In the EMO series of oscillators from Ecliptek, an internal microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) resonator primarily controls the CMOS output frequency. By using its proprietary MEMS resonator design and resourceful programming methods, the EMO series oscillators can be shipped to designers in as little as two days for samples and two weeks for high-volume production orders.
At the heart of the oscillator design is a vibrating MEMS mechanical resonator, which the company claims is 1000 times smaller than most consumer-grade quartz competitors. This size advantage allows for ultra-miniature packaging without sacrificing performance. The EMO series oscillators are housed in QFNtype (quad flat no-lead) plastic injection molded packaging, resulting in good thermal performance, high reliability, low lead inductance, and low cost. Most quartz crystal oscillators require more expensive ceramic or metal packages.
The EMO series oscillators are available in a variety of package sizes, including 5 by 7 mm, 3.2 by 5 mm, 2.5 by 3.2 mm, and 2.5 by 2.0 mm. Supply voltage is 3.3, 2.5, or 1.8 V. Pricing starts at $0.75 each in high-volume production.
Ecliptek Corp. www.ecliptek.com
NEWS IN BRIEF: OSCILLATORSEndwave Defense Systems offers yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG) frequency sources with the high spectral purity needed for frequencymodulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar, microwave point-topoint radio, and instrumentation applications. Aside from their low close-in noise characteristic, frequency sources provide large tunable bandwidths compared to dielectric resonator oscillators. Endwave provides YIGs up through Ku-Band. These high fundamental frequencies also minimize spurious signals in advanced radars. Proprietary shock-mounting techniques minimize microphonics. Endwave's latest YIGs are available in two configurations, Micro-YIG and Mini-YIG, to address a range of packaging and operating parameters. Go to www.endwave.com for more information.
A pair of precision silicon oscillators from Maxim Integrated Products boasts ±0.25% accuracy from 0°C to 85°C. Both 3- by 3-mm oscillators can drive low-speed USB applications. They have a fixed frequency from 922 kHz to 48 MHz and require no additional components for setting or adjusting the frequency, suiting them well for space-constrained applications. With a fast startup time, the oscillator frequency is generated directly without a phaselocked loop. The MAX7393's autosense capability senses a microcontroller's oscillator circuit and enables itself when that oscillator turns on. The MAX7394 uses a simple enable pin. In shutdown mode, the maximum current is 2 µA. Prices start at $0.40 in 10,000-piece quantities. Learn more at www.maxim-ic.com
Temex claims it offers the world's smallest flatpack oven controlled crystal oscillator (OCXO) for space applications. The 1- by 1-in. low-consumption OCXO is designed specifically for synchronization applications such as outer-space uplink/downlink communications where a wide operating temperature range and low energy consumption are critical. The oscillator has a 30- to 120-MHz frequency range and runs off 9 V. A breadboard model or an engineering model of the OCXO is available for system validation. Get additional details at www.temex.com