How Quartz Resonators are Manufactured: ECS Inc. International

Описание: In our rapidly growing and fast paced world we live in, It would be a challenge to find any high-tech electronics that don’t utilize Quartz for their system timing or basic clocks for their processors & Microcontrollers. Quartz is so widely used, They are also used in high end system timing for Networking & Communications, Base stations, GPS, Cellphones and many others electronics we use on a day to day basis.

But what does it take to make a quality Quartz Crystal blank from raw Quartz? First, we process it through a giant pressure vessel know as an Autoclave. Raw Quarts and chemicals are then added to the Autoclave and cooked at super-high temperatures and pressures exceeding 21,000 pounds per square inch. This eliminates any imperfections and unwanted minerals, allowing the quarts too form in to uniform crystalline ingots.

A quartz crystal has a complicated structure, but one that is the same for all crystals. So how do we cut these quartz crystals to maximize their potential? Each cut of the Quartz has major impact on its performance characteristics, but there are an infinite number of ways to cut on the X, Y & Z axis. What we have learned is there are a few cuts that have defined angles to offer the best performance under specific use. The four most prevalent cuts used today are AT-cut, BT-cut, SC-cut & Tuning Fork

AT Cut - Is the most widely used. It offers good performance over wide temperature range. – Computer & Modems

BT Cut – Is used to make high Frequency Crystal blanks because it has a higher frequency constant. Satellites & RF communications

SC Cut - will have inflection temperature of about 92 degrees Celsius. Operating temperature of about 80 to 100-degree Celsius. That makes it perfect for OCXO design. These are used in Base stations & Central office equipment

Tuning Fork – Uses a tuning fork-shaped crystal blank to produce low Frequencies in the Kilo Hertz range. Primarily used as time keeping clocks in watches and computer systems.

Once the blanks have been cut from the ingot into their preferred cut, We can begin the process of making them Frequency specific resonators. At this point they are slightly thicker than that required for the finished crystal. So, they will actually resonate at a lower frequency than desired.

We do this, so we can slowly reduce the thickness of the blank using a lapping process to and bring the resonation up to the desired Frequency. The lapping process is abrasive, and damages the crystal surface lattice structure so Once we get close the desired Frequency, lapping needs to become more precise and a much finer lapping paste is used.

finally, the surfaces of the crystals are chemically etched. This provides a clean smooth finish to the crystal lattice. The Crystals are then washed and stored in a Nitrogen pressurized cabinet to keep them from oxidizing.

Today quartz crystal resonators are available in many sizes, shapes and formats. They are used in all sorts of applications from oscillators in clock circuits for microprocessors, timing element in smartphones, Sport watches, Bluetooth headphones, and almost all electronics that surround you.

For more information about ECS Inc International and our electronics components.

ECS Inc. International
15351 W. 109th Street
Lenexa, KS 66219
(913) 782-7787
www.ecsxtal.com
[email protected]