Inside Frequency Control

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.

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 the almost endless application uses. From satellite communications in space, to military & defense, to telecom and more... there's so many different needs for crystal oscillators. 

In this post we'll cover the most common types of crystal oscillator which include

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

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.

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.

Have you noticed how difficult it seems to find transparent pricing for frequency control & crystal oscillator components? If so, you're not wrong. Traditionally, it has been difficult to find quick, standard pricing for all things frequency control. Instead, you're basically forced to go through the long quoting process to even get an idea of expected pricing. So why is this? In this post I'm going to explain why OCXO oscillator pricing has been traditionally hard to find, and how Bliley's innovative pricing approach will make your procurement process so much easier.

Also, be sure to check out our OCXO immediate pricing guide at the end of this post!

The Secret to Low Phase Noise?
The Poseidon 2 Low Phase Noise Oscillator!

Bliley’s Poseidon 2 Low Phase Noise OCXO Oscillator offers the world's best low phase noise performance when subjected to dynamic random vibration conditions.  It's designed for demanding vibration and low g environments with its acceleration sensitivity as low as 0.007 PPB/G for all 3 axis of vibration.

This low phase noise oscillator is well suited for:

• Ground Mobile
• Airborne
• Radar & Communication Systems
• Shipboard Environments
• Any applications requiring ultra low phase noise  or low g performance out to 1MHz offset

We sat down with our very own Greg Rogers, VP of Product Engineering, at IMS 2017 this year to give you an up-close and personal experience with Greg and, more importantly, our low g-sensitivity crystal oscillators

Bliley Technologies online store is the newest, most powerful tool to quickly shop high-performance OCXO oscillators at amazing prices.

In this post, I'm going to show you 7 powerful features on the online store that will help you

• Quickly find the best OCXO oscillator for your needs
• Find the best cost/performance ratio on the market
• Get lightning fast lead times on all in-stock parts (receive your order within days!)
• Get the most cost savings possible (access real-time price breaks)
• And more

The most common types of crystal oscillators in the world of electrical & RF engineering include OCXO, VCXO, clock oscillators, and (you guessed it) TCXO oscillators. If you're reading this post, you must want to learn more about temperature compensated crystal oscillators (TCXO). Let's dive in and learn the basics of TCXO oscillators.

Introducing the TCXO (Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator)

The TCXO, Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator (Xtal oscillator), is a form of crystal oscillator used where a precision frequency source is required within a small space and at a reasonable cost.

By applying temperature compensation within the quartz crystal oscillator module, it is possible to considerably improve on the basic performance of the crystal.

In view of their usefulness, a wide range is available from many suppliers in a whole variety of packages and mounts (surface, through-hole). Some TCXOs are compatible with the dual in line format used for many through hole mounted integrated circuits.

The crystal oscillator purchasing process can be a headache if you don't know what to expect. However, learning the basics of procuring frequency control devices can help you to plan accordingly and decrease your frustration. We'll keep this one short and to the point.