Rakon introduces AI computing product portfolio with next-generation Ultra Stable TCXO platform launch
New platform’s first products offer best-in-class ultra-low jitter of less than 50 femtoseconds @80 MHz.
Rakon today launched Niku™, a new in-house designed ASIC semiconductor chip for Ultra Stable TCXOs (Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillators).
Niku is the successor to Rakon’s highly successful Pluto® TCXO range1. The new platform’s first products provide the essential attributes for AI computing, combining best-in-class ultra-low jitter of less than 50 femtoseconds with ±100 ppb frequency stability and high frequencies of up to 100 MHz.
Rakon Chief Executive, Dr Sinan Altug, says the launch of Niku lays the foundations for the company’s AI computing product portfolio, which delivers the performance needed to enable datacentres to meet the additional requirements created by AI workloads.
“Rakon’s industry-leading technology and products are ideally suited for overcoming the synchronisation challenges that datacentres face with real-time parallel and distributed computing, and help our customers unlock the major performance gains demanded by AI workloads, including high bandwidth availability and ultra-low latency,” says Dr Altug.
In addition to AI computing/ data centres, Niku products will also satisfy the requirements for other demanding applications such as 5G, 5G Advanced and 6G access networks, precision positioning, automotive/V2X, Industry 5.0 and satellite terminals. Positioning customers in particular will benefit from the oscillators’ excellent stability and low-g sensitivity behaviour (0.2 ppb/g).
Fig 1. Niku™ TCXO Phase Noise at 38.88 MHz |
Fig 2. Niku™ TCXO g-Sensitivity at 80MHz |
Ben Chen, Rakon’s Product Manager for Ultra Stable TCXOs says the Niku TCXO platform is a testament to Rakon’s commitment to technological excellence and innovation.
“The Niku product roadmap promises an SMD footprint range from 7 x 5 mm and 5 x 3 mm to 3 x 2 mm with continuing advances in frequency stability, further extended temperature options and g-sensitivity,” says Mr Chen.
All Niku-based oscillators feature Rakon’s game-changing crystal MEMS technology, XMEMS®, which delivers leading oscillator performance in the smallest possible package. XMEMS resonators are designed and manufactured using a proprietary wafer-level photolithographic process and offer significantly better g-sensitivity, hysteresis and frequency slope compared to traditional crystal resonators.
In addition to the XMEMS crystal and Niku ASIC, the new Niku products also feature Rakon’s proprietary Kelvin™ 2 temperature sensor, resulting in more accurate temperature compensation in the oscillator.
Rakon’s first products featuring Niku are the RTN7050A, RTN5032A and RTN5032D Ultra Stable TCXOs, with the following key specifications:
RTN7050A: SMD package: 7.0 x 5.0 x 1.5 mm | Ultra low jitter: <50 fs | Low floor noise: -170 dBc/Hz @ 38.88 MHz | High frequency: up to 100 MHz | Frequency stability: ±100 ppb over -40 to 85°C | Extended operating temperature: -40 to 105°C | Low g-sensitivity: 0.2 ppb/g | Long-term stability: ±4.6 ppm/20 yr
RTN5032A: SMD package: 5.0 x 3.2 x 1.75 mm | Ultra low jitter: <50 fs | Low floor noise: -170 dBc/Hz @ 38.88 MHz | High frequency: up to 100 MHz | Frequency stability: ±100 ppb over -40 to 85°C | Extended operating temperature: -40 to 105°C | Low g-sensitivity: 0.2 ppb/g | Long-term stability: ±4.6 ppm/20 yr
RTN5032D: Low height hermetically sealed SMD package: 5.0 x 3.2 x 1.2 mm | Ultra low jitter: <50 fs | Low floor noise: -170 dBc/Hz @ 38.88 MHz | Frequency: 10 - 50 MHz | Frequency stability: ±100 ppb over -40 to 85°C | Extended operating temperature: -55 to 105°C | Low g-sensitivity: 0.2 ppb/g | Long-term stability: ±4.6 ppm/20 yr
The launch of Niku is an important FY24 milestone for Rakon, set out in the company’s three-year growth strategy. The next product release in Rakon’s AI computing portfolio, MercuryX™, is scheduled for launch before the end of 2023 and is currently with selected customers for testing.
Product Enquiries and Availability
The Niku TCXO RTN7050A is now available for sampling. Samples of RTN5032A and RTN5032D can be pre-ordered now and will be available in Q1 2024. For more information on the new Niku Ultra Stable TCXO specifications and availability, please visit our website at https://www.rakon.com/niku
1 Rakon has shipped over 40 million Pluto-based oscillators worldwide to more than 800 customers from a range of industries, providing the performance benchmark for Ultra Stable TCXOs in the industry.
2 Patent pending