[time-nuts] Rakon HSO-14

Poul-Henning Kamp phk at phk.freebsd.dk
Sun Feb 4 07:24:52 EST 2018


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In message <EE82321B-3176-4D0D-B0BC-64625DCE8627 at n1k.org>, Bob kb8tq writes:

>If you try “normal” machining techniques on a resonator, you are very 
>likely to create micro cracks in the material. Those are *really* bad for
>aging and a few other issues ….. 

So that brings me to another question:

We use quartz crystals in very simple geometries, usually cylinder
slabs, with very perfect surfaces - for all kinds of good and
sane reasons.

But mostly we use simple geometries because that is what we could
make work, with the pretty crude production mechanisms in second
world war.

On the other side of the business we have SAW resonators which uses
very complex conductor patterns on the surface to do their thing.

If we can/could etch quartz in *precise* complex patterns at will,
regardless of crystal orientation, sort of like the stuff we do in
silicon wafers already:

	https://www.micralyne.com/fabrication-capabilities/etching/

Would that open up any interesting possibilities, or is the simple
cylinder slab by definition the best ?

-- 
Poul-Henning Kamp       | UNIX since Zilog Zeus 3.20
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