Oscillators are ubiquitous components utilized for timing purposes in virtually all forms of electronic hardware ranging from timepieces to computers. Unfortunately, timing frequencies of the oscillators vary widely depending upon application and the particular electronic hardware in which the oscillators are to be implemented.
The most popular type of oscillator is a crystal oscillator, and, consequently, they are in high demand. Unfortunately, crystals, the heart of every crystal oscillator, are difficult to manufacture and require a long leadtime. In this process as traditionally practiced, a crystal bar or ingot is grown from a seed crystal. The crystal bar is x-ray examined to determine the correct cut angle, mounted at that angle on glass in a cutting fixture, and then sliced into crystal wafers. The wafers are then x-ray examined to confirm the cut angle. Next, the wafers are gross lapped to an appropriate thickness and then divided to remove the crystal seed. The wafers then undergo a series of steps, including x-raying, waxing together, shaping, unwaxing, intermediate lapping, segmenting into individual crystal blanks, fine lapping, chemical etching, sorting, gross base plating and multiple final plating steps, all designed to condition the crystals to generate a source (resonant) frequency to customer specification. This process may take weeks. Moreover, it must be known early in the manufacturing process, e.g., prior to intermediate lapping, but in some cases prior to slicing the ingots into wafers, what source frequencies the crystal wafers must generate in the customer end product. Thus, customers typically cannot order custom crystal oscillators from a manufacturer's inventory, i.e., crystal oscillators generating custom frequencies rather than stocked standard frequencies. In the case of custom crystal oscillators, customer orders are typically placed before a manufacturer will begin manufacture. If the manufacturer has a backlog of customer orders, it is not uncommon that the leadtime for custom crystal oscillators from order placement to delivery is measured in months. To gain shorter leadtimes, customers will typically have to pay premium prices. It is also not uncommon that, after placing a long leadtime order with a manufacturer, the customer's frequency specification changes or even the need for the crystal oscillator disappears. If manufacture of the oscillators to fill the order has begun, the customer is typically subjected to cancellation charges, since crystal wafers and the associated integrated circuit may not be salable to future customers. Consequently, these components may eventually have to be reworked or simply scrapped.