure 20: The N5463A provides 8b/10b and 128b/130b decode below

Using the Serial Data Analysis tool you can test for illegal characters in your compliance
pattern. You can also use the mask test feature to identify the specific digital patterns
that caused a specific failure in the eye diagram when testing under the 1.1 specification
(using a first order PLL).

For 2.0 testing you can use a first or second order PLL for clock recovery and apply
a TIE brick wall filter to achieve a proper clock filtering. For PCIe 3.0, you can use a
standard 1st order PLL for clock recovery. If you are testing with SSC enabled, you will
need to use a 2nd order PLL for clock recovery or use an explicit clock reference.

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Figure 21: The Serial Data Analysis and optional D9020ASIA Equalization applications allow
for the equalization of impaired 8 and 16 Gb/s signals so a clock can be recovered and
mask testing can be performed on your waveforms

Figure 22: Once the mask test is complete the Serial Data Analysis application allows you
to show the specific signal within the waveform that caused failures

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Measurement Requirement
The PCI Express electrical performance validation and compliance software require
one of the PCISIG approved compliance test fixtures (CBB or CLB) and at least two
SMA/3.5 mm cables in order to run tests. Alternatively you can also InfiniiMax or InfiniiMax
III/III+ differential probes, SMA/3.5 mm differential probe heads having the bandwidth
appropriate to the maximum PCIe data rate you plan to measure. The D9040PCIC also
requires the D9010DMBA (or D9020ASIA) to de-embed test traces or to embed trace and
package model losses for PCIe 4.0 measurements. Some measurements cannot be made
with the PCISIG compliance tet fixtures and may require you to build or acquire a custom
test board, assembly or other test fixture.

To purchase the PCI Express compliance test fixtures, consult the PCI-
SIG Web site and select the PCI-SIG specification order form link at:
www.pcisig.com/specifications/ordering_information

Compliance Description
test fixture
CBB PCI Express Compliance Base Board for testing PCI Express add-in cards
CLB PCI Express Compliance Load Board for testing PCI Express platforms
CBB2 Gen2 PCI Express Compliance Base Board for testing PCI Express add-in
cards
CLB2 Gen2 PCI Express Compliance Load Board for testing PCI Express platforms
CBB3 Gen3 PCI Express Compliance Base Board for testing PCI Express add-in
cards
CLB3 Gen3 PCI Express Compliance Load Board for testing PCI Express platforms
CBB4 Gen4 PCI Express Compliance base board for testing PCI Express CEM
based, add-in cards
CLB4 Gen4 PCI Express Compliance Load board for testing PCI Express CEM
based platforms
U-2 Pair U.2 (SFF-8639) Pair: Compliance Base Board and Compliance Load Board

Bandwidth requirements for PCI Express 4.0, 3.0, 2.0, and 1.1
PCI Express operates at 2.5 GT/s, 5 GT/s, 8 GT/s and 16 GT/s. The two tables below
provide guidelines on the minimum bandwidth and sample rate recommended for PCI
Express Transmitter measurements. In addition to transmitter measurements, phase jitter
measurements of the PCIe 100 MHz reference clock also call for a minimum sample
rate used to measure the clock as is also shown below. Use this information to help
you select the proper oscilloscope for your specific requirements. Also remember that
receiver testing requires adequate bandwidth to ensure the most accurate calibration
of your bit error ratio tester (BERT). Automated receiver calibration using the N5990xxA
Automated Compliance and Device Characterization tool and the Keysight M8020A or
M8040A J-BERT high performance BERT includes integration and control of Keysight
high performance oscilloscopes for fast BERT calibration for receiver stressed jitter and
stressed voltage testing.

