Out in Front: March 1, 1996

The T-Oscillator clock-oscillator family from MF Electronics incorporates a 0.1-µF bypass capacitor onto the multilayer carrier within its package. This approach eliminates the need for an external capacitor, sharpens the clock edge, and increases maximum operating frequency to 66.6 MHz. (Minimum frequency is 1.5 MHz.) The oscillator's 5×7-mm footprint occupies approximately one-fourth the area of a conventional surface-mount device; height is less than 2 mm. The oscillator has just four terminals: 3 to 5.5V dc power, ground, clock output, and output disable, which puts the output in a high-impedance mode.

Jitter of the oscillator output is less than 50 psec peak, and output-waveform symmetry is 45/55 or better, with a 50-pF CMOS load. Frequency stability is 10 ppm over the 0 to 70°C operating range, and wider temperature ranges are available. The price for a standard part is $1.90 (50,000).
—by Bill Schweber

MF Electronics Corp, New Rochelle, NY. (914) 576-6570.