Clock dividers form an important part of many digital and analog circuits. They are used in radars as timing devices. They are used in televisions to synchronize scanning generators. They are used in quartz-crystal clocks to facilitate the function of atomic oscillators. In short, they are used in almost all those systems and devices where synchronous operation is a vital requirement.
But what exactly are clock dividers?
What are clock dividers?
Clock dividers are circuits that take an input clock signal of a frequency “Fin” and generate an output signal of a frequency “Fo”, where the output frequency (Fo) is the function of the input frequency (Fin) and is defined as:
F0 = Fin/n
What is “n”?
“n” is an integer, representing the divide ratio of a clock divider.
Alternatively speaking, clock dividers are circuits that divide an input signal of frequency “Fin” by an integer to produce an output signal of frequency “Fin/n”.
Why do we need to divide down the frequency of an input clock signal?
As you probably know, every circuit has its own frequency requirements to function properly. As such, if there is a system with multiple ICs, where each IC has its own special frequency needs, using the same clock signal may not make the system work or may even cause irreparable damage to it. This is where we need to divide the frequency of the clock signal, for which we use a clock divider.
Most clock dividers come equipped with more than one output, with each output having its own integer divide ratio. This way, you don’t have to use multiple dividers for different frequency translation specifications. It’s also worth mentioning here that clock dividers can have a narrow, as well as a broad band, and may have a fixed or dynamic divider ratio.
So how do you make these circuits? What goes into a clock divider?
Clock dividers can be designed using multiple approaches. The two most common approaches include the use of:
- D-type flip-flops
- Combinational arrangement of 555 tier resistors and 4017 IC
At ADSANTEC, we provide a wide range of programmable clock dividers that are compatible with both low and high frequency signals and can be programmed with a divider ratio of up to 256. View our complete clock divider range here.