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 PCI Express bandwidth requirements by data rate for transmitter measurements
and RX calibration (PCIe 3.0 and 4.0)
Data rate Bandwidth required Minimum sample rate
2.5 GT/s 6 GHz 20 GSa/s
5 GT/s 12 GHz 40 GS/s
8 GT/s 12 GHz 40 GS/s
16 GT/s 25 GHz 80 GSa/s

PCI Express sample rate requirements for reference clock measurements

PCIe standard Minimum sample rate
1.1 20 GSa/s
2.x 20 GSa/s
3.x 20 GSa/s
4.0 20 GSa/s

Recommended Test Accessories

To complete your test setup, Keysight provides a wide range of cables, adapters,
terminations, etc.

Note: While the PCI-SIG does supply Gen2, Gen3, and Gen4 test fixtures for
motherboard and add-in card testing, you will need to obtain SMP cables, adapters and
terminators from a vendor of your choice as the SIG does not supply them.

Table 2. Recommended test accessories.

Model number Description

Add-in card testing
PCI-SIG Compliance Base Board (order from www.pcisig.com/specifications/ordering_
information)
ST1847 (www.fairviewmicrowave.com) SMP 50 Ω terminators, one pair for all CBB
or equivalent lanes not probed
N2823A Phased-matched cable pair, 2.92 mm, 1 m
length, 35 GHz
80350960 (Huber+Suhner) Two SMA-SMP minibend cables
One PC power supply
One power supply load for regulation

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 Model number Description
System motherboard testing 1
PCI-SIG Compliance Base Board (order from www.pcisig.com/specifications/ordering_
information)
ST1847 (www.fairviewmicrowave.com) SMP 50 Ω terminators, one pair for all CLB
or equivalent lanes not probed
N2823A Phased-matched cable pair, 2.92 mm, 1 m
length, 35 GHz
80350960 (Huber+Suhner) Two SMA-SMP minibend cables
71L-191-321-01000 (Rosenberger) or Two SMA (m) to SMP (f) cables for REFCLK
equivalent probing
N2802A Two InfiniiMax III/III+ 25 GHz probe amplifiers
for tests using only two oscilloscope
channels
N5444A Two InfiniiMax III 2.92 mm/3.5 mm/
SMA probe head for tests using only two
oscilloscope channels
Semiconductor device testing
Semiconductor (ASIC) device (BASE spec)
N2823A Phased-matched cable pair, 2.92 mm, 1 m
length, 35 GHz
N2802A 25 GHz InfiniiMax III probe with 26 GHz
solder-in probe head (N2836A)
Optional (for all types of testing)
11667B Power splitter, DC to 26.5 GHz, 3.5 mm (f)
connectors
11636B Power divider, DC to 26.5 GHz, 3.5 mm (f)
connectors
1250-1159 Three SMA (m - m) adapters
8493B Coaxial attenuator (3, 6, 10, 20 or 30 dB),
DC to 18 GHz, SMA connector

1. Requires a 4 channel oscilloscope or (if using only two channels) two InfiniiMax II or InfiniiMax III/+
probe amplifiers and SMA/3.5 mm differential probe heads of the appropriate bandwidth for the
PCIe data rate you intend to test.

Tests Performed
The PCI Express electrical performance validation and compliance software performs
the following tests as per the PCI Express 1.0a and 1.1 electrical specifications for
add-in cards and motherboard systems as documented in Section 4 of the base
specification (“PHY”) and Section 4 of the card electromechanical specification (“EM”).
For reference, the tests performed by the SigTest application are also noted.

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For Gen2 testing coverage, the PCI-SIG decided not to create checklist, as was done
for Gen1. For test coverage refer to section 4.7.2. Table 4-8 of the PCI Express 2.0
Card Electromechanical Specification.

For PCI Express 3.0, test coverage includes items listed on table 4-18 under section
4.3.3 of the PCI Express 3.0 Base Specification.

