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Table of Contents

Application Note

Vibration and Mechanical Shock Performance of TI’s BAW
Oscillators

Purnachandar Poshala, Mahesh K Chandrashekar, Kia Rahbar, Ernest Ting-Ta Yen
ABSTRACTBAW (Bulk Acoustic Wave) oscillators are a new entry to oscillator technology. Crystal-based oscillators haveexisted for many years, even before the introduction of MEMS technology. BAW technology brings benefits
to reliability over Crystal-based and MEMS-based oscillators. The high grade reliability of BAW in terms ofimproved vibration, mechanical shock and mean time between failure (MTBF) performance, alleviates systemdesigner concerns about oscillator performance in harsh environments, allowing designers to focus more on
the overall system performance. Unlike quartz or mechanical elements used in the quartz oscillators, TI’s
piezoelectric BAW resonator is designed using a semiconductor process.
Mechanical shock and vibration can damage oscillators and degrade performance. Vibrations can result inincreased phase noise or jitter and mechanical shocks can result in frequency shifts or spikes. This applicationnote provides more details on BAW oscillator performance under stringent sinusoidal, random vibration, andmechanical shock conditions and describes various MIL-STD-883 test methods, test setup, and performance
results.

Table of Contents
1 Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................................3
2 Test Standards and Test Setup..............................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Test Standards................................................................................................................................................................... 4
2.2 Test Setup in Vibration Lab................................................................................................................................................ 43 Sinusoidal Vibration, Random Vibration, and Mechanical Shock Tests............................................................................5
3.1 Sinusoidal Vibration Test.................................................................................................................................................... 5
3.2 Random Vibration Test..................................................................................................................................................... 10
3.3 Mechanical Shock Test.....................................................................................................................................................11
4 Comparison of BAW Oscillator Vibration Performance With Crystal Oscillator............................................................ 14
4.1 Comparison Test Setup....................................................................................................................................................14
4.2 Comparison Test Results................................................................................................................................................. 15
5 Summary............................................................................................................................................................................... 15
6 References............................................................................................................................................................................ 15

List of Figures
Figure 2-1. Sinusoidal and Random Vibration Test Setup Diagram.............................................................................................4
Figure 2-2. Vibration Test Fixtures With The Evaluation Board (having DUT) in the X, Y, Z Axes.............................................. 4
Figure 3-1. Baseline Capture Before Sinusoidal Vibration...........................................................................................................6
Figure 3-2. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 50 Hz...................................................................................................................6
Figure 3-3. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 100 Hz.................................................................................................................6
Figure 3-4. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 200 Hz.................................................................................................................7
Figure 3-5. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 500 Hz.................................................................................................................7
Figure 3-6. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 1000 Hz...............................................................................................................7
Figure 3-7. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 2000 Hz...............................................................................................................7
Figure 3-8. Combined Sinusoidal Vibration Phase Noise Plot on 4-pin DLE Package................................................................8
Figure 3-9. Combined Sinusoidal Vibration Phase Noise Plot on 4-pin DLF Package................................................................ 8
Figure 3-10. Combined Sinusoidal Vibration Phase Noise Plot on 6-pin DLE Package..............................................................8
Figure 3-11. Combined Sinusoidal Vibration Phase Noise Plot on 6-pin DLF Package.............................................................. 8
Figure 3-12. ppb/g Versus Vibration Frequency Plot for LVCMOS Output - DLE and DLF packages - X, Y, Z Axis................... 9
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Figure 3-13. ppb/g Versus Vibration Frequency Plot for Differential Output - DLE and DLF Packages - X, Y, Z Axis.................9
Figure 3-14. VibrationVIEW Software Tool Setup for Random Vibration................................................................................... 10
Figure 3-15. Plot of Before and After Vibration Test on 4-pin DLE (LVCMOS).......................................................................... 10
Figure 3-16. Capture During Vibration of the 4-pin DLE (LVCMOS)..........................................................................................10
Figure 3-17. Plot of Before and After Vibration Test on 6-pin DLE (LVPECL)............................................................................11
Figure 3-18. Capture During Vibration Test on 6-pin DLE (LVPECL).........................................................................................11
Figure 3-19. Shock Test Setup.................................................................................................................................................. 12
Figure 3-20. Plot of Before and After Mechanical Shock Test of 4-pin DLE, Z axis...................................................................12
Figure 3-21. Capture During Mechanical Shock Test of 4-pin DLE, Z axis................................................................................12
Figure 3-22. Plot of Before and After Mechanical Shock Test of 4-pin DLF, X axis .................................................................. 13
Figure 3-23. Capture of During Mechanical Shock Test of 4-pin DLF, X axis ........................................................................... 13
Figure 3-24. Plot of Before and After Mechanical Shock Test of 6-pin DLE, Y axis ................................................................. 13
Figure 3-25. Capture During Mechanical Shock Test of 6-pin DLE, Y axis............................................................................... 13
Figure 3-26. Plot of Before and After Mechanical Shock Test of 6-pin DLF, Y axis................................................................... 13
Figure 3-27. Capture During Mechanical Shock Test of 6-pin DLF, Y axis................................................................................ 13
Figure 4-1. Vibration Test Lab Setup Diagram...........................................................................................................................14
Figure 4-2. BAW Phase Noise Plot for Random Vibration Test ................................................................................................ 15
Figure 4-3. Crystal Oscillator 1 Phase Noise Plot for Random Vibration Test........................................................................... 15
Figure 4-4. Crystal Oscillator 2 Phase Noise Plot for Random Vibration Test .......................................................................... 15

