EN 60444-11:2010

Measurement of quartz crystal unit parameters - Part 11: Standard method for the determination of the load resonance frequency fL and the effective load capacitance CLeff using automatic network analyzer techniques and error correction

IEC 60444-11:2010 defines the standard method of measuring load resonance frequency fL at the nominal value of CL, and the determination of the effective load capacitance CLeff at the nominal frequency for crystals with the figure of merit M > 4.

Messung von Schwingquarz-Parametern - Teil 11: Standardverfahren zur Bestimmung der Lastresonanzfrequenz fL und der effektiven Lastkapazität CLeff mit automatischer Netzwerkanalysatortechnik und Fehlerkorrektur

Mesure des paramètres des résonateurs à quartz - Partie 11: Méthode normalisée pour la détermination de la fréquence de résonance à la charge fL et de la capacité de charge efficace CLeff utilisant des analyseurs automatiques de réseaux et correction des erreurs

La CEI 60444-11:2010 définit la méthode normalisée de mesure de la fréquence de résonance à la charge fL à la valeur nominale de CL et la détermination de la capacité de charge efficace CLeff à la fréquence nominale pour des résonateurs de facteur de mérite M > 4.

Meritev parametrov kvarčnokristanih enot - 11. del: Standardne metode za ugotavljanje obremenitvene resonančne frekvence fL in efektivne obremenitvene kapacitivnosti CLeff z uporabo tehnik z avtomatičnim omrežnim analizatorjem in popravljanjem napak (IEC 60444-11:2010)

Ta del IEC 60444 opredeljuje standardno metodo merjenja obremenitve resonančne frekvence fL in ugotavljanje efektivne obremenitvene kapacitivnosti Cleff pri nazivni frekvenci za kristale s številko vrednosti M > 4.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 04-Nov-2010
• Withdrawal Date: 31-Oct-2013
• ICS: 31.140 - Piezoelectric devices
• Technical Committee: CLC/SR 49 - Piezoelectric and dielectric devices for frequency control and selection
• Drafting Committee: IEC/TC 49 - IEC_TC_49
• Parallel Committee: IEC/TC 49 - IEC_TC_49
• Current Stage: 6060 - Document made available - Publishing
• Start Date: 05-Nov-2010
• Completion Date: 05-Nov-2010
• Ref Project: SIST EN 60444-11:2011 - Measurement of quartz crystal unit parameters - Part 11: Standard method for the determination of the load resonance frequency fL and the effective load capacitance CLeff using automatic network analyzer techniques and error correction (IEC 60444-11:2010)

Relations

• Revised: prEN IEC 60444-11:2025 - Measurement of quartz crystal unit parameters - Part 11: Standard method for the determination of the load resonance frequency fl and the effective load capacitance cleff using automatic network analyzer techniques and error correction
• Effective Date: 26-Sep-2023

Overview

EN 60444-11:2010 (IEC 60444-11:2010) is the standardized method for measuring the load resonance frequency (fL) and the effective load capacitance (CLeff) of quartz crystal units using automatic network analyzer techniques with error correction. The procedure targets crystals with a figure of merit M > 4 and extends accurate measurement capability from earlier π‑network methods (up to 30 MHz) to approximately 200 MHz. This method avoids physical load capacitors, improves accuracy and reproducibility, and allows simultaneous determination of fL, CLeff and equivalent crystal parameters in a single test sequence.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Measurement principle: fL is found where the crystal reactance XC equals the negative reactance of the nominal load capacitance (XC = −XCL). CLeff is obtained from the crystal reactance at the nominal frequency (CLeff = 1 / (ωnom · XC(ωnom))).
• Automatic network analyzer techniques: error‑corrected S‑parameter/admittance measurements using calibrated network analyzers to obtain high‑impedance, low‑noise data.
• Error correction and evaluation: calibration, reference plane definition and error models (per IEC 60444‑5) to correct systematic measurement errors and improve correlation to actual application conditions.
• Reference plane & test conditions: defined test reference plane, crystal case not grounded, and controlled drive level (nominal drive at series resonance), with corrections for lower drive at load resonance.
• Derived parameters: calculation of load resonance offset (ΔfL), frequency pulling range (Δf) and pulling sensitivity (S) as described in IEC 60122‑1.
• High‑impedance measurement care: special procedures for calibration and fixture design to handle the high reactance region around fL.

