Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03L—AUTOMATIC CONTROL, STARTING, SYNCHRONISATION OR STABILISATION OF GENERATORS OF ELECTRONIC OSCILLATIONS OR PULSES
  • H03L1/00—Stabilisation of generator output against variations of physical values, e.g. power supply
  • H03L1/02—Stabilisation of generator output against variations of physical values, e.g. power supply against variations of temperature only
  • H03L1/04—Constructional details for maintaining temperature constant

Definitions

• the invention relates to crystal oscillators, and more particularly, to a heating system for a double-ovenized oscillator on a printed circuit board.
• Oven controlled Xtal Oscillators are used in high frequency applications.
• the Double oven construction ensures a stable operating temperature, diminishing temperature fluctuations that would affect the function of the piezoelectric resonator, introducing error into the frequency.
• the double oven configuration operates by maintaining both ovens above the maximum operating ambient temperature. The crystal characteristics are matched to this temperature for operation at a 0 slope point on the frequency- temperature curve. This curve is commonly represented by a third or fourth order polynomial describing the dependence of frequency on temperature. The nature of this dependency results in even small fluctuations in temperature producing noticeable effects on frequency stability.
• One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for the regulation of temperature of a crystal oscillator, the system comprising: a thermally conductive support disposed upon a substrate and upon which is disposed the crystal oscillator, an array of thermal vias disposed around the crystal oscillator within the substrate, at least one primary heater communicating with the support, a thermal enclosure communicating with the array of thermal vias, and at least one secondary heater communicating with the enclosure.
• Another embodiment of the present invention provides such a system further comprising an oscillator housing.
• a further embodiment of the present invention provides such a system further comprising oscillator circuit components disposed within the enclosure.
• Still another embodiment of the present invention provides such a system further comprising temperature control devices communicating with the support.
• One embodiment of the present invention provides a crystal oscillator, the oscillator comprising : a single printed circuit board, a primary heater, metallic plane disposed on the single printed circuit board in thermal communication with the heater, a piezoelectric resonator; disposed upon the metallic plane, a primary thermal enclosure disposed about the metallic plane, and at least one secondary heater, disposed externally to primary thermal enclosure.
• Another embodiment of the present invention provides such a crystal oscillator further comprising a secondary enclosure housing; the housing encompassing the printed circuit board.
• a further embodiment of the present invention provides a crystal oscillator further comprising oscillator circuitry with at least one circuit component disposed within the primary thermal enclosure.
• Still another embodiment of the present invention provides such a crystal oscillator further comprising thermal vias disposed within the printed circuit board.
• a still further embodiment of the present invention provides such a system wherein the thermal vias communicate with a thermally conductive inner layer.
• Yet another crystal oscillator further comprising a proportionally controlled temperature sensing and control system whereby the metallic plane is maintained at an oscillator operating temperature.
• Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a plan view of a double oven oscillator device on a single printed circuit board configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating a cross sectional elevation view of a pseudo double oven oscillator device on a single printed circuit board configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 3 is a graph illustrating a thermal analysis of an enabled primary oven of a double oven oscillator device on a single printed circuit board configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 4 is a graph illustrating a thermal analysis of an enabled secondary oven of a double oven oscillator device on a single printed circuit board configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 5 is a graph illustrating a thermal analysis of enabled primary and secondary ovens of a double oven oscillator device on a single printed circuit board configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 6 is a graph illustrating Frequency Voltage stability for a ⁇ 5% voltage change in power supply of a double oven oscillator device on a single printed circuit board configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 7 is a graph illustrating Phase noise of a double oven oscillator device on a single printed circuit board configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 8 is a graph illustrating Allan deviation of a double oven oscillator device on a single printed circuit board configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 9 is a graph illustrating the effect of air flow and CO 2 blast on a single oven oscillator device.
• Figure 10 is a graph illustrating the effect of air flow and CO 2 blast on a double oven oscillator device on a single printed circuit board configured in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
• a crystal oscillator 30 requiring high temperature stability is in thermal contact with a heated, thermally conductive plane 12 disposed on a board or substrate 13, which is itself disposed in a housing 18.