List of Tables
Table 1-1. Typical Acceleration Levels in Various Environments ................................................................................................ 3
Table 4-1. Comparison of TI BAW Oscillator and Crystal Oscillator Performance Under Same Conditions............................. 14

Trademarks
VibrationVIEW® is a registered trademark of Vibration Research Corp.
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Introduction

1 Introduction
The sensitivity to vibration and shock is a key consideration when designing systems with a crystal- or MEMSbased clock oscillator. Devices with high sensitivity to vibration can have a detrimental impact on the overallsystem performance, affecting the phase noise and jitter, frequency stability, and long-term reliability. The clock
oscillator needs to provide a stable clock with strong resistance against acceleration forces, vibration, and shock,as resistance provides stability throughout the product life cycles under process and temperature variations.
The two important parameters for quantifying vibration are the acceleration force and vibration frequency applied
to the devices. To quantify shock, acceleration force and the time duration for which the peak acceleration
is applied are used. Vibrations and mechanical shock affect resonators by inducing noise and frequency
drift, degrading system performance over time. In oscillators, vibration and shock are common causes of
elevated phase noise and jitter, frequency shifts and spikes, or even physical damage to the resonator andresonator package. These degradations of phase noise and jitter directly impact the system performance.
Typically, external disturbances couple into the micro resonator through the package. Since crystal oscillators
fundamentally rely on the vibration and mechanical resonance of a piezoelectric material, external disturbances
can couple into the device and degrade oscillator performance. Mechanical shocks of sufficient magnitude canalso cause irreversible frequency shifts at the output of the crystal oscillator.
TI BAW oscillators fare better, when compared to quartz-based oscillators. TI’s BAW oscillators are moreimmune to vibration and mechanical shock due to the smaller mass (by orders of magnitude) of the resonatorand higher resonance frequency. The force applied to the device from external acceleration is much smaller due
to smaller mass. The immunity of the device is further enhanced by the semiconductor manufacturing processof the BAW resonator. The BAW piezo and metal layers are surrounded by Bragg mirrors, which shield theresonator from environmental stresses. The BAW oscillator also includes a wafer-level encapsulation for making
the oscillator a robust and reliable product. TI’s dual-Bragg BAW resonators contains no moving parts, which
provides resilience against environmental stress with improved device reliability.
Vibration sources are present in many end-applications including hand-held mobile devices, cooling fans inequipment chassis, factory automation equipment, construction equipment, moving vehicles or aircraft. The
following table provides examples of the vibration levels at different environment conditions.
Table 1-1. Typical Acceleration Levels in Various Environments
Environment(1)Typical acceleration (g)Buildings

