The Smart Timing Choice

The Smart Timing Choice

Silicon MEMS Outperforms Quartz

Silicon MEMS Outperforms Quartz Rev. 1.1

www.sitime.com

Best Reliability

Silicon is inherently more reliable than quartz. Unlike quartz

suppliers, SiTime has in-house MEMS and analog CMOS

expertise, which allows SiTime to develop the most reliable

products. Figure 1 shows a comparison with quartz

technology.

Why is SiTime Best in Class:

• SiTime’s MEMS resonators are vacuum sealed using an

advanced EpiSeal™ process, which eliminates foreign par-

ticles and improves long term aging and reliability

• World-class MEMS and CMOS design expertise

Best Aging

Unlike quartz, MEMS oscillators have excellent long term

aging performance which is why every new SiTime product

specifies 10-year aging. A comparison is shown in Figure 2.

Why is SiTime Best in Class:

• SiTime’s MEMS resonators are vacuum sealed using an

advanced EpiSeal process, which eliminates foreign parti-

cles and improves long term aging and reliability

• Inherently better immunity of electrostatically driven

MEMS resonator

Best Electro Magnetic Susceptibility (EMS)

SiTime’s oscillators in plastic packages are up to 54 times

more immune to external electromagnetic fields than quartz

oscillators as shown in Figure 3.

Why is SiTime Best in Class:

• Internal differential architecture for best common mode

noise rejection

• Electrostatically driven MEMS resonator is more immune

to EMS

Best Power Supply Noise Rejection

SiTime’s MEMS oscillators are more resilient against noise on

the power supply. A comparison is shown in Figure 4.

Why is SiTime Best in Class:

• On-chip regulators and internal differential architecture for

common mode noise rejection

• Best analog CMOS design expertise

Mean Time Between Failure (Million Hours)

14

16

28

38

500

0

200

400

600

Pericom

TXC

Epson

IDT (Fox)

SiTime

SiTime

20X Better

1.5

3.5

3.0

8.0

0

2

4

6

8

10

1-Year

10-Year

SiTime MEMS vs. Quartz Aging

SiTime MEMS Oscillator

Quartz Oscillator

SiTime

2X Better

- 39

- 40

- 42

- 43

- 45

- 73

- 90

- 80

- 70

- 60

- 50

- 40

- 30

Kyocera

Epson

TXC

CW

SiLabs

SiTime

SiTime vs Quartz

Electro Magnetic Susceptibility (EMS)

SiTime

54X Better

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

10

100

1,000

10,000

Power Supply Noise Frequency (kHz)

Power Supply Noise Rejection

SiTIme

NDK

Epson

Kyocera

SiTime 

SiTime

3X Better