The Crystal Oscillator Industry

How Companies are Using Crystal Oscillators in Their Current Applications

 The crystal oscillator industry is booming and is poised to continue growing as more companies require this particular type of component for their applications. The reason that crystal oscillators are so popular is because they produce what’s referred to as the inverse piezoelectric effect. When an alternating voltage is applied to the quartz crystals of the oscillator, that in turn causes vibrations that translate into oscillations.

Essentially, a crystal oscillator is ideal for applications that require a timekeeping element. Quartz crystal oscillators are able to maintain a certain frequency that has high stability, which is perfect for applications such as quartz watches and clocks. Quartz crystal oscillators offer a precision that few components can replicate.

Industries That Use Crystal Oscillators

A wide variety of industries are using crystal oscillators in various applications. In computing and technology, crystal oscillators are used in the majority of CPUs, PICs, microprocessors, and microcontrollers.

As previously mentioned, crystal oscillators are used in quartz watches and clocks to keep accurate time. This has been the case since the 1970s, when the crystal quartz watch was originally introduced to the market.

Radios and transmitters utilize crystal oscillators because of their ultra-precise frequency reference. The majority of car radios and stereo systems use quartz crystal oscillators. In fact, crystal oscillators have been used in radios and transmitters since the 1920s.

Now that the automobile industry has shifted to microprocessor-based systems, quartz crystal oscillators are more commonly used to provide clock signals. However, many of the modern features that automobiles use rely on crystal oscillators as well. That includes advanced driver assistance systems, engine control, GPS, and in vehicle Internet connectivity.

Finally, many medical equipment manufacturers rely on quartz crystal oscillators as a main component in their portable medical equipment. The frequency of a quartz oscillator happens to be the same frequency as a person’s hearing, which is why this component has become so popular for auditory applications.

Finding a Quartz Crystal Oscillator Manufacturer Near You

By searching “quartz crystal oscillator manufacturer” or “quartz crystal oscillators near me” you can locate companies in the country that produce this component. Once you identify a company, you can usually request samples of their product to ensure that it will be the correct component for your application.