Back to Basics: Specifying Quartz Crystals

This video presentation was made in collaboration with Wurth Elektronik as part of a series of Digital Days webinars and explains the technology behind quartz crystals and clock oscillators from the manufacture to understanding how they work. Paul Smith, Applications Support Engineer at IQD Frequency Products, describes how to specify quartz crystal or clock oscillator requirements when designing in new products. Including Resistance, Noise Performance and Crystal & Oscillator modelling. Topics covered include:

• Why do we use quartz? Piezo-Electric qualities
• Natural quartz vs Synthetic quartz
• Quartz blanks and  Processing blanks
• 6 Key parameters for specification of quartz crystals
• Quartz Crystal Specification
• Frequency tolerance
• Frequency stability and operating temperature range
• Calculating load capacitance
• Additional crystal parameters
• ESR - Equivalent Series Resistance
• Clock oscillators and 6 Key parameters for specifying clock oscillators
• Oscillator noise performance
• Designing a new device - Quartz Crystal or Clock Oscillator?
• Crystal modelling and Physical modelling - STEP files
• Cross-referencing competitor parts