API Technologies Introduces Radiation Tolerant Voltage Controlled Surface Acoustic Wave Oscillators (VCSOs)

Manufactured using a MIL-PRF-38534 Class K certified facility

API Technologies Corp. a leading provider of high performance RF/microwave, power, and security solutions for critical and high-reliability applications, now offers a new line of radiation tolerant voltage controlled Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) oscillators (VCSO) for space, satellite communications, and aerospace systems. API Technologies is the first manufacturer of radiation tolerant VCSOs utilizing a MIL-PRF-38534 Class K certified facility.

The API725 Series high performance line of SAW oscillators provides superior performance at operating frequencies of 350 MHz to 4,000 MHz. In addition, by employing a domestic, in-house SAW wafer fab, API’s design engineers are able to provide superior quality control resulting in consistently designed high-quality products.

These radiation tolerant VCSOs offer an excellent solution for satellite communication systems, by providing low phase noise for enhanced system performance in frequency ranges not covered for fundamental crystal oscillators or dielectric resonator oscillators.

The VCSOs deliver low phase noise performance of -109 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz and low vibration sensitivity of 2 x 10-9 per g. Although offered as standard products, these space-qualified VCSOs can also be modified to customer requirements for output frequency, frequency range, and control voltage sensitivity.

Michael Schweyer, product line manager, RF/Microwave & Microelectronics API Technologies said, “With significant space heritage, API Technologies is a proven partner for high-reliability RF/microwave and hybrid components for space systems, satellites, and launch vehicles. API is proud to have two facilities with MIL-PRF-38534 Class K – out of only 18 world-wide.”

API’s VCSOs meet exceptional radiation tolerance at testing levels with radiation exposure to a total dose of 200K Rads (Si). The VCSOs are constructed in hermetically sealed Kovar packages using hybrid construction to provide high-reliability and outstanding performance over a wide temperature range of -55°C to +100°C.

The API725 Series includes models with an internal frequency multiplication of 2 or 4 to provide output frequencies in the 700 MHz to 4,000 MHz range. VCSOs are available in MIL-PRF-38534 Class H and Class K.

API Technologies has a long and successful heritage in the development and manufacturing of RF & Microwave components and subsystems for military, space, and commercial applications. Product offerings include: filters, filter subsystems, small signal amplifiers, high power amplifiers, switched filter banks, system-level-ready Active Antenna Array Units (AAAU) used in AESA Radars, filtered GPS LNAs, a wide variety of passive and active components, complex frequency sources, and hybrid microelectronics. For more information, visit micro.apitech.com.

About API Technologies Corp.
API Technologies is an innovative designer and manufacturer of high performance systems, subsystems, modules, and components for technically demanding RF, microwave, millimeter wave, electromagnetic, power, and security applications.  A high-reliability technology pioneer with over 70 years of heritage, API Technologies products are used by global defense, industrial, and commercial customers in the areas of commercial aerospace, wireless communications, medical, oil and gas, electronic warfare, unmanned systems, C4ISR, missile defense, harsh environments, satellites, and space. For more information, visit www.apitech.com.