TECHNOLOGY WATCH:
MEMS, OR MICRO-OSCILLATORS
Prospect Heights, NY -- With competition within the quartz crystal and
oscillator market being driven in part by increased product sophistication
and design alternatives, producers and researchers are working together
to develop MEMS-based technology that would open new, more highly sophisticated
product markets as well as better meet the technical demands of future
electronic devices.
Currently, timing in electronic devices is achieved using quartz crystals
or other piezoelectric materials, such as ceramics, to generate a fixed
frequency at which operations (processing calculations and tuning) occur.
In 2003, quartz-based devices from crystal resonators to OCXOs continue
to make up nearly 90% of demand while non-quartz devices, such as ceramic
resonators and VCOs, comprise only 10% of the total market. Still in the
prototyping and design phase, components that incorporate MEMS based frequency
control have yet to be commercially viable.
MEMS, or micro-oscillators, promise to surpass all options in sophistication
while keeping costs down. The main benefits being put forward by developers
are that MEMs-based products can be manufactured using commercial silicon
IC-techniques, thus increasing manufacturing capability while lowering
cost per unit. The main technological advantages are that they are 150x
smaller than traditional quartz resonators, and also offer higher frequencies
with lower power consumption.
The theory behind micro-oscillators rests in electrostatic impulses which
cause movement as opposed to piezoelectric effect which causes expansion
and contraction. In other words, these devices physically move when stimulated.
The movement, however, is in much the same way a tuning fork vibrates
and can be controlled. (An interesting point to note is that this characteristic
differentiates them from other micromachined devices which typically operate
through moving gears and pins as opposed to vibration.)
Micro-oscillators are being developed by companies such as Discera Inc.,
whose parent company Ardesta LLC is a heavy investor in micro-technology
markets. Discera's initial product, the MRO-100™, offers the performance
of traditional frequency control products and multi-mode functionality
(CDMA, GSM, GPS, BT) at 20-30% lower cost. The market being targeted to
begin with is the consumer mobile communications market including handsets,
WLAN and BlueTooth which make-up nearly 26% of total worldwide demand
for frequency control products. Within the wireless market, Discera's
main competitor is Agilent Technologies who is a major investor in MEMX,
a spin-off company of Sandia National Laboratories and who bases their
designs on Sandia's SUMMiTV technology.
Practically, switching to a MEMS-based product will require switching
design technology for OEMs, so even while considering the advantages of
micro-oscillators (and putting aside the fact that they are not currently
available for commercial distribution), design changes are presently another
obstacle for many manufacturers. Those involved in the market believe,
however, that micro-oscillators will become part of commercial designs
as early as 3Q 2004.
