Microcontroller Crystals Basic

One of the most frequently asked questions about microcontrollers

has to be 
"What kind of crystal capacitors do I use on this chip."
Unfortunately, that's even the wrong question!
This also applies to any other common chip that uses an external
crystal timebase.
 

 First, the crystal determines the capacitor values, not

the chip.
Atmel's application notes correctly leave off the cap
values, since they can't tell you what values to use!
 There are two types of crystals. Series resonant, and
Parallel resonant.
Most microcontrollers use parallel resonant crystals.
 If you use series resonant crystals in a circuit designed
for parallel resonant crystals, you will never get the
crystal to the right frequency. 
Why?
Because every crystal has two resonant points, the
parallel point, and the series point.
They are very close together, but they cannot ever be on
the same frequency.
Which one you use, depends on the circuit the crystal is
used in.
Crystals are sold as parallel or series resonant, depending
on which of these two points is intended to be used.
The other point is still there, but it may not perform well.
 All parallel resonant crystals have a specification that tells
you how much loading capacitance is expected to be in
the final circuit. However, you can't use that value
directly.
First, there will be some amount of parasitic capacitance
in the circuit, which we'll call "CP"
This happens in the traces, wires, and sockets.
Second, the chip itself will have some amount of input
 capacitance, which we'll call "CI"
Finally, the specified load capacitance, which we'll call
"CL"
 A key point, is that from the crystal's point of view, the
capacitors are in series.
This means that the values you need would be twice the
value specified for CL.
If your crystal wants 22pF, then you would start out with
an estimated value of 44pF for each cap.
However, you must subtract a bit for the parasitic
capacitance, and the chip's input capacitance.
The final formula comes out as C=2(CL)-(CP+CI)
 You can estimate (CP+CI) to be about 5pF as a starting
point, so our C value becomes:
C=(44)-(5) or 39pF.

If all you wanted is to get your project going, then this is what you
needed. 
However, if you'd also like to minimize your EMI output, then carry
on to the next section.

Microcontroller Crystals, Advanced.

So we've got the right cap values, what more could there be?

 As it turns out, it's not quite so simple, if you care about

minimising your EMI output.
The normal sort of crystal oscillator circuit has an input
pin, and an output pin. The input pin is pretty simple-
minded, it basically looks like a capacitor. But what's on
the other side of that capacitor?
 Answer: Ground, and VCC. So current into or out of this
pin, ends up on Ground or VCC.
When you think about it, it makes sense. That current
has got to flow, and it has got to return to the source.
This is a key point that's often missed, or not fully
understood.
  Also, the output pin is a pair of FETs that source current
alternately, from VCC, and to Ground.
Is this taking shape yet?
 If you really want to get it as quiet as possible, you now
split your caps (39pF from the previous example) into a
pair of 19pF caps on each side, one to VCC, and one to
ground!
 It is critical that these caps connect directly, and only to
the processor power pins, by a separate track.
Don't dump the ground side caps into a plane, and don't
connect the VCC side caps to any other point on the VCC
tracks.
If you do, you have just created a shunt-fed antenna,
driven by the microcontroller, passing the higher order
odd harmonics of the crystal frequency through the caps!
If anything else is connected to these tracks, then it's an
antenna!
 So why don't you see this technique used more
frequently?
Probably because of the extra expense of two more
capacitors.
Also, because "The other guys don't do it that way."
Remember, when you copy the other guy's answers, you
also copy his mistakes.

Sean Breheny says:

The purpose in using capacitors with a crystal is two fold:

#1) The oscillator consists of the inverter inside the PIC, the crystal,
and external capacitance (both parasitic and actual capacitors). The
total phase shift around the loop (from one inverter terminal,
through the inverter, across the crystal/capacitor network, back into
the inverter) has to be either 0 or 360 (the same thing) degrees for
oscillation. The capacitance adjusts the phase shift of the network to
allow oscillation.
#2) Crystals are designed to "see" a certain type of load. Most are
designed to see a certain, specified capacitance, referred to as the
Load Capacitance. In order for your crystal to operate at the correct
frequency, it must see this value of capacitance at its terminals.

The total value of capacitance at the crystal's terminals is

(Ca+Cp)/2, where Ca is the actual value of capacitor, per pin, that
you place at the OSC1 and OSC2 pins, and Cp is the per pin
parasitic capacitance. Cp is usually about 8pF or so. So, if your
crystal wants to see a 20pF load, you will need to put 32pF
capacitors at both OSC1 and OSC2: (32+8)/2 = 20pF This is one of
the very useful and neat things that I learned from the PICLIST :-)

In [many cases], it probably "just works" because the parasitic

capacitance is enough to satisfy #1 and [the] oscillator is probably
running with perhaps 0.1% frequency error, a few kHz with an xtal
in the several MHz range.

[This] question is almost a FAQ, and every time it comes up, there
is always a debate about the last point that you make: what is the
difference between "series" and "parallel" crystals. Here is the usual
consensus: there is no difference. Every crystal has a parallel
resonant frequency and a series resonant frequency. They are
separated by a few kHz and which one you get depends on what
value of external capacitance you place on the crystal (I think it
ultimately has to do with #2 and exactly what frequency gives the 0
deg phase shift through the whole network). Crystals sold as
"parallel" crystals achieve their rated frequency when loaded with
the recommended load capacitance. Those sold as "series" crystals
achieve their rated frequency when operated in series resonant
mode (determined by the external capacitance, but I'm not sure
how to figure this one out numerically,since it isn't specified for
xtals sold as "series").

If you need a rough frequency standard, just use the (Ca+Cp)/2

formula. If you need strict accuracy, you will have to use a trimmer
cap for one of the caps and use it to adjust the frequency.
Crystal Capacitor Formula (Parallel Mode)
-----------------------------------------
Let: CL = Crystal's load capacitance
CP = Circuit's parasitic capacitance
CI = Chip's input capacitance
C1 = Crystal oscillator capacitor 1
C2 = Crystal oscillator capacitor 2

Then: C1 = C2 = 2 * CL - (CP + CI)

Example: For a crystal with 12pF load capacitance (CL)

and assuming CP + CI = 5pF (typical), we have
C1 = C2 = 2 * 12pF - 5pF = 19pF. We can then
use two 18pF capacitors (closest standard
value).

http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/oscillator/crystal.html