Microchip Technology unveils low-noise chip-scale atomic clock

Microchip Technology has introduced its second-generation Low-Noise Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (LN-CSAC), model SA65-LN. It features a lower profile height and operates in a wider temperature range, providing low-phase noise and atomic clock stability in challenging environments.

Chip-scale atomic clocks (CSACs) offer precise and stable timing in situations where traditional atomic clocks are impractical due to size or power constraints or where satellite-based references may be unreliable.

The SA65-LN, featuring Microchip’s Evacuated Miniature Crystal Oscillator (EMXO) technology, offers significant advancements in oscillator design. With a profile height of less than half an inch, power consumption under 295 mW, and an operating temperature range from −40°C to +80°C, this compact device delivers impressive performance. These enhanced specifications make the SA65-LN an ideal choice for a wide array of aerospace and defense applications. It is particularly well-suited for use in mobile radar systems, dismounted radios, IED jamming equipment, autonomous sensor networks, and unmanned vehicles, where size, power efficiency, and temperature resilience are crucial factors.

The LN-CSAC combines a crystal oscillator and an atomic clock in a single device, offering a low-phase noise of 10 Hz < −120 dBc/Hz, an Allan Deviation (ADEV) stability of < 1E-11 at 1-second averaging time, and an initial accuracy of ±0.5 ppb. The LN-CSAC also demonstrates frequency stability with a < 0.9 ppb/mo drift and maximum temperature-induced errors of < ±0.3ppb. These features contribute to high-quality signal integrity and atomic-level accuracy, potentially extending mission durations and reducing maintenance requirements.