NXP validates MEMS timing market

PORTLAND, Ore.—NXP Semiconductors NV legitimized the silicon oscillator market by demonstrating a resonator it claims is higher-frequency, lower noise and more stable than conventional MEMS resonators. Using a unique micro-cavity structure that can be fabricated on a standard CMOS line, NXP's worldwide manufacturing, distribution and marketing muscle will likely accelerate a mass migration from quartz-crystal-based to MEMS-based oscillators.

Quartz crystals, which ship in the billions of units per year for everything electronic—from tiny thumb drives to supercomputers—have already been one-upped technologically by smaller MEMS oscillators from SiTime, Discrea, IDT and Silicon Labs. However electronics market penetration is still scant. The reputation of NXP, on the other hand, could raise a tide that floats all boats in a mass migration from traditional quartz crystals to silicon-based MEMS timing solutions.

"NXP's ultra-compact, high-precision MEMS-based frequency synthesizer presents a compelling alternative to quartz crystal-based timing devices," said Joost van Beek, senior principal scientist and program manager for MEMS at NXP. "Today we can fit over 100,000 of these tiny MEMS resonators on a standard 200 millimeter [8-inch] wafer, but that is only the beginning since they can be shrunk and scaled down like any other CMOS chip."


The dog-bone shaped silicon resonator (center) is suspended in the middle while vibrating at 50MHz.

NXP validates MEMS timing market

TAG:CES MEMS NXP Oscillator Timing