Microchip has released an upgraded version of the HMM-2020 Hydrogen atom clock

     Currently, applications in metrology, deep space research and global navigation all rely on the precise frequency and timing provided by commercial atomic clock technology. To meet these application needs, Microchip Technology, through its subsidiary Microsemi Corporation, has released an upgraded version of the HMM-2020 hydrogen atom clock, which offers a nearly tenfold increase in long-term stability over the previous generation of the HMM-2010. In addition, building on the original service life and acquisition cost advantages of the HMM-2010, the updated product adds a color touchscreen display and a secure network management port to take the user experience to a new level.

     In the right environment, hydrogen atoms emit microwaves at a frequency of 1420405751 Hertz (Hz), and the hydrogen clock uses this principle to achieve stability. Phasing this extremely low-power and high-purity signal into a high-performance quartz oscillator produces a clocked output signal with the necessary long-term stability and phase noise for precise time control. Microchip's active hydrogen clock is the world's most advanced commercial atomic clock, and it is four times more stable than the passive hydrogen clock. Compared with cesium beam tube atomic clock, it has better short-term stability.

     The HMM-2020 Hydrogen clock, designed and manufactured in the United States, features novel drift compensation that significantly improves long-term clock drift and performance aging issues, which are important for applications such as metrology and timing. The new product retains the long service life and low cost of acquisition of the HMM-2010 hydrogen atom clock, which makes it the first choice for national laboratories around the world to maintain Universal Standard Time (UTC) in cooperation with the International Bureau of Metrology (BIPM) standard.

     The new product enables users to achieve long-term aging rates of less than 3E-16 / day, while improving temperature stability (tempco) and reducing magnetic field sensitivity. In addition, the short-term clock stability in the 1-100 second range can meet the stringent requirements of very long baseline interferometry (VLBI), such as black hole research in radio astronomy or other applications requiring low noise, accurate frequency and timing benchmarks.

     Randy Brudzinski, corporate vice president and general manager of Microchip's Frequency and Time Business unit, said: "As a leading provider of commercial atomic clock solutions, Microchip will continue to invest and develop in atomic clocks to provide customers with new capabilities. "The HMM-2020 builds on the benefits of the HMM-2010 products, and we will offer upgrade support to customers who have purchased HMM-2010 products in the past five years, enabling them to benefit from Microchip's technological advancements without having to purchase a new system."