quiescent 0.02 rms

Tractor-trailer(3 to 80 Hz) 0.2 peakArmored personnel carrier

0.5 to 3 rms

Ship - calm seas

0.02 to 0.1 peak

Ship - rough seas

0.8 peakRailroads

0.1 to 1 peak

Propeller aircraft

0.3 to 5 rms

Helicopter

0.1 to 7 rms

Jet aircraft

0.02 to 2 rms

Missile - boost phase

15 peakA LMK6x oscillator from Texas Instruments is used to quantify the vibration and shock performance of BAW
oscillators. The devices are subjected to sinusoidal vibrations at various frequencies along the X, Y and Z
directions. The tests are repeated along each axis with random vibration profiles. The final test measures
the transient frequency deviation of the units during operation in response to mechanical shock. Phase noise(including spurs) and frequency shift data are then recorded during these tests.

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Test Standards and Test Setup

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2 Test Standards and Test Setup
2.1 Test Standards
The tests in this application note are performed in accordance with the following standards and procedures.
•••

Random Vibration: MIL-STD-883F standard: Method 2026C
Mechanical Shock: MIL-STD-883F standard: Method 2002.4B
Sinusoidal vibration at 10 g with vibration frequencies of 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz

Phase noise and jitter performance are recorded before, during, and after the random vibration, following thepreceding MIL (Military) standards. Frequency drift is recorded as per the mechanical shock standard test setup.
Sinusoidal vibration at different vibration frequencies is conducted and based on the phase noise result, theppb/g value is calculated for the BAW oscillator. The test setup, procedure and test results are provided in later
sections of the document.

2.2 Test Setup in Vibration Lab
The sinusoidal and random vibration test setup is shown in Figure 2-1.

PC
with software

Keysight
E5052B
Balun
Phase Noise
Analyzer

Differential
outputCube

Keysight
E3631A
Power supply(DUT
mountedhere)
Vibration Table

Figure 2-1. Sinusoidal and Random Vibration Test Setup Diagram
Figure 2-2 shows the lab setup for the sinusoidal and random vibration tests along the three axes.

Figure 2-2. Vibration Test Fixtures With The Evaluation Board (having DUT) in the X, Y, Z Axes

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Sinusoidal Vibration, Random Vibration, and Mechanical Shock Tests

3 Sinusoidal Vibration, Random Vibration, and Mechanical Shock Tests
3.1 Sinusoidal Vibration Test
3.1.1 Procedure for Sinusoidal Vibration Test
LMK6x BAW Oscillator has multiple packages for differential- and single-ended outputs, see the LMK6x Low
Jitter, High-Performance BAW Oscillator data sheet for more details on the BAW oscillator package options.
For this sinusoidal vibration test, the following variants were selected.
••

LVCMOS Output: DLE-4 ( 3.2 x 2.5 mm ), DLF-4 ( 2.5 x 2.0 mm )Differential Output: DLE-6 ( 3.2 x 2.5 mm ), DLF-6 ( 2.5 x 2.0 mm ). BAW Oscillator has LVDS, LVPECL,HCSL output types. LVPECL output type oscillator is selected for this test.

The following are the steps involved in setting up the DUT (Device Under Test) board on the vibration fixture andfor conducting the sinusoidal vibration test.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Parts are soldered down on the LMK6x evaluation module (EVM) and bolted to the mating plate, which isconnected to the vibration stand.
The Keysight E3631A bench-top power supply is setup to supply 3.3 V for the EVM module.
For differential outputs (DLE-6 and DLF-6 package devices), LVPECL output termination is provided on
the EVM. A TC1-1-13MA+ surface mount RF transformer is used to convert the differential output to asingle-ended output and the output is connected to a Keysight E5052B phase noise analyzer.
Using VibrationVIEW® Control software, the vibration frequency is programmed to 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000,
2000 Hz at 10 g acceleration setting.
Once the vibration machine achieves the targeted frequency and intensity, a single trigger is issued to theE5052B phase noise analyzer.
Phase noise data is captured using the phase noise analyzer and phase noise plots and trace data arecollected for each axis of vibration (X, Y, and Z axis).
Using spur power (normalized mode), frequency deviation is calculated based on the following formula:
fm_deviation = fm_frequency × 10••

6 + Vib_spur_power dBc/Hz
20(1)where fm_deviation is the frequency modulation deviation and fm_frequency is the frequency ofvibration.
From frequency deviation, ppb (parts per billion) is calculated based on the following formula:
fm_deviation
ppb = 109 × carrier_frequency(2)

The ppb value is then divided by the set g force, to calculate ppb/g.

