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Crystal and frequency control glossary

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Wafer

A thin slice of semiconducting material, such as a silicon crystal, upon which microcircuits are constructed by diffusion and deposition of various materials. See blank.

Warm-up

The time required for an oscillator's frequency to settle within a given tolerance of the frequency several hours later.

Wavelength

The length of one complete wave of an alternating or vibrating phenomenon, generally measured from crest to crest or from trough to trough of successive waves.

W-CDMA

Abbreviation for wideband code-division multiple access.

White noise

Noise having a frequency spectrum that is continuous and uniform over a specified frequency band. Note: White noise has equal power per hertz over the specified frequency band. Synonym: additive white gaussian noise.

Wideband

The property of any communications facility, equipment, channel, or system in which the range of frequencies used for transmission is greater than 0.1 % of the midband frequency. See broadband.

Wireless

Using the radio-frequency spectrum for transmitting and receiving voice, data and video signals for communications.

Wireless application protocol (WAP)

Specification for a set of communication protocols to standardize the way that wireless devices, such as cellular telephones and radio transceivers, can be used for Internet access, including e-mail, the World Wide Web, newsgroups, and Internet Relay Chat (IRC).

Wireless communication

Any broadcast or transmission that can be received through microwave or radio frequencies without the use of a cable connection for reception.

Wireless communication service

A radio service allocated spectrum at 2.305 – 2.360 MHz for flexible wireless use; due to its propagation characteristics, it is thought that the WCS likely will provide fixed wireless local loop service.

Wireless local area network (WAN)

A wireless data communications system that lies within a limited spatial area, has a specific user group, has a specific topology, and is not a public switched telecommunications network, but may be connected to one. LANs are usually restricted to relatively small areas, such as rooms, buildings, ships, and aircraft.

X cut

A quartz wafer with the major surface of the wafer perpendicular to the X crystallographic axis.

XO

Crystal oscillator often used for computer timing. An oscillator in which the frequency is controlled by a piezoelectric crystal.

Y cut

A quartz wafer with the major surface of the wafer perpendicular to the Y crystallographic axis. (See X Cut illustration.)

Z cut

A quartz wafer with the major surface of the wafer perpendicular to the Z crystallographic axis. (See X Cut illustration.)

ZZ' angle

The angle between the plane of the blank and the optic axis in quartz. The optic axis is the Z or c axis. This angle determines the frequency vs. temperature characteristic of the finished crystal resonator.

Zero angle

The angle of cut that will result in a resonator that has zero temperature vs. frequency slope at the inflection point. For a fundamental, AT-cut crystal this angle is about 35 degrees and 15 minutes of arc.

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