Vectron showcases ultra-high temperature real time clock oscillators

OTC 2011, HOUSTON, USA: Vectron International, a leader in the design and manufacture of precision oscillators for Communication, Industrial, Military & Space applications, chose the annual Offshore Technology Conference in Houston Texas to announce the expansion of its high temperature oscillator product line to include High Temperature Real Time Clocks (HT RTC).

The HT RTCs, operating at 32.768 kHz, are available in three different industry standard packages with operating temperatures as high as 230 degrees C. Compared to traditional RTCs using a tuning folk resonator design, Vectron’s HT RTC solution provides unsurpassed reliability and lifetime at elevated temperature coupled with exceptional temperature stability. Furthermore, power consumption has been minimized making Vectron’s HT RTCs ideal for battery operated systems.

Vectron applied their unique compliant quartz mounting techniques to the HT RTC product platform allowing for high reliability operation in extreme environment applications, including oil and gas downhole operations with operating temperatures up to 230 degrees Celsius. Depending on the package selection, Vectron’s HT RTC is capable of surviving shock and vibration levels up 3000 g’s and 30g respectively. In addition, Vectron’s HT RTC offers unprecedented frequency vs. temperature performance of ±40pmm from -20ºC to +180ºC.

“As the industry continues to drill deeper, highly accurate and resilient electronics are increasingly being utilized. The challenge is in producing a very stable RTC that can reliably operate for long periods of time at temperatures up to 230 degrees C, and, by the way, it must use as little power as possible, as it will often be run off of batteries. Finally, because it may be in close proximity to drilling tools, it needs to be even more shock and vibe resistant than your best military grade hardware.” said Gregory Smolka, VP of the IMS Business Unit at Vectron. “We’ve been able to meet all of these objectives, with our HT RTCs, building on our ten-year history in high-temperature electronics.”

Specific features of Vectron’s Real Time Clocks include:
* Standard operating temperature (-55 to 200 degrees C).
* Operating temperature to 230 degrees C available.
* Industry leading temperature stability of +/- 40ppm.
* Industry standard package configurations – 5x7 mm, 8x8.5 mm leaded and 4 pin ½ DIL to meet thru-hole and SMT requirements.
* Low power consumption for long battery life.
* The industry’s longest lifetime at extreme temperatures.
* Lead free and compliant to EC RoHS directive.