Rubidium Oscillators are a type of atomic clock with the most accurate time standards-not as precise as Cesium, though-which is used as a time distribution service to superintend telecommunication infrastructure, Television broadcast, aerospace, defense sector, and global navigation satellite systems.
Normal oscillator circuits are prone to energy loss resulting in weak amplitude.
Hence, in order to maintain consistency of accurate oscillation at constant amplitude, rubidium “physics circuitry” is used in OCXOs. Such oscillators are called rubidium oscillators.
Rubidium oscillators are basically improvised OCXOs wherein the accuracy of rubidium oscillation further secures oven-controlled crystal oscillator’s frequency output in terms of timing accuracy, and its amplitude.
It is known that the frequency pulse of an OXCO tends to change over time resulting in inaccurate periodicity of its pulse, on account of which, it may be faster or slower.
Such changes/discrepancies are detected by the rubidium section which then swaps it with the correct frequency pulse at the output stage.
In other words, rubidium oscillators ensure the most accurate frequency at the output level and thereby making it the most dependable oscillator for all electronic applications and systems.
In technical terms, rubidium oscillators harness the OCXO frequency output to rubidium hyperfine transition/cycle of 6 834 682 610.904 Hz.
More than twenty types of rubidium oscillators are used in various applications.