Chip scale atomic clock (CSAC) is designed for mission-critical military projects
Precise timing is required for advanced military platforms, ocean-bottom survey systems and remote sensing applications, says Microchip, as it introduces the SA65 chip scale atomic clock (CSAC).
The CSACs are used to ensure stable and accurate timing even when global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) time signals are unavailable. Microchip’s SA65 CSAC is environmentally rugged and has double the frequency stability over a wider area of the earlier SA.45s CSAC. It also has faster warm up at cold temperatures. The SA65 has an operating temperature range of -40 to 80 degrees C and a storage temperature range of -55 to 105 degrees C. The warm-up time of two minutes at -40 degrees C is 33 per cent faster than that of the SA.45s.
The SA65 CSAC is intended to be portable for military applications such as assured position, navigation and timing (A-PNT) and command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR), which require precise frequencies generated by a low size, weight and power (SWaP) atomic clock.
The CSAC also has improvements such as fast warm-up to frequency after cold start, temperature stability over a wide operating range, and frequency accuracy and stability, all of which extend operation while GNSS is denied help, says Microchip.
Claimed to be the world’s lowest-power commercial atomic clock, the CSAC provides precise timing for portable and battery-powered applications requiring continuous operation and holdover in GNSS-denied environments. The SA65 is form-, fit- and function-compatible with the SA.45s, which minimises risk and redesign costs when upgrading to improve performance and environmental insensitivity.
The CSAC family of atomic clocks is supported by Developer Kit 990-00123-000, as well as associated software, a user guide and technical support.
Microchip Technology provides smart, connected and secure embedded control solutions and development tools. The company’s solutions serve more than 120,000 customers across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defence, communications and computing markets. It is headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, USA.
