Inside Frequency Control

There are 7 key factors to understanding successful crystal oscillator circuit design. These include:

1. Series circuit
2. Crystal load capacitance
3. Parallel circuit
4. Drive level
5. Frequency vs. mode
6. Design considerations
7. Negative resistance

GPS disciplined oscillators (GPSDO) are some of today's most trusted and accurate sources of timing. These powerful devices (sometimes called GPS clocks) consist of a high-quality stable oscillator and a GPS receiver. The GPSDO works by disciplining (or steering) the oscillator output to a GPS device or GNSS satellite signal via a tracking loop.

We'll be honest, crystal oscillators aren't the easiest topic to understand. That's mostly because there's a wide variety of crystal oscillator types that do different things, in different ways, for different purposes. This is largely due to their almost endless applications. From satellite communications in space, to military & defense, to telecom and more... there are so many different needs for crystal oscillators. 

In this post, we'll cover the most common types of crystal oscillators, which include:

• Oven controlled crystal oscillators (OCXO)
• Temperature compensated oscillators (TCXO)
• Voltage controlled oscillators (VCXO)
• Clock oscillators (XO)
• And some other key types within these categories

I know it sounds like a lot to cover, but don't worry! We're about to make things a whole lot easier for you. By the end of this post, you'll learn the basic uses, advantages, and limitations of each crystal oscillator type.

Virtually all electronic components benefit from mass production. As it turns out, it’s harder to benefit from buying a few parts compared to buying many. This is true for the production and ordering of Oven-Controlled Crystal Oscillators (OCXOs). There are several important advantages to buying these in bulk instead of in small quantities, including lower setup costs, shorter lead times, and reduced impact of supply chain issues. 

We’re often asked if it’s wise to purchase crystal oscillators in large batches, especially when commodity managers are aware all the oscillators might not be used right away. 

By nature, crystal oscillators are made of natural quartz material, which gives them a very long shelf life. In this article, we’ll take a look at why that is and how the stability of crystal oscillators gives them an indefinite shelf life.

“Good things come to those who wait,” as the saying goes, and while aging is a part of all life cycles, crystals shouldn’t age prematurely. The careful production stages and the time it takes to complete them are necessary to the efficient operation of OCXOs. 

Quartz crystal oscillators are the high and mighty option for low phase noise and added frequency stability in circuit design. Yes, simple oscillators like those made with resistor-capacitor (RC) or inductor-capacitor (IC) resonators are fine for some circuits. But if you're dealing with higher performance applications in aerospace, military, and space industries... you're going to want a higher performance crystal oscillator that can maintain low phase noise & strong stability. Otherwise, you'll risk deviating from the very specific (and many times critical) center frequency selected for your design.

The harsh truth is, selecting the wrong quartz crystal oscillator can quickly kill any design. With the wide variety of options and specs available in the market today, selecting the perfect crystal oscillator for your design can be a difficult and time consuming task.

One of the key things you need to know before purchasing a crystal oscillator is expected costs. There are multiple ways and specifications that can quickly drive up (and down) the costs of OCXOs and other crystal oscillators. In this post, you'll learn the top 8 cost drivers for crystal oscillators in order of most influential to least influential.

By the end of this post you'll have a much better idea of where to focus your cost-cutting efforts and to save the most in the long-term. Much of it just depends on your specific application and needs and where you're able to be more flexible.

Note: Oscillator pricing is very dependent on your specific needs and application. Be sure to contact us for specific information and pricing based on your needs.