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Crystal Oscillator

Crystal oscillators provide high frequency stability due to the consistent natural resonant frequency of quartz crystals. They are commonly used in communication devices and clocks. A crystal oscillator circuit places a quartz crystal between metal plates like a capacitor. When an AC voltage matches the crystal's natural frequency, it vibrates at maximum amplitude. This vibration has an equivalent electrical circuit of RLC components in series. The crystal's resonant frequency depends on its physical properties and remains highly consistent, making crystal oscillators very accurate timing sources.

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Akashranjan Singh
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53 views10 pages

Crystal Oscillator

Crystal oscillators provide high frequency stability due to the consistent natural resonant frequency of quartz crystals. They are commonly used in communication devices and clocks. A crystal oscillator circuit places a quartz crystal between metal plates like a capacitor. When an AC voltage matches the crystal's natural frequency, it vibrates at maximum amplitude. This vibration has an equivalent electrical circuit of RLC components in series. The crystal's resonant frequency depends on its physical properties and remains highly consistent, making crystal oscillators very accurate timing sources.

Uploaded by

Akashranjan Singh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Crystal Oscillators

Unit – IV
Lecture - 4
• Limitations of LC and RC

1. As circuit operates it will warm up. The values of R,L,C - will change with
temperature  it causes change in frequency of oscillator

2. If any of component in feedback network is changed, f will be changed

• Crystal Oscillator

1. Basically a tuned oscillator

2. Crystal is made up of Quartz material

• Provides high degree of frequency stability


• Crystal oscillator uses a

• Piezo electric crystal

• Exhibits piezo electric effect

• When ac voltage is applied across crystal it starts vibrating at supply


frequency

(or)

• When these crystals are compressed or placed under mechanical strain to


vibrate they produce an ac voltage

• Example: Piezo electric materials

• Rochelle salt, Quartz and tourmaline


• Out of these materials Rochelle salt exhibits greatest piezo electric effect

• Because of the crystal oscillator exhibits high degree of frequency stability and
accuracy

• Mainly used in communication transmitters, digital watches and clocks etc.

Symbol
• In order to use crystal in an electronic circuit, it is placed between two metal plates
• The arrangement then forms a capacitor with crystal as the dielectric as shown in Fig.
• If an a.c. voltage is applied across the plates, the crystal will start vibrating at the
frequency of applied voltage
• However, if the frequency of the applied voltage is made equal to the natural frequency of
the crystal, resonance takes place and crystal vibrations reach a maximum value
• This natural frequency is almost constant

Arrangement forms a capacitor with crystal as dielectric


Electrical equivalent circuit of crystal oscillator
• When the crystal is not vibrating, it is equal to Cm because it has two metal plates
separated by dielectric

• This capacitance is called mounting capacitance

• When the crystal starts vibrating, it is equivalent to R-L-C series circuit

• When it starts vibrating

• L is equivalent to crystal mass

• C is electrical equivalent of elasticity

• R is electrical equivalent of mechanical friction

• Therefore equivalent circuit is R-L-C series circuit shunted by Cm


Frequency Response of Crystal

• Figure shows the graph between reactance versus frequency

• At lower frequency impedance is high and capacitive

• As frequency is increased at one point XL=XC , circuit will acts as series resonant circuit

• Crystal has two resonant frequencies

i. Series resonance frequency

ii. Parallel resonance frequency


• In this case when the impedance of the circuit is equals to
resistance R XL=XC  sL= (1/s)C

s = 1/
• so frequency of oscillation is given by

fs = 1/(2π/ )

• fs is called series resonant frequency

• At slightly higher frequency net reactance becomes inductive equal to Cm

• Now crystal acts as parallel resonance circuit

Ceq= Cm .C/Cm+ C

fp = 1/(2π )

• fs & fp are very close to each other but practically there exists only one frequency
Pierce crystal oscillator

• Colpitts oscillator is modified by using


crystal to behave as an inductor

• Crystal behave as an inductor for


frequency slightly higher than ‘fs’

• Working principle is same


• Advantages

• Circuit is simple does not require any tank circuit

• High degree of frequency stability

• Different frequency can be achieved by simply replacing one crystal with another

• Disadvantages

• Not fit for frequency less than 100 kHz

• Tuning range is very limited

• Are fragile and therefore can be used for low power circuits

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