The goal of the Chip-Scale Atomic Clock program is to create ultra-miniaturized, low-power, atomic time and frequency reference units that will
achieve, relative to present approaches:
>200X reduction in size (from 230 cm3 to <1 cm3),
>300X reduction in power consumption (from 10 W to <30 mW), and matching performance (±1´10-11 accuracy Þ <1µs/day).
Example of future payoff is wristwatch size high-security UHF communicator / jam-resistant GPS receiver.
The development of chip-scale atomic clock will enable ultra-miniaturized (wristwatch in size) and ultra low power time and frequency references for
high-security UHF communication and jam-resistant GPS receivers. The use of these ultra-miniature time reference units can greatly improve the
mobility and robustness of any military systems and platforms with sophisticated UHF communication and/or navigation requirements. The ultra-stable
frequency reference from atomic source will drastically improve channel selectivity and density for all military communications. It will also enable
ultra-fast frequency hopping in synchronized spread-spectrum communication for improved security and jam resistance and strong-encryption in data
communication. When used in military GPS receivers, it will greatly improve the jamming margin in a high-jamming environment, reacquisition
capability, and position identification accuracy. In surveillance applications, chip-scale atomic clocks can be used to improve resolution in Doppler
radars and to enhance accuracy of location identification of radio emitters. Other important uses include missile and munitions guidance, robust
electronic and information defense networks, and high-confidence identification of friends and foes. All of these applications will be characterized
by significant power reduction and/or ultra miniaturization while meeting or exceeding the performance levels of the state-of-practice approaches.
CHIP-SCALE ATOMIC CLOCK link
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