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Crystals: Application Field and Working Principle

Crystals play an important role in modern electronics, due their special electric, optical, and thermal properties and their ability to store electronic information.

Application Field

Crystals have a large number of applications, they are mainly used as oscillators in electronic circuits such as radios, televisions, and mobile phones. Quartz crystals are also used in watches and clocks, where they are used to maintain the accuracy of time. They are also used as resonators to conversion of electrical signals into acoustic signals and vice versa. Crystals are also used in medical monitoring and imaging devices, as well as in computer and communication systems.

Working Principle

A crystal is a solid material whose atoms are arranged in a highly ordered three-dimensional lattice structure. This structure allows the electrons in the crystal to vibrate at a particular frequency and this frequency is determined by the arrangement of the atoms within the crystal. When a voltage is applied to a quartz crystal, it will oscillate at its natural frequency. This frequency can be used to generate a clock signal or to accurately measure the frequency of an input signal.

The frequency of oscillation of a quartz crystal is very stable and is determined by the size and shape of the crystals, as well as the physical and chemical properties of the material. The frequency is also affected by temperature, pressure, and strain on the crystal. Therefore, quartz crystals must be temperature compensated to maintain accurate frequency.

Crystals are also used as temperature sensors. Quartz crystals become more conductive as the temperature increases. This allows the crystal to be used as a temperature sensor, since it can measure the amount of current that is flowing through the crystal.

Conclusion

Crystals are one of the most versatile and important components used in electronics. They are used to generate clock signals, to convert electrical signals into and audio signals, and to measure the frequency of an input signal. They are also used as temperature sensors and as resonators in medical devices. The properties of each crystal are determined by the arrangement of their atoms, which makes them so important in electronic devices.