TCXOs Make the Grade for Space Missions

Space missions require components with high radiation tolerance and small size, and the QT8220 Series of temperature-controlled crystal oscillators (TCXOs) from Q-Tech Corp. fits the bill with multiple outputs.

Designed for clock frequencies from 20 to 100 MHz, the TCXOs are available with two to four CMOS outputs housed in a hermetic, 32-pin flatpack (see image above). They can be specified for either +3.3 or +5.0 V DC voltage supply and provide impressive ±0.5- to ±4.0-ppm frequency stability over a temperature range of –40 to +85°C.

Generating multiple outputs from a single package encourages circuit designs with reduced size, weight, and power (SWaP) for use on satellites and other space applications, such as clocking multiple microprocessors with a sole source. The TCXOs boast low jitter and phase noise, with better than 100-kRad(Si) total ionizing dose (TID) radiation tolerance. They're screened and inspected for quality conformance to MIL-PRF-55310, Level S for space. 

Scott Sentz, vice-president of sales and marketing from Q-Tech, explains, “Our new quad-output CMOS TCXOs allow designers to clock multiple inputs, such as multiple FPGAs, with just a single component, rather than needing multiple oscillators for the same functionality.”

Concerning the significance of the clock oscillators for space applications, Sentz adds, “As the first space-qualified, multiple-output TCXOs, the QT8220 Series offers unmatched SWaP benefits for demanding full space environments.”