Integrated Device Technology (IDT) claims that it has developed the world's first commercially available oscillators incorporating piezoelectric microelectromechanical system (pMEMS) resonators. They combine the advantages of piezoelectric quartz with the reliability of silicon MEMS resonators, says the company, which has been developing the technology internally for the last four years with over 40 patents either issued or pending. The resonator's high native frequencies make them replacements for traditional quartz-based oscillators in any application. The resonator technology combines the electromechanical coupling of the piezoelectric material with the stability and low damping of single crystal silicon to create a passive frequency source. The oscillators can be used for cloud computing which requires high reliability and resistance to shock and vibration; consumer applications requiring multiple outputs; and comms and networking equipment that need low phase jitter. The company claims these are the world's smallest, hermetically-sealed wafer level package resonator and can replace larger, quartz-based resonators. The oscillators are available in industry-standard pin- and function-compatible plastic packages. This choice is claimed to increase system design flexibility and improve time-to-market when compared to crystal oscillators. The oscillators are being sampled by qualified customers.
