Epson Toyocom touts 'smallest' tuning-fork crystal

Epson Toyocom Corp. has announced what it claims is the world's smallest tuning-fork crystal unit—the FC-12M——an ultracompact SMD-type solution that promises to further miniaturize mobile products.

The FC-12M incorporates QMEMS and high-precision mounting technologies to achieve dimensions of 2-by-1.2-by-0.6mm, about half the footprint of its predecessor while maintaining the same performance. This new product contributes to further enhance mobile products by offering higher-density integration, improved design flexibility, a smaller size and more advanced functionality, the company said.

The standard frequency tolerance, which is a specification for expressing accuracy, is ±30-by-10-6/±50-by-10-6. The FC-12M complies with the EU RoHS directive.

Epson Toyocom also plans to offer ultracompact low-/medium-frequency oscillators and real-time clock modules incorporating the FC-12M, as a response to expected growth in demands for further miniaturization and higher-density mounting in the field of mobile products.