Why Low Phase Noise Matters
Spectral Purity
Reduce unwanted noise surrounding the carrier.
RF Performance
Help preserve sensitivity and modulation quality in demanding radio architectures.
Phase noise describes short-term frequency and phase fluctuations around an oscillator’s carrier. In RF and precision clock systems, lower phase noise can reduce integrated jitter, improve spectral purity, and help preserve system performance close to the carrier.
Low Jitter
Support precision clocking and high-performance signal conversion.
Precision Timing
Provide a cleaner reference for downstream PLLs, converters, and clock distribution.
Phase Noise and Frequency Stability Solve Different Problems
Low Phase Noise
Primarily describes short-term spectral purity around the carrier. It is important for RF systems, high-performance clocks, converters, instrumentation, and other applications sensitive to close-in noise and jitter.
Frequency Stability
Describes how closely an oscillator maintains its intended frequency as temperature, time, supply voltage, aging, and operating conditions change. It becomes especially important in precision references, synchronization, and holdover applications.
Advanced systems often require both. That is where high-performance OCXO solutions become especially valuable.
Published Low-Phase-Noise Performance
OD100LP Series — 10 MHz and 100 MHz Typical Performance
Connor-Winfield’s OD100LP family is designed for applications requiring very low-noise frequency sources. The example below shows the published typical single-sideband phase-noise performance of representative 10 MHz and 100 MHz configurations.
Published typical values, not guaranteed limits. Markers represent published values; connecting lines are visual guides. Refer to the current controlled Connor-Winfield datasheet for final design requirements.
Close-in performance
The published 10 MHz OD100LP data shows particularly strong close-in performance: -95 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz, -125 dBc/Hz at 10 Hz, and -145 dBc/Hz at 100 Hz. At 100 MHz, the corresponding typical values are -65, -95, and -125 dBc/Hz.
Higher-frequency performance
At 100 MHz, the OD100LP reaches -155 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz, -165 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz, and -170 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz.
Frequency matters
The 10 MHz example demonstrates substantially better close-in phase noise, while the 100 MHz example represents an important higher-frequency application point. The appropriate comparison depends on the carrier frequency and the offset region that matters to the system.
Use the published curve
Phase-noise performance should be evaluated at the actual operating frequency and relevant offset frequencies rather than inferred from a general “low phase noise” designation.
Choose Performance Based on the Application
When Low Phase Noise Is Only Part of the Requirement
Some applications need more than a clean spectrum. Precision references may also require tight frequency stability over temperature, controlled aging, repeatable warm-up behavior, and predictable performance during holdover. In these applications, an OCXO or OCVCXO can provide the combination of spectral purity and long-term stability that a compact oscillator alone may not provide.
Spectral purity priority → Select by measured phase-noise performance
Size / power priority → TCXO / VCTCXO
Stability + aging + phase noise priority → OCXO / OCVCXO
Designed for Demanding Frequency-Control Applications
RF and microwave systems
Test and measurement equipment
Precision clock distribution
High-performance converters
Radar and defense electronics
Communications infrastructure
Instrumentation
Timing and synchronization systems