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Sand 9 was a Boston University spin-off that developed tiny piezoelectric MEMS timing components for mobile devices—not phones or consumer gadgets. Its 2013 launch aimed to replace some discrete quartz timing parts with smaller components that could be integrated into an OEM’s package. The company said it had mobile-phone customers lined up, but the available reporting does not establish which phones, if any, shipped with its chips.
What Sand 9 made
Phones need precise clock signals to coordinate radio and other electronic functions. Sand 9 designed microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) resonators: silicon-based structures that vibrate at a designed frequency and provide a timing reference. The company targeted functions served by high-end quartz temperature-compensated crystals, including cellular transceivers, power-management ICs, GPS, Wi-Fi, FM radio and Bluetooth.
A resonator is the frequency-setting element; it is not, by itself, a complete oscillator circuit. Sand 9’s first named products were resonators, while its later TM651 announcement described a temperature-compensated MEMS oscillator. That distinction matters when comparing parts: a device or system may require additional circuitry to turn a resonator’s signal into a usable clock.
How its piezoelectric design was meant to improve on quartz
Interdigitated resonator structure
Sand 9’s design used a silicon film, silicon-dioxide layers and aluminum nitride, a piezoelectric material. Interdigitated electrodes coupled electrical input to mechanical motion, producing a standing wave in the resonator. The company said this approach offered “100 times better electro-mechanical coupling” than electrostatic MEMS designs, a comparison attributed to senior director of marketing Todd Borkowski in 2013 launch coverage.
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That figure was a company claim, not an independent head-to-head measurement presented in the coverage. The engineering goal was to create a small timing element with strong electromechanical coupling and enough stability for mobile wireless functions.
Stability and temperature compensation
Sand 9 reported frequency stability of 200 parts per million without external compensation. This was a reported specification, not a claim that every product had the same stability or that it matched every quartz component in every operating condition. Temperature compensation remained relevant: the TM361 incorporated a thermistor and heater for compensation and OEM calibration.
Size, integration and the quartz trade-off
For the TM061 and TM361, Sand 9 reported a package measuring 0.76 × 0.84 × 0.5 mm. The company described it as 50% smaller than the smallest quartz crystal then available and 10 times more shock resistant. Those size and shock comparisons were Sand 9 claims reported in 2013, not independently established comparisons across all quartz and MEMS parts.
The proposed board-space advantage came from integration, not merely shrinking one discrete part. Sand 9 planned to sell die in wafer-level chip-scale packages that an OEM could flip into its own package and over-mold. The approach could reclaim space otherwise occupied by multiple quartz crystals. It also meant adoption depended on the customer’s package design and manufacturing flow; it was not a drop-in consumer upgrade.
Sand 9’s announced products
| Product | Reported specification and purpose | Integration detail |
|---|---|---|
| TM061 | 48 MHz; intended for Bluetooth Smart and positioned as the lower-cost option. | Used a dummy cap rather than an ASIC. |
| TM361 | 76.8 MHz; temperature-sensing MEMS resonator. | Included an integrated thermistor and heater for compensation and OEM calibration. |
| TM651 | Later announced as a high-precision, temperature-compensated MEMS oscillator for communications infrastructure, industrial and military applications. | The cited announcement does not state a package size or frequency. |
The reported 0.76 × 0.84 × 0.5 mm size applied to the TM061 and TM361, not to the TM651.
How Sand 9 planned to manufacture and sell the parts
Sand 9’s model was to supply die in wafer-level chip-scale packages for OEMs to flip and over-mold into their products. The 2013 launch account described the MEMS portion being made at GlobalFoundries and an ASIC fabricated at IBM, followed by wafer-scale bonding. Separate trade coverage reported that GlobalFoundries would provide high-volume MEMS manufacturing. These were announced manufacturing plans and partnerships; they do not, on their own, establish sustained production volumes or deployment in retail phones.
The company positioned its parts as alternatives for GPS, LTE, 3G and Wi-Fi communications, as well as mobile devices, tablets, consumer electronics, infrastructure and test-and-measurement equipment. Its pitch was therefore broader than one Bluetooth chip: combine small size, timing performance and package-level integration in applications where board space and wireless clocking mattered.
Did Sand 9 chips make it into phones?
The September 2013 report said Sand 9 had spent more than five years developing piezoelectric timing chips and already had mobile-phone customers lined up. It did not identify those customers or name a handset model. The available launch reporting therefore supports saying that the company had customer interest or plans, not that the TM061 or TM361 was confirmed in a shipping phone.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11“Cracks the cellphone market” should be read as a description of the market Sand 9 was targeting, not proof that it achieved broad commercial adoption. The announced specs explain why the parts were pitched to phone makers, but they do not answer whether a particular OEM qualified, bought or shipped them.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What happened to Sand 9?
A later EE Times analysis says Sand 9 “was quietly acquired by Analog Devices where it disappeared.” It does not establish a precise transaction date. Sand 9 is consequently best understood as a historical supplier rather than a current standalone source of these named parts. The available reporting does not verify current product pages, distributor listings or availability for the TM061, TM361 or TM651.
For anyone evaluating a timing component today, Sand 9’s historical claims are not a substitute for checking the current device’s frequency stability over temperature, package size, shock tolerance, power use, oscillator circuitry, integration requirements, manufacturing scale and lifecycle support. No current successor part or specification is established by the launch coverage.
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