The beating heart of most electronic systems today is the crystal oscillator. While devices based on microelectromechanical-system (MEMS) technology are definitely making inroads in this application, ...

Most if not all embedded solutions use the Pierce oscillator configuration, integrated as part of the SoC (system-on-chip). The obvious advantages include cost, size, and power compared to a ...

There are many crystal oscillator configurations, but the circuit you are most likely to encounter if you work with digital circuitry is the Pierce oscillator. You’ll find it implemented using ...

Appropriately cut quartz crystals can be used as high-quality electromechanical resonators. Their piezoelectric properties (voltage across the crystal deforms it; deforming the crystal generates a ...

Fig 1. This Pierce-series resonant oscillator can reliably start at supply voltages as low as 2.4 V. It also draws very low current, ensuring long battery life. Fig 2. An oscilloscope photo shows the ...