Why should clock signals have fast rise rates?
A slow rise rate for a clock oscillator paves the way for variability in data-signal sampling. (The clock signal’s rising edge initiates the reading of data values.) But with a slowly rising clock, where exactly is the waveform’s leading edge? In fact, the functional leading edge is the actual voltage threshold that initiates data determination. Variable timing leads to advancing or retarding the logic transitions. That is, slow clock rise rates increase the potential for clock jitter. The slower the rise rate, the more exaggerated the timing variation (jitter) becomes.