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3.1.2 Results From Sinusoidal Vibration Test
Sinusoidal test is conducted at a fixed sinusoidal vibration frequency of 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz
with 10 g acceleration for all three axes. Phase noise plots from these tests are captured. The following plots
are for the Z-axis for DLF-4 package. A spur sticking out at the frequency of vibration can be observed in eachgraph. Based on the test results and captured data, the vibration sensitivity in terms of ppb/g is calculated for
BAW oscillators.

Figure 3-1. Baseline Capture Before Sinusoidal Vibration

Figure 3-2. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 50 Hz

6

Figure 3-3. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 100
Hz

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Figure 3-4. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 200
Hz

Figure 3-5. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 500
Hz

Figure 3-6. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 1000 Figure 3-7. Capture of Sinusoidal Vibration at 2000
HzHz
The combined, overlaid waveform for the phase noise plots with respect to vibration frequencies are shown in
the following figures. The figures show waveforms for the DLE-4, DLF-4, DLE-6, and DLF-6 packages.

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The ppb/g is calculated and plotted for both LVCMOS and LVPECL. Each of the following figures show Z-axis
data with the device at 10 g acceleration.

Figure 3-8. Combined Sinusoidal Vibration Phase
Noise Plot on 4-pin DLE Package

Figure 3-9. Combined Sinusoidal Vibration Phase
Noise Plot on 4-pin DLF Package

Figure 3-10. Combined Sinusoidal Vibration Phase
Noise Plot on 6-pin DLE Package

Figure 3-11. Combined Sinusoidal Vibration Phase
Noise Plot on 6-pin DLF Package

The calculated ppb/g values for the LMK6x on LVCMOS and LVPECL devices for both the DLE and DLF
packages are plotted for all the tested vibration frequencies. These calculations are based on the vibration
frequency spurs in phase noise measurements for various vibration frequencies for different types of LMK6x
packages and output types. The equations are provided in Section 3.1.1. Figure 3-12 shows the vibration
frequency versus the ppb/g value. The vibration sensitivity of the LMK6x LVCMOS output type is less than 1
ppb/g and the vibration sensitivity for the LMK6x differential output is less than 2 ppb/g based on the plots. In
Figure 3-12, the top plot is the X-axis, the middle plot is the Y-axis, and the bottom plot is the Z-axis ppb/g versus
the vibration frequency. The blue line in Figure 3-12 represents the DLE package and the green line represents
the DLF package. The vibration sensitivity of the crystal oscillators are in the range of 10 ppb/g, which showsthat the BAW oscillators have less vibration sensitivity compared to crystal oscillators.

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Sinusoidal Vibration, Random Vibration, and Mechanical Shock Tests

Figure 3-12. ppb/g Versus Vibration Frequency Plot for LVCMOS Output - DLE and DLF packages - X, Y, Z
Axis

Figure 3-13. ppb/g Versus Vibration Frequency Plot for Differential Output - DLE and DLF Packages - X,
Y, Z Axis

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3.2 Random Vibration Test
3.2.1 Procedure for Random Vibration Test
The MIL-STD-883F method 2026C is followed for the random vibration test profiles and setup. Random vibration
represents the true environment in which electronic systems operate. Random vibration contains all of thefrequencies simultaneously and hence all product resonances are excited simultaneously, which is worse than
exciting product resonances individually (as in sinusoidal vibration testing). Random vibration testing helps to
identify failures that cannot be duplicated in a sinusoidal environment.
The EVM board setup is identical to what is shown in Section 3.1.1. However, the profile for random vibration isdifferent. The acceleration spectral density with respect to frequency of vibration is shown in Figure 3-14 using
VibrationVIEW®, which is used throughout this test.

