C-MAC’s first TC-OCXOs deliver ±0.025 ppm over temperature
in a standard 20.7 x 13 DIL package
C-MAC MicroTechnology has introduced the first commercial products based on its proprietary TC-OCXO (temperature-compensated oven-controlled crystal oscillator) technology. Designed to combine the high stability of an OCXO with the comparatively low power consumption, small size and light weight of a TCXO, the new CFPO-20 series TC-OCXOs offer stabilities to within ±0.025 ppm over operating temperature, with output frequencies between 5 and 20 MHz.
The CFPO-20 series is aimed primarily at mobile, battery powered and remote applications such as GPS, satellite communications and secure radio. These applications commonly use both TCXOs — small, low-power yet high-stability frequency reference sources — and OCXOs — offering stabilities at least an order of magnitude better but with greater package size, power consumption and cost.
The CFPO-20 series combines the best characteristics of TCXOs and OCXOs by using a simple miniature oven to keep the crystal oscillator at an approximately constant temperature, slightly above its specified operating temperature range, and compensating for residual temperature-related frequency errors using C-MAC’s Pluto compensation technology.
As a result, the CFPO-20 series offers stability down to ±0.025 ppm (2.5 x 10–8) over the –20° to +70°C operating temperature range, or ±0.05 ppm (5 x 10–8) for –40° to +85°C, from a 3.3 or 5.0 V supply, in an industry standard 20.7 x 13.08 mm DIL package. Power consumption is less than 400 mW or 525 mW, respectively, for the above operating temperature ranges, at –20°C steady state.
Standard output frequencies are 5, 6.4, 8 and 8.192 MHz with square HCMOS output, and 10, 12.8, 16, 16.384 and 20 MHz with either square HCMOS or AC-coupled clipped sinewave output. Other frequencies in the range from 1.25 to 33 MHz are available to certain specifications upon request, as are square ACMOS and DC-coupled sinewave outputs.
The crystal ageing effect over 10 years is specified to within ±3 ppm for output frequencies up to 20 MHz and ±5 ppm for frequencies above 20 MHz, with frequency adjustment of ±5 ppm or ±7 ppm, respectively, available to compensate for ageing.
“Particularly in portable applications it is of paramount importance to minimize battery consumption, package size and cost,” said Karl Ward, Senior Design Engineer – Frequency Control Products with C-MAC MicroTechnology. “Designers welcome any component that lends a helping hand, and the CFPO-20 is a ground breaker, combining stability approaching that of an OCXO with power, size and cost more like those of a TCXO.”
July 2005
Related links:
Press release in German
Notes for Editors
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