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.”
Learn more about timing devices
About the Author
Jack Browne
Technical Contributor
Jack Browne, Technical Contributor, has worked in technical publishing for over 30 years. He managed the content and production of three technical journals while at the American Institute of Physics, including Medical Physics and the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. He has been a Publisher and Editor for Penton Media, started the firm’s Wireless Symposium & Exhibition trade show in 1993, and currently serves as Technical Contributor for that company's Microwaves & RF magazine. Browne, who holds a BS in Mathematics from City College of New York and BA degrees in English and Philosophy from Fordham University, is a member of the IEEE.