What is a Crystal oscillator?

A crystal oscillator is a passive element that vibrates at a certain frequency, and is sometimes called a piezo element or piezoelectric element. Originally, natural crystals were used, but as demand increased, they were replaced with artificial crystals, such as silicon dioxide, barium titanate, and Rochelle salt.

Crystal oscillator
Quartz crystal resonators utilize the properties of piezoelectric crystals, and although natural crystals were originally used, today artificial crystals are mainly used to meet increasing demand. This uses materials such as silicon dioxide (SiO2), potassium titanate, and Rochelle salt.

Operating principle
Electrodes are attached to the crystal oscillator, and a current is applied from the outside. At this time, the surface charge of the crystal oscillator changes depending on the phase of the current, and the crystal oscillator deforms periodically. Utilizing the vibration phenomenon caused by this periodic shape change, it is possible to oscillate at an extremely stable frequency.

Specifically, by applying a voltage, the crystal undergoes minute mechanical deformation, and this deformation is fed back as a voltage. This continuous repetition of electrical feedback and mechanical resonance maintains stable vibrations and generates a signal at a precise frequency.

Application of Crystal oscillator

Because crystal oscillators are stable with little fluctuation in frequency, they are used in various household electronic devices such as mobile phones, televisions, digital cameras, and personal computers, as well as being incorporated in automobiles and medical equipment. Oscillation circuits based on crystal oscillators have ppm-order accuracy, which is much higher than other oscillation circuits.

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