Oscillators Misc

An Oscillator is a mechanical or electrical component that outputs a periodic precise frequency signal, typically a sine wave or square wave.  Oscillators are used in many electrical systems.  In digital systems they may be used to keep track of time or synchronize data transfer, and in a communication system they may be used as a reference for data transmission across a carrier frequency.  The quality of an oscillator is specified in terms of jitter and phase noise that quantify the amount of timing uncertainty and frequency variation present at the output.  When selecting an oscillator for a particular application, many aspects need to be considered aside from oscillation frequency and phase noise: start-up time, power consumption, temperature dependence, cost, size, reliability, and mechanical shock immunity.