Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillators (OCXOs)

An oven controlled crystal oscillator (OCXO) is a type of crystal oscillator that uses a crystal resonator and a temperature-controlled oven to maintain a high degree of frequency stability. A crystal resonator is a type of circuit element that uses the natural resonance frequency of a crystal to generate an electrical signal with a very stable frequency. In an OCXO, the crystal resonator is placed inside a temperature-controlled oven, which maintains a constant temperature around the crystal, ensuring that its resonance frequency remains stable. OCXOs are commonly used in a variety of applications that require a high degree of frequency stability, such as in telecommunications, networking, and GPS systems. They are preferred over other types of crystal oscillators because they provide better frequency stability over a wider temperature range. Additionally, OCXOs are relatively small and consume low power, making them well-suited for use in portable electronic devices.