Symmetricom Develops Miniature Atomic Clock

Symmetricom introduced a miniature atomic clock based on a rubidium oscillator. The unit is one fifth the size, and consumes less than half the power compared to current atomic clock technology.



Symmetricom's new atomic clock is suitable for mobile applications, such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA). The company is positioning it as an effective solution for independent timing at base stations, as it enables the transition to cost-effective and efficient Ethernet backhaul transport.



Symmetricom said atomic clocks provide enhanced accuracy, stability and timing precision compared to quartz-based technologies. Until now, the size and power consumption of existing atomic clock technologies have exceeded that of quartz-based clocks, preventing the deployment of atomic technology in a wider range of applications. Its SA.3Xm is smaller than many of the high-end quartz oscillators and matches the same pin-outs and footprint.



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