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MEMS oscillators starting to displace quartz

Analysts’ report says MEMS-based oscillators are finally being used in volume

Munich-based technology analysts WTC - Wicht Technologie Consulting has prepared a report on the market for devices that provide oscillator reference frequencies from silicon-based, as opposed to quartz-based elements. Three companies, it believes, are now delivering such devices. Discera and SiTime are manufacturing silicon MEMS oscillators, while Toyocom (part of Seiko Epson) produces micromachined quartz MEMS oscillators leveraging its so-called QMEMS process. [EDN Europe reported on SiTime here. WTC believes the market should grow over 120% per year to reach $140 million in 2012, as MEMS equivalents begin to displace quartz oscillators and crystals in more and more segments. Silicon MEMS oscillators today compete with quartz in the XO (crystal oscillator) function where the specifications for temperature stability are easier to meet than in the TCXO (temperature compensated crystal oscillator) sector, primarily in communications, where they have yet to meet the more demanding phase-noise specifications. WTC says that the first products to incorporate silicon MEMS oscillators are digital TVs and camcorders, but also rear-view cameras use in automotive applications.

MEMS can leverage both the monolithic integration available with CMOS and the possibility to fabricate multiple resonators on one die to make SoC timing chips. This translates into fewer PLLs, better jitter performance and power consumption, and lower cost. New vendor Silicon Clocks intends to build SoC MEMS, with first commercial samples within a year, with SiTime to follow in the same space. MEMS is however not the only technology enabling true SoC timing solutions. With the latest progress on silicon LC oscillator technologies, the analysts see companies like Mobius Microsystems also planning single chip solutions to replace quartz crystal and phase lock loop ICs. The report goes on to say that, in addition to the three US start-ups Discera, SiTime and Silicon Clocks, larger companies like NXP and STMicroelectronics are also investing in MEMS oscillators. Finnish research centre VTT, MEMS company VTI as well as Japan’s Seiko Epson are also active.