Practical applications

• Production and acceptance testing of crystal units and clock resonators
• Characterization for oscillator and clock module design (telecom, consumer electronics, instrumentation)
• R&D and qualification of precision frequency control devices where accurate fL and CLeff data are required
• Test laboratories and calibration labs needing reproducible, traceable network‑analyzer–based measurements

Who should use this standard

• Crystal and resonator manufacturers
• Frequency control and oscillator designers
• Test & measurement engineers and quality assurance teams
• Calibration and metrology laboratories working on quartz device performance up to ~200 MHz

Related standards

• IEC 60444‑5:1995 - automatic network analyzer techniques and error correction (basis for the method)
• IEC/TR 60444‑4 - π‑network/zero‑phase methods (up to 30 MHz)
• IEC 60122‑1:2002 - generic specification and figure of merit (M) definitions

Keywords: load resonance frequency, fL, effective load capacitance, CLeff, quartz crystal measurement, automatic network analyzer, error correction, IEC 60444‑11, EN 60444‑11:2010.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2011
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XJRWDYOMDQMHREUHPHQLWYHQHUHVRQDQþQHIUHNYHQFHI/LQHIHNWLYQHREUHPHQLWYHQH
NDSDFLWLYQRVWL&/HII]XSRUDERWHKQLN]DYWRPDWLþQLPRPUHåQLPDQDOL]DWRUMHPLQ
SRSUDYOMDQMHPQDSDN,(&
Measurement of quartz crystal unit parameters - Part 11: Standard method for the
determination of the load resonance frequency fL and the effective load capacitance
CLeff using automatic network analyzer techniques and error correction (IEC 60444-
11:2010)
Messung von Schwingquarz-Parametern - Teil 11: Standardverfahren zur Bestimmung
der Lastresonanzfrequenz fL und der effektiven Lastkapazität CLeff mit automatischer
Netzwerkanalysatortechnik und Fehlerkorrektur (IEC 60444-11:2010)
Mesure des paramètres des résonateurs à quartz - Partie 11: Méthode normalisée pour
la détermination de la fréquence de résonance à la charge fL et de la capacité de charge
efficace CLeff utilisant des analyseurs automatiques de réseaux et correction des erreurs
(CEI 60444-11:2010)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 60444-11:2010
ICS:
31.140 3LH]RHOHNWULþQHLQ Piezoelectric and dielectric
GLHOHNWULþQHQDSUDYH devices
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 60444-11
NORME EUROPÉENNE
November 2010
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
ICS 31.140
English version
Measurement of quartz crystal unit parameters -
Part 11: Standard method for the determination of the load resonance
frequency f and the effective load capacitance C using automatic
L Leff
network analyzer techniques and error correction
(IEC 60444-11:2010)
Mesure des paramètres des résonateurs à Messung von Schwingquarz-Parametern -
quartz - Teil 11: Standardverfahren zur
Partie 11: Méthode normalisée pour la Bestimmung der Lastresonanzfrequenz f
L
détermination de la fréquence de und der effektiven Lastkapazität C mit
Leff
résonance à la charge f et de la capacité automatischer Netzwerkanalysatortechnik
L
de charge efficace C utilisant des
und Fehlerkorrektur
Leff
analyseurs automatiques de réseaux et (IEC 60444-11:2010)
correction des erreurs
(CEI 60444-11:2010)
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2010-11-01. CENELEC members are bound to comply
with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard
the status of a national standard without any alteration.

Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on
application to the Central Secretariat or to any CENELEC member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified
to the Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.

CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus,
the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

CENELEC
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung

Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B - 1000 Brussels

© 2010 CENELEC - All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC members.
Ref. No. EN 60444-11:2010 E
Foreword
The text of document 49/852/CDV, future edition 1 of IEC 60444-11, prepared by IEC TC 49,
Piezoelectric, Dielectric and Electrostatic Devices and Associated Materials for Frequency Control,
Selection and Detection, was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and was approved by
CENELEC as EN 60444-11 on 2010-11-01.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. CEN and CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights.
The following dates were fixed:
– latest date by which the EN has to be implemented
at national level by publication of an identical
national standard or by endorsement (dop) 2011-08-01
– latest date by which the national standards conflicting
with the EN have to be withdrawn (dow) 2013-11-01
Annex ZA has been added by CENELEC.
__________
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 60444-11:2010 was approved by CENELEC as a European
Standard without any modification.
__________
- 3 - EN 60444-11:2010
Annex ZA
(normative)
Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.

NOTE  When an international publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod), the relevant EN/HD
applies.
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year

IEC 60122-1 2002 Quartz crystal units of assessed quality - EN 60122-1 2002
Part 1: Generic specification
IEC/TR 60444-4 - Measurement of quartz crystal unit EN 60444-4 -
parameters by zero phase technique in a pi-
network -
Part 4: Method for the measurement of the
load resonance frequency fL, load resonance
resistance RL and the calculation of other
derived values of quartz crystal units, up to
30 MHz
IEC 60444-5 1995 Measurement of quartz crystal unit EN 60444-5 1997
parameters -
Part 5: Methods for the determination of
equivalent electrical parameters using
automatic network analyzer techniques and
error correction
IEC 60444-11 ®
Edition 1.0 2010-10
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Measurement of quartz crystal unit parameters –
Part 11: Standard method for the determination of the load resonance frequency
f and the effective load capacitance C using automatic network analyzer
L Leff
techniques and error correction

Mesure des paramètres des résonateurs à quartz –
Partie 11: Méthode normalisée pour la détermination de la fréquence de
résonance à la charge f et de la capacité de charge efficace C utilisant des
L Leff
analyseurs automatiques de réseaux et correction des erreurs

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
N
CODE PRIX
ICS 31.140 ISBN 978-2-88912-210-3
– 2 – 60444-11 © IEC:2010
CONTENTS
FOREWORD.3
1 Scope.5
2 Normative references .5
3 General concepts .6
3.1 Load resonance frequencies f and f .6
Lr La
3.2 Effective load capacitance C .6
Leff
4 Reference plane and test conditions.7
4.1 General .7
4.2 Principle of measurement .7
4.3 Evaluation of errors .10
Bibliography.14

Figure 1 – Admittance of a quartz crystal unit .6
Figure 2 – X as a function of frequency (solid line) in the vicinity of f .9
C L
Figure 3 – Level of drive of a crystal in a π-network vs. frequency .9
Figure 4 – Error of the load resonance frequency due to the inaccuracy of the
measured voltages (dashed line) and the calibration resistances (soft line) .11
Figure 5 – C -error resulting from f error (due to inaccuracy of the measured voltages
L L
and the calibration resistances) for the same crystal as in Figure 4.11
Figure 6 – Frequency error due to noise of the measured voltages .12
Figure 7 – Error of load resonance frequency f at 30 pF and 10 pF for typical
L
equivalent parameters of quartz crystal units .12
Figure 8 – Error of C for typical equivalent parameters of quartz crystal units .13
Leff
60444-11 © IEC:2010 – 3 –
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
MEASUREMENT OF QUARTZ CRYSTAL UNIT PARAMETERS –

Part 11: Standard method for the determination of the load resonance
frequency f and the effective load capacitance C using automatic
L Leff
network analyzer techniques and error correction

FOREWORD
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9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 60444-11 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 49:
Piezoelectric, dielectric and electrostatic devices and associated materials for frequency
control, selection and detection.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
CDV Report on voting
49/852/CDV 49/883/RVC
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

– 4 – 60444-11 © IEC:2010
A list of all parts of the IEC 60444 series under the general title Measurement of quartz crystal
unit parameters can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this amendment and the base publication will
remain unchanged until the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under
"http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the
publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
60444-11 © IEC:2010 – 5 –
MEASUREMENT OF QUARTZ CRYSTAL UNIT PARAMETERS –

Part 11: Standard method for the deter
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