New Cesium Atomic Clock Provides Autonomous Precise Time of 100 ns Holdover for Months

From everyday applications such as mobile phones and banking to complex underwater missions, the need for synchronized precise timing and frequency solutions is critical to safeguard and process data as intended. Many of these applications rely on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) to provide that precise time and frequency, but GNSS is susceptible to jamming and spoofing attacks. To provide multiple industries—including telecommunications, data centers, metrology and aviation—with a long-term and precise timing and frequency solution, Microchip Technology announces the 5071B cesium atomic clock that can perform autonomous time keeping for months in the event of GNSS denials.

Microchip’s 5071B is the next-generation commercial cesium clock to the existing 5071A, which has been the primary contributor to international time for more than three decades. The 5071B is available in a three-unit height (3U) 19-inch rackmount enclosure, providing a compact product to work in environments where it can be easily transported and secured versus a larger alternative designed specifically for laboratory environments.

The 5071B has upgraded electronic components to address possible obsolescence or non-RoHS circuitry. The product provides 100 ns holdover for more than two months, maintaining system synchronization when GNSS signals like GPS are denied. For example, this capability would enable a 5G network to remain fully operational for months without GNSS (more  info).