ESA Open Invitation to Tender: 1-10755
Open Date: 04/05/2021 11:44 CEST
Closing Date: 15/06/2021 13:00 CEST

Crystal oscillators used in Telecommunication and radar communications systems are typically needed forthe signal spectral purity:the phase noise of the oscillator together with its stability limits the overall system.Crystal Oscillators (XO) are currently madeof resonators combined with multipliers and integrated together in an hermetic package. They are not frequency flexible (a multiplier needs to be developed for any specific required output frequency), they are costly, bulky (only lead packages are available), andthey require a long procurement lead time. One solution to overcome those limitations would be to implement, in a miniaturised Surface Mounted Device package (SMD package, without leads), the frequency resonators with PhaseLocked Loop (PLL) synthesizers. PLLs arecapable of producing a controlled and programmable output frequency signal. Thus, when combining PLL synthesizers with crystal resonators, the oscillator can achieve flexible high-frequency oscillation output signal.In addition, the use of XO based on PLL will allow the following improvements:- Decrease the cost by a ratio of ten: from a thousand euros to a few hundreds euros,- Decrease the procurement time, currently 24 weeks. During production, oscillators manufactured with PLLcan be screened and available in stockwithout a pre-defined output frequency. The manufacturer can programthe PLL to adjust the oscillator to the requested electrical configuration and output frequency very rapidly,when required.The PLL synthesizer requested in this component should be programmed towork in CMOS, LVDS orLVPECL modes and should allow operating at very high frequencies (>200 MHz for CMOS and 1500MHzfor LVDS and LVPECL).This activity encompasses the following tasks:- Literature Review and Market Survey- Technology and Process Review for the selection of promising solutions- Development and Manufacturing of rad hard and flexible SMD XO with programmable PLL,- Electrical Characterization and reliability assessment of the new developments for space application,including thermal cycling, frequencyageing, Construction Analysis, radiation testing.- Identification of Limitations, Improvements and roadmap for future Crystal Oscillator Space qualificationProcurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to esa-star publication news – “Industrial Policy measures for non-primes, SMEs and RD entities in ESA programmes”.

Directorate: Directorate of Tech, Eng. Quality
Estabilishment: ESTEC
ECOS Required: No
Classified: No
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Contracts Officer: Franziska Isabella Erkelens-Sickinger
Initiating Service: TEC-EDC
IP Measure: C1
Prog. Reference: E/0901-01 – Technology Developme
Tender Type: Open Competition
Open To Tenderers From: AT+BE+CH+CZ+DE+DK+EE+EL+ES+FI+FR+GB+HU+IE+IT+LU+NL+NO+PL+PT+RO+SE
Technology Keywords: 23-B-I-Passive Components
Products Keywords: 1-C-1-c-Crystals