A lot of time has passed since the invention of the frequency generator . Developers have faced many challenges along the way. The goal of the designers of the whole planet was to create a generator that would be able to give a stable frequency at the output. It is on it that the operation of digital devices is based : computers, microprocessors, quartz watches, etc. Obtaining a stable frequency, which does not depend on parameters such as temperature or operating time, meant a breakthrough in the construction of electronic circuits and the ability to design new electronic devices. The situation has changed dramatically since the moment when the quartz resonator appeared. This small compact device allows you to “work wonders” in electronics.
Circuit solutions in which a quartz resonator began to be used turned out to be so successful that this device firmly entered the category of the most popular electronic circuits in the design and development. With the development of digital devices, there is a steady tendency to increasingly use a quartz resonator.
The principle of operation is quite simple and based on the inverse piezoelectric effect. In other words, if an alternating voltage is applied to its output, this will lead to a phase shift, since when the half-wave decreases, the device begins to give off stored
mechanical energy. This effect was noticed by the developers of this amazing element.
Each crystal of which the quartz resonator is made has its own mechanical properties. They in turn affect such a parameter as the frequency of the device. Let's imagine that using a simple circuit, we simulate the conditions under which the device will work. We begin to gradually increase the frequency. At a certain moment, we will achieve a certain phase shift between the supply voltage and the output quartz. With an increase in the frequency, we will be able to introduce the circuit into resonance - in fact, this is the origin of the name of the device.
Miniature devices based on resonators are widely used in electronics. A good example of this is measuring microprobes, local oscillators. With their help, stable and reliable devices appeared. The popular game “fox hunting” uses devices based on these elements.
The well-known quartz watches contain a quartz resonator, which is a stable source of pulses. By counting these pulses, you can generate the second signal necessary for the operation of this device, known worldwide.
Modern electronics cannot refuse to use this amazing device. I wonder how your computer would work if the pulse generator of the reference frequency in the processor suddenly began to give out an unstable frequency? This would lead to a malfunction of the entire system, and, most likely, to its freezing.
The so-called quartz crystal resonator is the “heart” of almost any digital device. Without it, a computer or laptop will stop working, and the Internet and mobile communications will not.
It is also worth noting that the development of these devices is on the path to minimizing dimensions and increasing the operating frequency.