New XTAL Application Note: Benefits of Low ESR and Low CL for Low Power MCU Applications

AUSTIN, TX – Abracon, LLC (Abracon), The Heartbeat of the IoT^® a leading global manufacturer of frequency control, timing, synchronization, RF, connectivity and power components presents a new application note outlining the benefits of using low ESR and low CL quartz crystals in IoT and other low power MCU applications. Power consumption constraints force IC designer to minimize gain in the Pierce oscillator that drives the crystal. As this trend continues, crystals that present heavy capacitive loads with high series resistance will no longer oscillate. This application note highlights the need for a new generation of lightly loaded crystals that will reliably oscillate with less drive than ever before.

“Although quartz crystal technology has been around for a century,” says Juan Conchas, Director of Marketing with Abracon, “today’s trend toward lower power consumption has accelerated the need for innovation. Traditional crystals presenting a high load to these nano and micropower MCUs will no longer reliably oscillate. This application note provides direct comparisons that can help engineers analyze their systems and decide whether they are overloading their oscillator.”

The application note was independently authored by Warren Guthrie of Phase 1 Engineering and shows direct comparisons to more standard crystals that do not go far enough to reduce ESR and CL loading for today’s low power applications.

About Abracon, LLC | The Heartbeat of the IoT^®

Founded in 1992, and headquartered in Spicewood, Texas, Abracon is a leading global manufacturer of passive and electromechanical timing, synchronization, power, connectivity and RF solutions. Abracon offers a wide selection of quartz timing crystals and oscillators, MEMS oscillators, real time clocks (RTC), Bluetooth modules, ceramic resonators, SAW filters and resonators, power and RF inductors, transformers, circuit protection components and RF antennas and wireless charging coils. The company is ISO9001-2008 certified with design & application engineering resources in Texas and sales offices in Texas, California, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Scotland, Israel, Hungary, UK, and Germany. Abracon’s products are offered through its global distribution network.

For more information about Abracon, visit www.abracon.com.