Epson Toyocom Corporation, the leader in crystal devices, today announced the commercial development of the FC-13A, a tuning-fork crystal unit with operation guaranteed up to a temperature of 125℃, for automotive applications.

The FC-13A has an output frequency of 32.768 kHz and measures 3.2 x 1.5 mm, with a maximum thickness of 0.9 mm. The frequency tolerance is ±20 x 10-6, and the operating temperature range is -40 to 125℃.

The new tuning-fork crystal unit will enter volume production in January 2010.

The core component in sub-clocks and time management functions is a 32.768-kHz crystal unit. Market demand for miniature 32.768 kHz crystal units that are reliable in high-temperature environments has grown with the increase in recent years of feature-rich automotive applications. The spread of hybrid cars and electric vehicles has also fueled the growth of new automotive applications, such as battery monitoring functions. Auto manufacturers further require that components be lead-free, for environmental reasons.

Epson Toyocom has addressed these market needs with its QMEMS (*1) technology, which let the company shrink the FC-13A\'s package to less than one-tenth the volume of its predecessor, the MC-30A. Original packaging technology enables the FC-13A to support an operating temperature range from -40 to 125℃, with automotive-grade levels of performance and reliability. It is also compliant with the AEC-Q200 (*2) quality standard for automotive electronics.
In addition, the lead-free FC-13A conforms to EU RoHS Directive and ELV Directive requirements.

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