A ceramic resonator is sometimes known as a dielectric and is commonly used in timing gadgets that make a clock system. This sort of signal usually oscillates between a high and low state by utilizing piezoelectric ceramic connected to two or more electrodes. Resonators usually feature a built-in capacitor, due to which they can save some space on a printed circuit board. These resonators are known to exhibit series resonance and parallel resonant centre frequency. The piezoelectric properties make the resonators create small electrical energy when put under electrochemical expansion and compression.
The mechanical energy that results from this process, in turn, creates electrical energy and vice versa. This is a complex reactance that creates resonance due to the property of having a centre frequency. Materials like lead zirconium titanium are known to have piezoelectric properties.
The Ceramic Resonator in Electronic Oscillator
Oscillators are electronic circuits that produce periodic waveforms. The ceramic resonator might be utilized as a frequency reference in the electronic oscillator, wherein the precision of the subsequent frequency isn't quite as high as in the previous crystal oscillator. A defect in frequency for the ceramic resonator circuit might be as high as 5%, while that for the gem oscillator is under 0.1%.
The ceramic resonator might also be utilized for intermediate frequency amplifier stages, usually present in heterodyne radio receivers that determine a common IF to receive a sub-band of frequencies.
Terminals of Ceramic Resonator
Generally, a ceramic resonator consists of three terminals. Two of the main terminals are present on each broader side of the thin ceramic material. In contrast, the centre terminal is usually connected to the thin portion and may be grounded or utilized to tap the signal into the rest of the oscillator body. However, you can find ceramic resonators and crystal oscillators with only two terminals in the market.
Amplifier and Ceramic Resonators
Amplifiers are the dynamic pieces of the oscillator. The proportion of the resulting voltage to the input voltage of an amplifier is known as the voltage gain, which is reliant upon the frequency of interest. Not many speakers will keep a steady increase over a wide range of frequencies. When a ceramic resonator controls the oscillator frequency, the voltage gain at the ceramic resonator frequency must be more prominent than 1. Assuming the voltage gain is under 1, the enhancer won't begin wavering.
In gadgets, designed amplifiers and oscillators have many similar parts. With design inadequacies, a few amplifiers can be exceptionally near oscillating. A few oscillators may quit swaying and act like inactive speakers in the interim. In a perfect world, enhancers don't yield when there is no output signal.
Applications of Ceramic Resonators
The properties of ceramic resonators make them useful for a wide range of applications. They are mainly utilized as a source of clock signals in microprocessors. Ceramic resonators are perfect for applications in which frequency precision is not of major concern, just like in microprocessors. They are also used in other applications that include:
- Telephones
- Toys
- Personal computing
- Household appliances
- Radios
- Communications equipment
- Automotive electronics
- Medical/healthcare equipment
