Crystal Alternatives

Feb. 28, 2008
While most applications will use a crystal oscillator, two options may be a better fit for your design: ceramic resonators and surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) resonators. Ceramic resonators are piezoelectric components made from materials oth

While most applications will use a crystal oscillator, two options may be a better fit for your design: ceramic resonators and surface-acoustic-wave (SAW) resonators.

Ceramic resonators are piezoelectric components made from materials other than quartz, like lead zirconium titanate (PZT). These devices are smaller than crystals and have a tolerance of about 0.5%, compared to the 0.001% or better tolerance of a quartz crystal. Where precision is only marginally important, a ceramic resonator will work nicely at much lower cost. A common application is the clock in an embedded controller.

A SAW resonator uses an inter-digital transducer on a quartz substrate. SAW devices are used mostly for UHF/microwave filters, but they can also work as the frequency-determining component in a oscillator. These oscillators usually operate at frequencies in the 300-MHz to 1-GHz range, beyond the range of most crystal oscillators. They can produce good precision (±100 ppm) and low phase noise.

Sponsored Recommendations

The Importance of PCB Design in Consumer Products

April 25, 2024
Explore the importance of PCB design and how Fusion 360 can help your team react to evolving consumer demands.

PCB Design Mastery for Assembly & Fabrication

April 25, 2024
This guide explores PCB circuit board design, focusing on both Design For Assembly (DFA) and Design For Fabrication (DFab) perspectives.

What is Design Rule Checking in PCBs?

April 25, 2024
Explore the importance of Design Rule Checking (DRC) in manufacturing and how Autodesk Fusion 360 enhances the process.

Unlocking the Power of IoT Integration for Elevated PCB Designs

April 25, 2024
What does it take to add IoT into your product? What advantages does IoT have in PCB related projects? Read to find answers to your IoT design questions.

Comments

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Electronic Design, create an account today!