An oscillator with best frequency stability and accuracy

• One of the most important features of the crystal oscillator is its frequency stability as it has the ability to provide a constant frequency output under varying load conditions.
• The stability of the crystal oscillator is closely related to its quality factor or Q.
• A High-Q crystal oscillator will oscillate at constant frequency because it produces oscillation only when it is nearer to its resonance frequency.
• A typical Q for a crystal oscillator ranges from 104 to 106.

Important Points:

• The crystal of the crystal oscillator is usually made of quartz material and provides a high degree of frequency stability and accuracy.
• It uses a piezoelectric crystal and when an ac voltage is applied across a crystal it starts vibrating at the frequency of supply voltage this effect is known as the piezoelectric effect and the crystal which exhibits this effect is known as piezoelectric crystals.
• Conversely, when these crystals are placed under mechanical strain to vibrate, they produce an ac voltage