Ferroelectric Resonator Oscillator

To address the Navys need for a high-G mechanical-shock- and temperature-shock-tolerant oscillator as a replacement for quartz temperature-compensated crystal oscillators (TCXOs), Physical Optics Corporation (POC) successfully developed a new tunable Ferroelectric Resonator Oscillator (FEROS) based on a barium strontium titanate (BST) ferroelectric material system. FEROS offers performance comparable to that of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based devices, with small form factors and the ability to withstand the harsh environment of a high-velocity, gun-launched guided projectile, which directly addresses the Hyper Velocity Projectile, SHD FY15-17, PEO IWS 3C Surface Gunnery Program requirements for high-G miniaturized GPS receivers. In Phase I, POC demonstrated the feasibility of FEROS by developing a prototype Clapp oscillator operating at 88 MHz and phase noise of -70 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz offset. In Phase II POC will further refine the approach and build prototype devices; characterize the devices frequency accuracy, temperature stability, phase accuracy, and temperature and shock shifts; and deliver prototype devices for government testing.