High performance, crystal oscillators for space applications

A family of space qualified, high performance, oven compensated, crystal oscillators have been developed employing stress compensated (SC-cut) resonators. The oscillators use rugged oven designs, robust enough to withstand launch vibration while reducing thermal losses to ensure low power operation. Electronic circuits are implemented using thick film hybrid technology, with interconnections via film wire flexible circuits, to achieve minimum size, weight and high reliability. Typical frequency stabilities of ± few pp10⁸ over -40°C to +75°C, coupled with ageing rates of less than ±1pp10¹⁰/day have been achieved with power consumptions of less than 450 mW. Phase noise at 1 kHz offset is -153 dBc/Hz. Environmental testing includes vibration, thermal vacuum and radiation