Table 3.
Assertion no. Description Keysight PCI SigTest
Express
Transmitter tests
PHY.3.1#26 DC common mode voltage Y N
PHY.3.2#1 De-emphasis on multiple bits same Y N
polarity in succession
PHY.3.2#2 Transition bit voltage Y N
PHY.3.3#1 Transmitter eye diagram Y N
PHY.3.3#2 Unit interval without SSC variations Y N
PHY.3.3#3 Minimum D+/D- output rise/fall time Y N
PHY.3.3#4 Jitter median to max deviation Y N
PHY.3.3#5 Maximum RMS AC common mode Y N
voltage
PHY.3.3#9 Minimum eye width Y N
Receiver tests
PHY.3.4#1 Minimum receiver eye diagram Y 1
N
PHY.3.4#2 AC peak common mode input Y 1
N
voltage
PHY.3.4#6 Jitter median to max deviation input Y 1
N
System board (connector) tests
EM.4#4 Minimum jitter Y 2
Y
EM.4#20 Transmitter path eye diagram Y 2
Y
Reference clock (connector) tests
PHY.3.3#2 Phase jitter Y N/A 1

PHY.3.3#1 Rising edge rate Y N/A

PHY.3.3#1 Falling edge rate Y N/A
PHY.3.3#4 Differential input high voltage Y N/A
PHY.3.3#4 Differential input low voltage Y N/A
PHY.3.3#9 Average clock period Y N/A
PHY.3.2#2 Duty cycle Y N/A
Add-in card (connector) tests
EM.4#13 Minimum jitter Y Y
EM.4#19 Transmitter path eye diagram Y Y

1. Receiver tests provided by the Keysight PCI Express software are listed under the PCIe 1.x or 2.0
test tabs do not validate the receiver’s tolerance or ability to correctly receive data. They validate
the signal at the receiver against specified tolerances.
2. Requires a 4 channel oscilloscope or (if using only two channels) two Infiniimax or InfiniiMax III/+
probe amplifiers and SMA/3.5 mm differential probe heads of the appropriate bandwidth for the
PCIe data rate you intend to test.

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Ordering Information
Required hardware and software
• D9040PCIC is compatible with UXR Series and Z-Series, V-Series, Q-Series, X-Series
and 9000A series oscilloscopes with Infiniium software version 6.30 or greater.
• D9040PCIC is compatible for 2.5G and reference clock tests only on the S-Series
oscilloscope.
• D9040PCIC requires that your oscilloscope be licensed for either the D9010DMBA
De-Embedding or D9020ASIA Advanced Signal Integrity software tool.

Flexible software licensing and KeysightCare software support subscriptions

Keysight offers a variety of flexible licensing options to fit your needs and budget. Choose
your license term, license type, and KeysightCare software support subscription.

License terms
• Perpetual – Perpetual licenses can be used indefinitely.
• Time-based – Time-based licenses can be used through the term of the license only
(6, 12, 24, or 36 months).

License types
• Node-locked – License can be used on one specified instrument/computer.
• Transportable – License can be used on one instrument/computer at a time but
may be transferred to another using Keysight Software Manager (internet connection
required).
• USB Portable – License can be used on one instrument/computer at a time but
may be transferred to another using a certified USB dongle (available for additional
purchase with Keysight part number E8900-D10).
• Floating (single site) – Networked instruments/computers can access a license from
a server one at a time. Multiple licenses can be purchased for concurrent usage.

KeysightCare software support subscriptions

• Perpetual licenses are sold with a 12 (default), 24, 36, or 60-month software support
subscription. Support subscriptions can be renewed for a fee after that.
• Time-based licenses include a software support subscription through the term of the
license.

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Selecting your license
• Step 1. Choose your software product (eg. D9040PCIC).
• Step 2. Choose your license term: perpetual or time-based.
• Step 3. Choose your license type: node-locked, transportable, USB portable, or
floating.
• Step 4. Depending on the license term, choose your support subscription
duration.

If you are interested in obtaining a quote for this product, please contact your
Keysight representative for pricing and availability.

Learn more at: www.keysight.com

For more information on Keysight Technologies’ products, applications or services,
please contact your local Keysight office. The complete list is available at:
www.keysight.com/find/contactus

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This information is subject to change without notice. © Keysight Technologies, 2019 - 2020, Published in USA, January 22, 2020, 5992-4159EN