There has been a trend of miniaturization in the electronic component industry for years. The frequency control market is no exception and typically manifests when a certain package size is the market choice for crystals and oscillators for a period of time.
25 Years ago, through-hole packages were the mainstay for frequency control products. Plastic surface-mount technology shifted the market and then ceramic bases took over. As the technology evolved, the market-leading package size for both crystals and oscillators became 7.0mm x 5.0mm.
Today, the leader for both oscillators and MHz crystals is 3.2mm x 2.5mm. You can still get 7.0mm x 5.0mm package, and there is no obsolescence planned for the near future, but suppliers are putting their focus into the more popular packages and in some cases limiting production on those products in favor of smaller more expensive ones.
This is leading to supply constraints, extended lead-times, and we expect it will continue to worsen over time.
We are strongly recommending our customers consider designing boards to accommodate two or three package sizes whenever the opportunity arises. This could be on a re-design, or a new design leveraging legacy components.
Please see below for a list of popular packages today and which should be dominant in the market for the next ten years or so:
MHz Crystals and Oscillators |
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|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2mm x 2.5mm | 2.5mm x 2.0mm | 2.0mm x 1.6mm | 1.6mm x 1.2mm |
| Lowest possible frequency: 10.000MHz | Lowest possible frequency: 12.000MHz | Lowest possible frequency: 16.000MHz | Lowest possible frequency: 26.000MHz |
| Lowest cost today | May be the lowest cost in the next 5 years | Decent cost; Second smallest size | Premium cost; Smallest size we offer |
Watch Crystals |
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|---|---|---|
All watch crystals are constrained in the market right now. High global demand with limited blank supply has impacted the market availability. |
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| 3.2mm x 1.5mm | 2.0mm x 1.2mm | 1.6mm x 1.0mm |
| Lowest cost today | Good cost for the size | Premium cost; Smallest size we offer |
We are here to help our customers create what’s next. If you have any questions or need help selecting the right package for your design(s), drop us a line!
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