• the metallized plane 12 is heated by a primary heating element 14, in one embodiment this heating element 14 is a thermal dissipating heat element equipped with a temperature sensor and regulator 16. In one embodiment the temperature sensing and regulation functions are performed by a controlled feedback system.
• a via array of thermal vias 22 is disposed on the board surrounding the plane 12. In one embodiment of the present invention the array may be square, circular, oval, rectangular, or another suitable geometry configured to be used with a thermal enclosure 36.
• the array may be disposed about a periphery of a desired secondary oven enclosure 24.
• Such vias may be conductors of ground current.
• other temperature sensitive components 34 may be disposed within the array.
• the thermal vias described may be thermally conductive material other than that of the circuit board, such as metals, whereby heat may flow. Examples of via material include copper and thermally conductive epoxy.
• a thin walled metal can 36 or other suitable enclosure is soldered or thermally coupled to the vias 22 thereby forming a secondary enclosure around the heated plane 12 and the crystal 30 and other temperature sensitive components 34.
• a secondary heating system having one or more heating elements 26 and an associated feed back circuit sensor 20 heats the vias 22 and the thin walled metal can 36.
• such heating elements 26 are thermal dissipating elements, while other embodiments may utilize transistors, resistors, and could be either bipolar or mosfets.
• the vias 22 that are thus heated form a thermal wall or barrier, and provide a path for the transfer of heat to a thermally conductive inner layer 32 disposed within the board.
• the crystal 30 and oscillator components 34 are thus enclosed in a thermal envelope heated to a desired temperature.
• One embodiment of the present invention thus provides double oven assembly having an "inner” oven assembly surrounded by a heat shield on all sides, emulating a conventional double oven assembly.
• an additional outer housing is provided, passively shielding the double oven assembly.
• a pre-tinned crystal flange is soldered to a metal plane.
• At least one heater and temperature sensing thermistor is disposed in direct contact with the metal plate, and beneath a glassed portion of a crystal enclosure.
• An oscillator circuit in one embodiment a Colpitts oscillator circuit, is placed around the crystal enclosure. Together, these elements form a primary oven.
• the metal plane in such an embodiment is configured to be disposed in the top most layer, and is disposed in that area beneath the crystal.
• Two additional heaters may be disposed and coupled to the thermal via arrays described above. In one such embodiment the heaters are soldered to a copper square surrounding the metal plane and in which the array is disposed.
• a thermally conductive can is soldered to the via array.
• Thermal vias disposed in a thin copper square may be provided to transmit heat to an inner layer. Controlled depth vias or other similar structures may be used to provide crystal attachment without compromise of the heated inner layer.
• the copper layer may be coupled to a temperature sensor.
• an LPP (Low Profile Package) crystal package can be used wherein glass is omitted.
• the underside of the pack is metal or ceramic and is soldered to the PCB plane.
• the thermistor is placed to the side of the crystal.
• a unit designed using the binary oven (dual oven) concept has been tested.
• the unit thus tested includes a board assembly housed in a CO-8 eurocase enclosure.
• the crystal used is a 3 rd overtone 5 MHz SC in an HC- 37/U holder.
• FIGURE 3 Thermal analysis with primary (inner) oven enabled and secondary (outer) oven disabled is illustrated in FIGURE 3. As shown, results are provided for tests of the design at 10 0 C, 35°C and 70 0 C . This is compared with Thermal analysis results illustrated in FIGURE 4, wherein primary oven is disabled while the secondary oven is enabled. The thermal gain at the crystal in either scenario is comparable to that of a standard single- oven eurocase OCXO.
• FIGURE 5 shows the performance with both ovens enabled. Dramatic increase is noted in thermal gain at the crystal, with the negligible change in the TempCo magnitude.
• FIGURE 6 Frequency-Voltage Stability for a ⁇ 5% change in supply voltage is illustrated in FIGURE 6. Phase noise for such a device is illustrated in FIGURE 7, Allan Deviation is illustrated in FIGURE 8.
• the frequency stability of the dual-heater device configured according to one embodiment of the present invention is markedly improved over the standard single-oven OCXO in the eurocase enclosure (both units are at + 10 0 C).
• the effect of airflow and CO 2 blast on a single oven is illustrated in FIGURE 9.
• the effect on a double oven configured in accord with one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGURE 10.

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• Oscillators With Electromechanical Resonators (AREA)

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• 2007
  • 2007-10-23 US US11/876,835 patent/US7589599B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2008
  • 2008-10-21 JP JP2010531156A patent/JP4977250B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-10-21 DE DE112008002824T patent/DE112008002824T5/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2008-10-21 GB GB201005569A patent/GB2466151C2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2008-10-21 WO PCT/US2008/080569 patent/WO2009055349A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2008-10-21 CN CN2008801107174A patent/CN101821950B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

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