A crystal oscillator is said to be an electrical oscillator circuit that utilizes the mechanical resonance of a vibrating crystal made up of piezoelectric material to establish an electrical signal with an exact frequency. This frequency is found to be useful in providing a stable clock signal in digital integrated circuits, keeping a track of time (in quartz wristwatches), and to settle frequencies for radio receiver and transmitters. The most widely recognized kind of piezoelectric resonator utilized is the quartz crystals, so oscillator circuits consolidating them got known as crystal oscillators, but other piezoelectric materials including polycrystalline ceramics are utilized in comparable circuits.

A crystal oscillator, particularly that utilizes quartz crystal, works by mutilating the crystal by an electric field when a potential difference is applied to the electrode. This property is known as inverse piezoelectricity or electrostriction. As soon as the electric field is taken off, the quartz that is oscillating at a precise frequency returns to its previous shape and generates an electric field. This can even set up a voltage. The consequence is that this quartz crystal starts to act like an RLC circuit but with a much higher value of Q.

Quartz crystals are produced for frequencies ranging from a few tens of Kilo Hertz to hundreds of MegaHertz. It is estimated that more than 2 Billion crystals are produced per year. Most of them have found their use in consumer devices like clocks, computers, wristwatches, cellphones, and radios. These crystals are also used inside measuring and texting equipment like oscilloscopes, signal generators, counters, etc.

Operation

A crystal is defined as that solid where all its constituent atoms, ions, or molecules are packed in regular order, repeated pattern in all its 3 dimensions.

Whenever a crystal made up of quartz is cut and mounted properly, it very well may be made to contort in an electric field by applying a voltage to a terminal close or on the crystal. As said earlier, this property is known as Electrostriction. When the field is removed, it sets up an electric field as it gets back in its initial shape. Thus, it behaves like an RLC circuit, made up of a capacitor, resistor, and an inductor.

One more advantage of quartz is that its size and elastic constants change in such a manner that the frequency reliance on temperature can be extremely low. The specific characteristic depends on two things: the angle at which the quartz is cut (with respect to its crystallographic axes) and the mode of vibration. As a result, the resonant frequency of the plate (depending on size) does not vary much. This conveys that a quartz filter, oscillator, or a clock remains accurate. For basic applications, the quartz oscillator is mounted in a temperature-controlled holder known as Crystal Oven. It can also be mounted on shock absorbers to forestall irritation by outer mechanical vibrations.

This was all we have for Crystal Oscillator. Hope you liked this article. Brands that manufacture them are ABRACON, ECS Inc, and IQD. Make sure to visit them using the links as provided.

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