Atomic clock shrinks to chip size for high-end handheld apps

Atomic clock shrinks to chip size for high-end handheld apps

The SA.45s chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) lays claim to the title of the industry’s smallest, lowest-power atomic oscillator. The device has a volume of just 16 cc, weighs only 35 g, requires but 115 mW, and provides time accuracy two orders of magnitude better than the higher-power quartz-based solutions it can replace. It is aimed at high-end portable applications requiring precise sync / time keeping in GPS-denied environments, and suits applications such as dismounted IED jammers, unmanned aerial vehicles, next-generation man-pack radios, military handheld GPS units, and geophysical sensors.

Available in standard and military temperature-range configurations, the CSAC requires no maintenance. The device can be soldered to pc board using its through-hole pins, and it operates from a standard 3.3-V supply to provide a 10-MHz high-impedance square-wave output.

The clock ships with a center frequency accuracy of ±5.0 x 1011 and its center frequency can be adjusted as often as the user desires using a command sent over the device’s built-in RS-232 interface. The unit will survive a shock of up to 500 G on any axis, and is tested to the vibration profile of MIL-STD-810, Method 514.5, Procedure 1, Category 24. ($1,500 ea / small qty — available now.)

Symmetricom , San Jose , CA
Information 888-367-7966

http://www.symmetricom.com