In physics, an Analog Temperature Controlled Crystal Oscillator or Analogue Temperature Compensated Crystal Oscillator (ATCXO) uses
analog
Analog or analogue may refer to:
Computing and electronics
* Analog signal, in which information is encoded in a continuous variable
** Analog device, an apparatus that operates on analog signals
*** Analog electronics, circuits which use analo ...
sampling techniques to correct the
temperature
Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer.
Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...
deficiencies of a
crystal oscillator circuit, its package and its environment.
Typically the correction techniques involve the physical and
electrical characterisation of the motional inductance and terminal
capacitance
Capacitance is the capability of a material object or device to store electric charge. It is measured by the change in charge in response to a difference in electric potential, expressed as the ratio of those quantities. Commonly recognized are ...
of a crystal blank, the knowledge of which is used to create a correction
polynomial
In mathematics, a polynomial is an expression consisting of indeterminates (also called variables) and coefficients, that involves only the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and positive-integer powers of variables. An exa ...
, or
algorithm
In mathematics and computer science, an algorithm () is a finite sequence of rigorous instructions, typically used to solve a class of specific Computational problem, problems or to perform a computation. Algorithms are used as specificat ...
, which in turn is implemented in circuit blocks. These are usually simulated in a mathematical modeling software tool such as
SPICE
A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices a ...
, to verify that the original measured data can be corrected adequately. Once the system performance has been verified, these circuits are then implemented in a
silicon
Silicon is a chemical element with the symbol Si and atomic number 14. It is a hard, brittle crystalline solid with a blue-grey metallic luster, and is a tetravalent metalloid and semiconductor. It is a member of group 14 in the periodic tab ...
die, usually in a bulk
CMOS
Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS, pronounced "sea-moss", ) is a type of metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) fabrication process that uses complementary and symmetrical pairs of p-type and n-type MOSFE ...
technology. Once fabricated, this die is then embedded into an
oscillator
Oscillation is the repetitive or periodic variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value (often a point of equilibrium) or between two or more different states. Familiar examples of oscillation include a swinging pendulum ...
module along with the crystal blank. Due to the sub {{nowrap, 1
ppm accuracy of this type of
crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituents (such as atoms, molecules, or ions) are arranged in a highly ordered microscopic structure, forming a crystal lattice that extends in all directions. In addition, macros ...
oscillator specialist packaging must be used to ensure good ageing and temperature shock characteristics. Example applications are for use in low power or
battery
Battery most often refers to:
* Electric battery, a device that provides electrical power
* Battery (crime), a crime involving unlawful physical contact
Battery may also refer to:
Energy source
*Automotive battery, a device to provide power t ...
operated consumer electronic products such as
GSM or
CDMA mobile phones, or
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS), originally Navstar GPS, is a Radionavigation-satellite service, satellite-based radionavigation system owned by the United States government and operated by the United States Space Force. It is one of t ...
satellite navigation systems.
References
Wireless Modules Score A Hit At Clay Pigeon Shoots at www.mwrf.com/ (minor mention)
Low profile high stability digital TCXO: ultra low powerconsumption TCXOat ieeexplore.ieee.org (membership required)
Electronic oscillators