Figure 3-14. VibrationVIEW Software Tool Setup for Random Vibration
3.2.2 Results From Random Vibration Test
The plots shown in this section are captured before, during, and after the random vibration test, which are tested
following the MIL-STD-883F method 2026C.
The capture data for the Z-axis movement of the DLE 4-pin (LVCMOS) oscillator is shown in Figure 3-15 andFigure 3-16.

Figure 3-15. Plot of Before and After Vibration Test
on 4-pin DLE (LVCMOS)

10

Figure 3-16. Capture During Vibration of the 4-pin
DLE (LVCMOS)

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Sinusoidal Vibration, Random Vibration, and Mechanical Shock Tests

The capture data for the Z-axis movement of the DLE 6-pin (LVPECL) oscillator is shown in Figure 3-17 andFigure 3-18.

Figure 3-17. Plot of Before and After Vibration Test Figure 3-18. Capture During Vibration Test on 6-pin
on 6-pin DLE (LVPECL)DLE (LVPECL)
The preceding plots show that the performance of the BAW Oscillator is robust during and after the vibration andthe jitter performance is not degraded.

3.3 Mechanical Shock Test
3.3.1 Procedure for Mechanical Shock Test
For the mechanical shock test, the MIL-STD-883F Method 2002, Condition A profile (500 g acceleration) andCondition B profile (1500 g acceleration) is used.
For this sinusoidal vibration test, the following variants are selected.
••

LVCMOS Output: DLE-4 (3.2 x 2.5 mm), DLF-4 (2.5 x 2.0 mm)
Differential Output: DLE-6 (3.2 x 2.5 mm), DLF-6 (2.5 x 2.0 mm)

The following are the steps involved in setting up the Device Under Test (DUT) board on the vibration fixture andfor conducting the mechanical shock test.
•
•
•
•

•
•
•

Parts are soldered down on the LMK6x evaluation module (EVM) and bolted to the mating plate, which isconnected to the mechanical shock testing machine.
The Agilent E3631A bench-top power supply is setup to supply 3.3 V for the EVM module.
For differential outputs (DLE-6 and DLF-6 package devices), the LVPECL output termination is provided on
the EVM. A TC1-1-13MA+ Balun surface mount RF transformer is used to convert the differential output to asingle-ended output and the output is connected to a Keysight E5052B phase noise analyzer.
Shock parameters are set as below– For 1500 g, board is vertically lifted 10.4 inches.
– For 500 g, board is vertically lifted 3.8 inches.
– Air suction pulls fixture down to achieve appropriate g-force.
At least 3 cycles of shock are performed for each tested sample.
Transient data is acquired during shock test.
Phase noise data is collected as a screenshot after shock test

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The shock test fixture setup is in Figure 3-19, which shows the mounted LMK6x EVM.

Figure 3-19. Shock Test Setup
3.3.2 Results From Mechanical Shock Test
The results from the mechanical shock tests are shown in Figure 3-20 through Figure 3-23.

Figure 3-20. Plot of Before and After Mechanical
Shock Test of 4-pin DLE, Z axis

Figure 3-21. Capture During Mechanical Shock
Test of 4-pin DLE, Z axis

The scale for the y - axis is in Hz (Hertz) and the markers are provided for 0.5 PPM on either side of the variationin the plot for easy reference for understanding PPM variation.

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Sinusoidal Vibration, Random Vibration, and Mechanical Shock Tests

Figure 3-22. Plot of Before and After Mechanical
Shock Test of 4-pin DLF, X axis

Figure 3-23. Capture of During Mechanical Shock
Test of 4-pin DLF, X axis

Figure 3-24. Plot of Before and After Mechanical
Shock Test of 6-pin DLE, Y axis

Figure 3-25. Capture During Mechanical Shock
Test of 6-pin DLE, Y axis

Figure 3-26. Plot of Before and After Mechanical
Shock Test of 6-pin DLF, Y axis

Figure 3-27. Capture During Mechanical Shock
Test of 6-pin DLF, Y axis

The ppm variation is observed to be negligible during the mechanical shock test, with the variation at less than
0.5 ppm and the device operating normally after the test.

