Elite RF Platform Simplifies Timing Architecture In Wireless Infrastructure

The Elite RF Super-TCXO is a class of MEMS-based temperature-controlled oscillators for 5G radios. The device is built to withstand harsh environments.

SiTime Corporation’s Elite RF Super-TCXO is a MEMS-based temperature-controlled oscillator. The new precision timing platform, EliteRF, simplifies the timing architecture of the wireless infrastructure. The Elite RF Super-TCXO enables higher bandwidth and lower latency critical to future 5G and satellite communications deployments. The Elite RF Super-TCXO can replace Mini-OCXOs, which are used for Satcom radio applications. The Elite RF Super-TCXO is more rugged, consumes less power and requires less external components, thus, making the design task cheaper and easier.

The timing platform is intended to withstand the harsh environments in which 5G radios are deployed while delivering phase noise, accuracy, and resilience in a single, highly integrated device. These devices also meet the stringent performance requirements set by the IEEE 1588v2 timing synchronization protocol. The module is suitable for applications such as infrastructure radios in small cells, remote radio units (RRU), microwave backhaul, and SATCOM equipment.

According to the company, the Elite RF Super-TCXO is a new class of MEMS-based temperature-controlled oscillators. Additionally, in the past, mini-OCXOs were the primary timing reference for 5G and SATCOM radios. Although these Mini-OCXOs offer the necessary stability to temperature changes and have decent accuracy, these devices have high power consumption and are not very reliable in harsh environments. In addition, they consume too much board space and require additional components, such as jitter cleaners and VCXOs for generating RF-enabled clocks.

“To enable new services, the radios are expected to provide 10x the bandwidth of previous generations with significantly lower latency,” said Piyush Sevalia, executive VP of marketing, SiTime. “To achieve these performance goals, next-generation radios must be deployed closer to the user, and all network nodes must be synchronized in time. The previous radio architectures used separate timing devices for the radio and for synchronization. The SiTime Elite RF platform integrates these two clocking functions, simplifying the radio timing architecture and delivering on the promise of 5G bandwidth and coverage.

Features of the Elite RF Super-TCXO Family:
• 1 to 220 MHz and frequency output
• ± 100 ppb temperature stability
• -40 °C to +105 °C operating temperature range
• ± 0.9 ppb/°C temperature slope stability
• ± 400 ppm digital control with ±0.05 ppt (parts per trillion) resolution
• 100 fs typical integrated phase jitter (19.2 MHz, 12 kHz to 20 MHz integration range)
• 0.3 ppb/day typical daily aging
• 144 mW power consumption at 1.8V
• 5.0 mm x 3.5 mm ceramic package