Quartz is the material of choice for stable resonators, as it is one of the few piezoelectric crystals that has very high Q and is also highly anisotropic. Continue reading
Crystal
Fundamental vs 3rd Overtone
Typically when we talk about crystals, we are referring to crystals using the fundamental vibration mode of AT-cut quartz. Continue reading
Crystal Pullability: Series Vs Parallel Resonant Crystals
The image below is a common diagram implementing a crystal. An even more common question is what is the purpose or function of the capacitors tied onto either terminal of the crystal? Continue reading
Characterizing a Crystal
We often discuss the complex designs that oscillators can achieve, but rarely stop and think about a fundamental component: the quartz crystal. Continue reading