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Comparison of BAW Oscillator Vibration Performance With Crystal Oscillator

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4 Comparison of BAW Oscillator Vibration Performance With Crystal Oscillator
To compare device performance under random vibration, a TI BAW oscillator and crystal oscillator device isselected and tested under the same test conditions.
Table 4-1. Comparison of TI BAW Oscillator and Crystal Oscillator Performance Under Same Conditions
Part number

Technology

LMK6x BAW
Oscillator

BAW

Crystal Osc 1

Quartz(integrated)

Crystal Osc 2

Quarts(integrated)

PackageFrequency

VDD

OutputAccuracy±25 ppm

3.2 x 2.5 mm

156.25 MHz

3.3 V

LVPECL±50 ppm±30 ppm

4.1 Comparison Test Setup
The MIL-STD-883H method 2026.B is selected for conducting a vibration comparison test. This test profile
subjects the DUTs to an acceleration of 7.3-g rms. Figure 4-1 shows the vibration test setup created in the lab.
The fixture is mounted on a vibration table, which is then subjected to an acceleration of a specific magnitude
along the vertical axis. Three tests were performed on BAW oscillators and crystal oscillator devices. BAW
oscillator shows better vibration immunity than its quartz counterparts.
E5052B

Signal Source
Analyzer

E3631A
Power supply

Figure 4-1. Vibration Test Lab Setup Diagram
Random vibrations also increase oscillator phase noise. The test hardware generates random vibration over the
specified frequency range, based on the power spectral density level in the MIL-STD-883H. Since the random
vibration is spread over a range of frequencies, there is an overall increase in the phase noise of the output
clock from the DUT rather than just spurs at specific frequency offsets which is generally observed in sinusoidal
vibration tests. The integrated RMS phase jitter values are measured over an integration band from 12-kHz to
20-MHz range. Measurements are taken with and without the vibrations present and the RMS jitter difference
between the two cases are calculated to determine the jitter induced by the vibration for each DUT.

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Comparison of BAW Oscillator Vibration Performance With Crystal Oscillator

4.2 Comparison Test Results
Dynamic phase noise measurement of the BAW oscillator along with the counterpart crystal oscillators under
random vibration test results are shown below. From the following plots, the BAW oscillator shows better
immunity than crystal oscillators and lower RMS jitter (12-kHz to 20-MHz).
20

20

Quarts Osc 1

BAW Osc LMK6X
40— No Vibration (314 fs)

40— No Vibration (87.8 fs)— Random Cond. B (315 fs)— Random Cond. B (88.2 fs)
60

60— Random Cond. J (88.4 fs)

80

80

100

100

120

120

140

140

160

160

180

— Random Cond. J (314 fs)

180
10

100

1000

10000

1000001000000

10000000

10

Figure 4-2. BAW Phase Noise Plot for Random
Vibration Test

100

1000

10000

1000001000000

10000000

Figure 4-3. Crystal Oscillator 1 Phase Noise Plotfor Random Vibration Test

20

Quarts Osc 2

40— No Vibration (766 fs)— Random Cond. B (766 fs)

60— Random Cond. J (766 fs)

80
100
120
140
160
180
10

100

1000

10000

1000001000000

10000000

Figure 4-4. Crystal Oscillator 2 Phase Noise Plot for Random Vibration Test

5 Summary
Based on the sinusoidal, random vibration and Mechanical Shock tests and the test results shown in thisapplication note, the following are key observations.
• BAW oscillators are not damaged and work normally during and after sinusoidal, random vibration, andmechanical shock tests.
• Based on the sinusoidal vibration test, the vibration sensitivity for the BAW oscillators is less the 2 ppb/g
across all type of packages, as well as single-ended and differential-ended output types.
• Based on the random vibration test, the jitter is not degraded and the device performance has no significant
variations before, during, and after the test.
• Based on the mechanical shock test, the ppm variation during the 1500 g acceleration test is less than 0.5
ppm.
These results show that BAW oscillators are robust and highly reliable and immune to the vibration andmechanical shock.

6 References
1. John R. Vig. (2004). Quartz Crystal Resonators and Oscillators, US Army Communications-Electronics
Research, Development & Engineering Center.
2. Texas Instruments, Exploring IoT wireless connectivity in mechanical shock and vibration environments,
white paper
3. Texas Instruments, Vibration and Shock Sensitivity: A Comparative Study of Oscillators, application report

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