Curtiss-Wright debuts quad-channel clock-generator FMC

The FMC-XCLK2 is intended for use in demanding military applications that require high-speed ADC and DAC components.

-- Test & Measurement World, 2/1/2010 7:00:00 AM

Boasting four phase-matched outputs, the FMC-XCLK2 from Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing is the company's first clock-generator module for the FMC (FPGA Mezzanine Card) marketplace. The FMC/VITA 57 module provides the high-quality clock source required for high-frequency data-sampling applications, delivering RF output frequencies ranging from 50 MHz to over 2 GHz.

The FMC-XCLK2 is intended for use in demanding military applications that require high-speed ADC and DAC components, such as ECM (electronic counter measures), SDR (software-defined radio), and radar. According to the manufacturer, the card offers a cost-effective, compact solution for clocking and synchronizing I/O, whether provided by Curtiss-Wright's family of ADC and DAC FMC modules or the customer's own I/O. It also simplifies the integration of FPGAs into embedded system designs.

The FMC-XCLK2's RF clocks are derived from either an onboard or external 10-MHz master reference source. The RF output frequency is defined by a build option using a narrowband, but low-jitter, VCO/PLL frequency multiplier. An FMC-XCLK2 can also be used as a 10-MHz reference clock source to other system components, such as clock generators. For the majority of applications, all that the FMC-XCLK2 module requires of the host card is power, according to the manufacturer.

Prices for the FMC-XCLK2 module, which is available in both air-cooled and conduction-cooled versions, start at $4995.

Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing, www.cwcembedded.com