Thermoelectric cooler/heater controlled crystal oscillator (TECXO)

A development is described that enables the operation of oven-controlled crystal oscillators (OCXOs) for military or special applications over the extended temperature range of -55 degrees C up to +120 degrees C in a moderately sized case, and with moderate power consumption. The implementation is a device with a thermoelectric (TE) cooler component that is a plate, one side of which is cold and the other hot. The cold side is attached to the device to be cooled, and the hot side to a heatsink. The amount of absorbed heat or the cooling level are proportional to the direct current passing through the component. In order to evaluate the potential advantages of the TECXO, a basic prototype has been developed in the laboratories of TFL. The performance of the device has been measured and analyzed. The conclusions drawn are detailed.<>