Cambridge-based OptiSynx is looking for funding to take its frequency reference, which replaces atomic clocks in basestations, into production.

“The aim is to have it coming off a manufacturing line this time next year,” CEO Dr Dominic Mikulin told EW. “We would prefer funding from a couple of development partners, but we are also looking for investors.”

The firm’s intellectual property, proven following first round funding in August last year, is a molecular frequency reference designed as a replacement for caesium and rubidium atomic clocks. “It uses existing telecoms components initially, and there is no reason it could not be shrunk down to 5x5x1cm,” said Mikulin.

His target market is telecoms basestations. “In the US, every CDMA basestation has an atomic clock,” said Mikulin. “GSM in the UK gets its reference down the E1/T1 backhaul, but if GSM operators want to move to less expensive Gigabit Ethernet backhaul, they will also need accurate references in basestations.”

According to Mikulin, the options are currently: a $35,000 caesium reference, or a less accurate but smaller $700 rubidium clock with off-line correction from GPS satellites. “Operators don’t like GPS because it is vulnerable to aerial damage and RF pollution,” he said.

OptiSynx’ molecular clock needs no outside assistance, and the firm claims it will deliver the stability of caesium at a cost and size approaching that of rubidium - with lower lifetime cost than either.

The life cost claim is based in the molecular reference being entirely solid state, with no microwave cavity. “The only component that dies is the laser diode,” said Mikulin who expects a 15 year life.

The firm’s oscillator remains largely undisclosed, involving the oscillation of a molecule at hundreds of THz (infra-red). Key to the invention is a laser diode-based technique that mixes the output down to RF in a single step with a stable division ratio, said Mikulin.