which integrate the company's renowned embedded atomic clock and oscillator technologies, such as the CSAC (Chip-Scale Atomic Clock) and MAC (Miniature Atomic Clock) clocks, and the OCXO (Oven-Controlled Quartz Crystal Oscillators).
GNSSDO modules process reference signals from GNSS or another clock source and force the built-in oscillator to follow the reference signal, enabling precise timing, stability, and persistence based on application requirements. These GNSSDOs are used in military and defense applications such as radar, satellite communications (SATCOM), fixed and portable radios, vehicle platforms, and other critical PNT applications, including environments without GNSS access.
A GNSSDO module functions as a PNT subsystem within a larger system or as a standalone system, providing the precise timing that is essential for any high-performance system. The oscillators used in GNSSDO modules are developed and manufactured by Microchip, ensuring that customers have a product they can rely on. Other Microchip components in the module include their 32-bit microcontrollers and SmartFusion® 2 FPGAs.
New Microchip GNSSDO modules include:
The MD-013 ULTRA CLEAN is the highest-performing standard GNSSDO module, compatible with various GNSS constellations, including GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, and NavIC, or an external reference input. This module's design is based on a high-performance OCXO, featuring ultra-low phase noise outputs and excellent short-term frequency stability.
The phase noise is −119 dBc/Hz at a 1 Hz offset, and the background noise is −165 dBc/Hz. Short-term frequency stability, measured by Allan Variance (ADEV), is 3E-13 at 1 s tau, 6E-13 at 10 s tau, and 9E-13 at 100 s tau. This module can generate 1 PPS TTL outputs of 10 MHz sine wave and 10 MHz square wave, following an embedded 72-channel single-band GNSS receiver, with the option to upgrade to a multi-GNSS receiver with configurable dual-band L1/L2 or L1/L5 configurations.
The MD-300 is a ruggedized GNSSDO module from Microchip measuring just
1.5 × 2.5 inches. The MD-300 features an embedded OCXO or TCXO as its local oscillator, providing low sensitivity to gravitational acceleration, high shock and vibration tolerance, and low response to thermal transients. Thanks to its size, weight, and performance, the MD-300 is ideal for applications such as drones and handheld terminals. This module can be connected to an embedded GNSS receiver or an external reference and generate high-performance 10 MHz, 1 PPS signals.
The LM-010 is a PPS module that provides precise timing for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) applications requiring radiation tolerance, stability, and persistence. As a standard platform module, the LM-010 delivers 1 PPS TTL and 10 MHz sine wave outputs that track an external reference signal. The module incorporates either a digitally corrected Microchip OCXO or a low-power SA.45 CSAC.
“Microchip’s deep expertise in PNT systems is paramount in helping our customers fully integrate these GNSSDO modules into their designs,” said Randy Brudzinski, corporate vice president of Microchip’s Frequency and Timing Systems business unit. “Our products can be tailored to meet the requirements of each application, whether through a custom solution or incremental upgrades from a standard product. We deliver a complete solution that streamlines the development process.”.
Microchip's GNSSDO modules use a common serial communication protocol and a graphical user interface to manage and control the unit. Various parameters can be configured via software, including inputs, outputs, auto-switching, persistence parameters, GNSS tracking and observables, and messages from the serial interface.
Development Tools:
The GNSSDO range is supported by VDOM3 software and graphical user interface to help developers fine-tune GNSSDO module parameters and quickly integrate these products into their systems. They also feature the MD-01X evaluation kit for easy connection and monitoring of the GNSSDO MD-01 series.
