Developers need an ultra-clean timing device to solve the stringent size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints of aerospace and defense applications.
A chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) serves as an important reference in these systems. It delivers precise and stable timing where traditional atomic clocks are impractical because of size or power limitations and where satellite-based timing may be unreliable.
To meet these requirements, MicroChip Technology has launched its second generation Low-Noise Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (LN-CSAC), model SA65-LN, which features a lower profile height and an extended operating temperature range, allowing phase low noise and atomic clock stability under extreme conditions.
The company developed its own Evacuated Miniature Crystal Oscillator (EMXO) technology. It integrated it into a CSAC, allowing the SA65-LN to achieve a lower profile height of under ½ inch while maintaining a power consumption of less than 295 mW.
The new design is suitable for aerospace and defense mission-critical applications such as mobile radar, dismounted radios, dismounted IED jamming systems, autonomous sensor networks, and unmanned vehicles where size, power efficiency, and temperature resilience are crucial factors.
Its compact size, low power consumption, and high precision make it an ideal choice for these demanding use cases. In addition, this updated model operates across a broader temperature range of -40°C to +80°C, ensuring its frequency and phase stability in extreme conditions for enhanced reliability.
The LN-CSAC combines a crystal oscillator and an atomic clock in a single device, offering a noise level of −120 dBc/Hz at 10 Hz, Allan Deviation (ADEV) stability of less than 1E-11 at a 1-second averaging time, and an initial accuracy of ±0.5 ppb.
The LN-CSAC also proves frequency stability with a < 0.9 ppb/mo drift and maximum temperature-induced errors of < ±0.3ppb. This integration allows the LN-CSAC to save board space, simplify design efforts, and reduce overall power consumption compared to systems featuring two separate oscillators.
The crystal signal purity and low-phase noise of LN-CSAC are designed to ensure high-quality signal integrity, which is important in frequency mixing. Not only that, but the atomic-level accuracy also allows for longer intervals between calibrations, supporting longer mission durations and potentially lowering maintenance demands.
MicroChip Technology’s aerospace and defense solutions are designed to meet the rigorous standards of these sectors, including microcontrollers (MCUs), microprocessors (MPUs), FPGAs, power management, memory, security, and timing devices.
Article & image source by MicroChip Technology
