SiTime Introduces Rugged Endura MEMS Oscillators for Military and Aerospace Applications

Learn about SiTime's newest MEMS oscillators.

SiTime’s Endura products stand up to extremes in temperature, shock, and vibration. These MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) oscillators can be stable up to four parts per trillion per “G” force of acceleration, which is fifty times better than what’s currently possible with quartz oscillators.

The Endura MEMS timing solutions are aimed at applications in:

• Field communications
• Satellite communications
• Precision GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems such as GPS)
• Avionics
• Space

 

The Challenges of Aerospace/Military Applications

Typically, the specs associated with aerospace and many military applications are related to ruggedness, especially vibration and extremely high or extremely low temperatures. According to Piyush Sevalia, SiTime's Executive President of Marketing, "legacy timing components have been prone to failure," in these environments, "degrading system performance and reliability.”

“To solve these problems, SiTime created an oscillator system of silicon MEMS, analog circuits, compensation algorithms and advanced packaging, which is designed to outperform any other available timing solution in harsh environments.”

One very unusual feature of SiTime’s line is the extreme customization that’s available. The company provides a Parts Number Generator page where the user selects the device, and customization options appear. Parameters such as frequency stability, temperature, and packaging can be chosen. SiTime even provides a newly generated part number and suggests an appropriate device evaluation board.

While the Endura oscillators haven’t been entered into that page as yet, the company states that from the list of 17 programmable oscillators, the level of customization possible is such that 5 million possible part numbers that can be created.

The Endura Family

Endura family devices conform to MIL-PRF-55310, a military-grade standard that is specific to crystal-controlled oscillators.

The family overall has a maximum operating temperature range of -55ºC and +125ºC with some falling within those ranges. The complete list of the seventeen total products, subdivided into the six listed oscillator types.

 

10-pin ceramic packaging (left) and 4-pin packaging (right)

MEMS Oscillator Options

MEMS oscillators are a difficult technology but, in spite of that, SiTime is not completely alone in their manufacture.

• MMD offers their ILSI MEMS oscillators, available in QFN packages that are footprint-compatible to quartz clock oscillator devices.
• Microchip’s DSC613 family of devices is also quite customizable. Customers can configure output frequency, control pin function, package size, PPM accuracy as well as temperature range.

 

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Have you worked with military/aerospace applications? Share your experiences with ruggedized components in the comments below.