KYOCERA Develops World’s Smallest Crystal Unit for Smartphones, Wearables
03 May 2017
Kyoto/Neuss – Kyocera Crystal Device Corporation (herein “KCD”[1]; President: Shigeaki Kinori), a specialist in the development and manufacturing of crystal devices, today announced that it has developed the world’s smallest[2] crystal unit for smartphones, wearables, and other electronic devices. The new CX1008 quartz crystal unit measures just 1.0 x 0.8mm yet delivers the same electrical characteristics as Kyocera’s conventional CX1210 model, enabling it to be adopted without circuit board revision. Samples will be available in May 2017 with mass production slated for early 2018.
Product name | CX1008 |
Application | Smartphones, wearable devices |
Size | 1.0 X 0.8mm |
Height | 0.30mm |
Frequency tolerance | ±10ppm |
Frequency temperature coefficient | ±10ppm (-30°C to +85°C) |
CI value (equivalent series resistance) | 60Ω MAX (37.4MHz) |
Production facility | Shiga Yohkaichi Plant (Japan) |
Background
Crystal units are used to generate highly stable reference signals in digital circuits, based on the unique material characteristic of quartz to oscillate at a precise frequency when a specific voltage is applied. The trend toward smaller, more functional smartphones and wearable devices requires smaller, better-performing crystal units. Traditionally, however, it was believed that miniaturizing crystal units beyond a certain point would compromise their performance, since electrical characteristics (such as equivalent series resistance) degraded as the device became smaller. However, Kyocera has succeeded in downsizing the crystal unit while maintaining its electrical characteristics — with its current CX1210 (1.2x1.0mm) device, and now, by commercializing the ultra-small CX1008 (1.0x0.8mm) crystal unit. This has been accomplished through crystal element design technology developed exclusively by Kyocera, along with a process that Kyocera developed jointly with Associate Professor Kazuya Yamamura of Osaka University.
Based on this technology, Kyocera will accelerate the development of new low-frequency, high-frequency and high-precision oscillators for such applications as automotive electronics, Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) technologies, IoT devices, wireless network base stations and 5G mobile communications.
Product Features
1.World’s smallest crystal unit with electrical characteristics of the existing CX1210
Downsizing from 1.2x1.0mm to 1.0x0.8mm would ordinarily increase equivalent series resistance (CI value) by approximately 30 percent, requiring circuit board revision. However, by optimizing the design using its own piezoelectric analysis technology, Kyocera has downsized this device to 1.0 x 0.8mm while maintaining the electrical characteristics of the conventional CX1210 crystal unit. This allows the CX1008 to be incorporated into existing circuit designs without revision.
2.Manufacturing Technology
With conventional processes and technologies, a crystal unit exhibits higher levels of variation in key electrical characteristics when produced in smaller dimensions. However, Kyocera has avoided this by applying ultra-high-precision processing (plasma CVM[3] technology) developed with Yamamura. This method, using plasma-generated neutral radicals and a chemical reaction at the surface of an object, enables to control a quartz crystal with highly precise surface conditions and thickness. Further, Kyocera’s proprietary semiconductor processing technology ensures extremely accurate external dimensions, and minimal variation in equivalent series resistance, for optimal performance at reduced size.
About KYOCERA Crystal Device Corporation
Kyocera Crystal Device Corporation supplies quartz crystal products worldwide, contributing to the development of the ubiquitous networked society. Quartz crystal devices are key components with great influence on the performance of mobile phones, digital cameras and other digital equipment. Kyocera Crystal Device Corporation is one of the world’s leading producers of quartz crystal devices, controlling every aspect of production from growing synthetic quartz crystals to delivering finished products, including quartz crystal units, crystal oscillators, SAW filters and optical devices.
[1] KCD will be consolidated into Kyocera Corporation as of April 1, 2017.
[2] Based on research by KCD (as of February 2017)
[3] CVM: Chemical Vaporization Machining
For more information on Kyocera: www.kyocera.eu
Editorial Material
- Press information (pdf) (501.32 KB)
- Press picture (jpg) (715.62 KB)
Contact for journalists
Daniela Faust
Manager Corporate Communications
E-mail: daniela.faust@kyocera.de
Latest News
- Kyocera Receives Japan’s Environment Minister’s Award for Record 9th Consecutive Year
- Kyocera to Participate in Self-Driving Bus Test Project on JR East BR Lines
- Innovative, durable, and beautiful: Kyocera presents high-quality kitchen tools demonstrating the advantages of its ceramic technology at the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham from November 29 – December 2, 2018.
- Inamori Foundation Awards the 34th Kyoto Prize to Scientists and Artist in the Fields of "Advanced Technology", "Basic Science", and "Arts and Philosophy"
- KYOCERA reflects on integral philosophy of Founder Dr. Kazuo Inamori to respect the divine and love people
- Kyocera wins CEATEC Award for “Amcenna” IoT Antenna
- KYOCERA celebrates 27 years of sustainability at the core of operations
- Kyocera wins Supplier Award
- Kyocera presents a firework display of innovations at the electronica 2018
- KYOCERA introduces reliable, Waterproof Branch Connector for harsh conditions of automotive electronics
- KYOCERA to Build New Manufacturing Plant in Kanagawa, Japan for Conductive and Insulation Pastes
- KYOCERA steps up expansion strategy with Czech acquisition
- KYOCERA Group to Exhibit Innovative Technologies and Products at CEATEC JAPAN 2018 Tradeshow Oct. 16-19
- KYOCERA introduces a new 12.1” WXGA LCD Module for Off Highway Applications
- KYOCERA at AMB 2018: a world premiere and a number of new products