– TOKYO, Japan, March 15, 2007 –

Epson Toyocom Corporation has announced the successful development of the world’s smallest* tuning-fork crystal unit, FC-12M, which is positioned as one of its next-generation mainstay products. The FC-12M is an ultra-compact SMD-type tuning-fork crystal unit, which will contribute to further miniaturization of mobile products.

Demand for further downsizing of electronic devices has been growing in the field of mobile products such as mobile terminals, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and portable media players. To respond to this demand, the FC-12M incorporates QMEMS and high-precision mounting technologies to achieve the ultra-compact dimensions (2.0 x 1.2 x 0.6 mm Max.)—about half the footprint of its predecessor—while maintaining the same performance as the previous model. This new product contributes to further enhancement of mobile products by offering higher-density integration, improved design flexibility, a smaller size, and more advanced functionality.

The standard frequency tolerance, which is a specification for expressing accuracy, is ±30 x 10^-6 / ±50 x 10^-6. The FC-12M complies with the EU RoHS Directive.

Epson Toyocom also plans to offer ultra-compact low-/medium-frequency oscillators and real-time clock modules incorporating the FC-12M, as a response to expected growth in demands for further miniaturization and higher-density mounting in the field of mobile products.

*Based on a survey conducted by Epson Toyocom, as of March 15, 2007.

Glossary
QMEMS
QMEMS is a combination of "Quartz," a crystalline material with excellent characteristics such as high stability and high precision, and "MEMS" (micro electro mechanical system). QMEMS quartz devices are created using quartz material instead of the semiconductors used by MEMS. We perform precision microfabrication on the quartz material to offer high performance in a compact package.