Teledyne RF and Microwave provides a broad portfolio of frequency control and synthesis solutions including VCOs from 85 MHz to 8.9 GHz, YIG oscillators and filters, phase locked loops, and multi-loop synthesizers — all built with chip and wire hybrid construction and upscreenable to MIL-PRF-38534 Class H and K for defense and space programs. Find your solution.
Frequency Control and Synthesis
Across radar front-ends, electronic warfare receivers, and satellite communications payloads, precise frequency control defines system performance.
Frequency Control and SynthesisFrequency control and synthesis products are electronic components and assemblies that generate, stabilize, and control signal frequencies for radar, EW, satellite communications, and space systems. Teledyne RF and Microwave offers VCOs from 85 MHz to 8.9 GHz, YIG oscillators, and multi-loop synthesizers covering 700 MHz to 12.8 GHz.
Teledyne RF and Microwave offers frequency control and synthesis solutions for airborne radar, electronic warfare, satellite communications, and space programs. Key capabilities include: ultra-low phase noise VCOs, YIG oscillators and filters, and multi-loop frequency synthesizers with modular architecture.
- VCO Frequency Range
- 85 MHz to 8.9 GHz
- Synthesizer Frequency Range
- 700 MHz to 12.8 GHz
- VCO Phase Noise (10/100 kHz)
- -70/-95 to -103/-117 dBc/Hz
- Qualification
- MIL-PRF-38534 Classes H and K; ISO 9001; AS9100C
- Space Heritage
- 40+ years; 30+ missions; no in-flight failures
Frequency control and synthesis products from Teledyne RF and Microwave are used in radar local oscillator chains, EW frequency generation, satellite communications converters, GPS receivers, and phased array beam-forming systems within the aerospace and defense industry.
Frequency Control and Synthesis -- Overview
Frequency control and synthesis encompasses the generation, stabilization, and agile tuning of microwave signals for aerospace, defense, and space electronics. Teledyne RF and Microwave designs and manufactures VCOs, YIG oscillators, phase locked loops, and multi-loop synthesizers using chip and wire hybrid construction for maximum reliability across military and space environments.
Voltage Controlled Oscillators
- Silicon bipolar transistor designs with silicon varactor diode tuning for optimal noise and linearity
- More than 40 standard offerings in TO-8, TO-8B, and SMTO-8 packages with customization on power, tuning, and frequency
- Phase noise at 10 kHz offset from -70 to -103 dBc/Hz depending on model
- Tuning voltage range 0 to 20 V; output power 0 to 13 dBm across the 85 MHz to 8.9 GHz range
- Upscreenable to MIL-PRF-38534 Class H and K; proven on 30+ space missions
YIG Oscillators and Filters
- YIG oscillators provide highly linear frequency tuning across wide bandwidths not achievable with VCOs
- YIG filters and YIG band reject filters used in switchable filter banks and frequency selection networks
- Common in EW receivers, spectrum analyzers, and wideband radar front-end architectures
Multi-Loop Frequency Synthesizers
- Covers 700 MHz to 12.8 GHz with 25% maximum bandwidth per band
- Very low phase noise; excellent microphonic performance; no phase hits
- Programmable step size of 1 kHz standard; accepts reference frequencies from 5 to 100 MHz
- Modular architecture enables custom frequency plans with multiplier stage changes only
- Available in L, C, X, Ku, and Ka-band configurations for agile converter applications
Defense and Space Applications
Frequency control and synthesis products from Teledyne RF and Microwave have supported programs including MILSTAR, GPS, TDRS, SBIRS, MUOS, GOES-R, AEHF, and LANDSAT. With no in-flight failures across more than 30 missions and 40-plus years of space heritage, these products are trusted by design engineers specifying local oscillators, frequency references, and agile synthesis chains for mission-critical platforms.
Related Terms and Technologies
Related terms include: phase noise, phase locked loop (PLL), voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), YIG (yttrium iron garnet), frequency synthesis, direct digital synthesis (DDS), step recovery diode (SRD), SAW multiplier, harmonic suppression, tuning linearity, MIL-PRF-38534, and hi-rel upscreen. These concepts are central to specifying and qualifying frequency generation components for defense and space programs.
