Chapter 6

Electronic Oscillation
Generators

Slide 1
6.0 Introduction

 In the design of electronic systems the need

frequently arises for signals having prescribed
standard waveforms.
 There are 2 distinctly different approaches
for the generation of sinusoids, most commonly
used for the standard waveforms.
 Employing a positive-feedback loop that
consists an amplifier and an RC or LC
frequency-selective network. It generates sine
waves utilizing resonance phenomena, are
known as linear oscillators (circuits that
generate square, triangular, pulse waveforms
are called non-linear oscillators or function
generators.)
 6.1 Basic principles of sinusoidal oscillators
 Oscillator Feedback Loop

Characteristic equation:

where
6.1 Basic principles of sinusoidal oscillators

 Oscillator Criterion
 The condition for
the feedback loop to
provide sinusoidal
oscillations of
frequency w0 is

 Barkhausen Criterion:
 At w0 the phase of the loop gain should be zero.
 At w0 the magnitude of the loop gain should be unity.
Dependence of the oscillator-frequency stability
on the slope of the phase response.

If is large, changing in will be small

6.1 Basic principles of sinusoidal oscillators

 Nonlinear Amplitude Control

 Suppose we make Aβ=1 at w=w0,
o If the temperature changes, Aβ <1 and oscillation will cease.
o If Aβ>1, the oscillations will grow in amplitude.
We therefore need a nonlinear circuit for gain control to force Aβ to
remain equal at the desired value of output amplitude.
 The function of gain-control mechanism is as follows:
o To ensure that oscillation will start, Aβ is designed greater than
unity.
o As the oscillation grow in amplitude and reaches the desired level,
the nonlinear network reduces the loop gain to exactly unity (poles
will be pulled back to jw axis)
o If the loop gain is reduced below unity, the amplitude will diminish
and the nonlinear network increases the loop gain to exactly unity.
6.1 Basic principles of sinusoidal oscillators

 Nonlinear Amplitude Control

 Limiter Circuit for Amplitude Control
o For small vI, D1/D2 off
 slope=

o As vI continues to go positive, vO goes

negative. D1 on/D2 off
 Gain: ; Limiter gain:
Limiter circuit
o As vI continues to go
negative, vO goes positive. D1
off/D2 on
 Gain:
6.1 Basic principles of sinusoidal oscillators

 Nonlinear Amplitude Control

 Limiter Circuit for Amplitude Control

Limiter circuit

Transfer characteristic
 6.1 Basic principles of sinusoidal oscillators

 Nonlinear Amplitude Control

 Limiter Circuit for Amplitude Control

Popular Limiter circuit Transfer characteristic When is removed

 Exercise 6.1

For the circuit as below figure with V = 15 V, R1 = 30 kΩ, Rf = 60

kΩ, R2 = R5 = 9 kΩ, and R3 = R4= 3 kΩ, find the limiting levels
and the value of at which the limiting levels are reached. Also
determine the limiter gain and the slope of the transfer
characteristic in the positive and negative
limiting regions. Assume that .

Các em làm bài tập nộp trước 17h55

 6.2 Op Amp – RC Oscillator Circuits
 Wien-Bridge Oscillator

1 𝑅2
𝜔0= =2+ 𝛿
𝑅𝐶 𝑅1
Wien – Bridge oscillator without amplitude stabilization
Wien – Bridge oscillator with a
limiter used for amplitude
control
A Wien-bridge oscillator with an
alternative method for amplitude
stabilization.
 Exercise 6.2: For the circuit in below figure: (a) Find the frequency of
oscillation. (b) find the amplitude of the output sine wave (assume that
the diode drop is 0.7 V).

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 6.2 Op Amp – RC Oscillator Circuits
 Phase-shift Oscillator

 The phase-shifter consists of a negative gain amplifier (-K) with a

third order RC ladder network in the feedback.
 The circuit will oscillate at the frequency for which the phase shift of
the RC network is 180o. Only at the frequency will the total phase shift
around the loop be 0o or 360o.
 The minimum number of RC sections is 3 because it is capable of
producing a 180o phase shift at a finite frequency.
 Let

1
𝛽= 2 2
1 −5 𝛼 − 𝑗 𝛼(6 − 𝛼 )

and

A=?
A practical Phase-shift Oscillator with a limiter
for amplitude stabilization
 6.2 Op Amp – RC Oscillator Circuits
 Quadrature Oscillator b) Equivalent circuit at the
input of op amp 2
The quadrature
oscillator is another
type of phase-shift
oscillator, but the three
RC sections are
configured so that each
section contributes 90°
of phase shift. The
outputs are sine and
cosine (quadrature)
because there is a 90°
phase shift between op
amp outputs.

a) A quadrature-oscillator circuit
 6.2 Op Amp – RC Oscillator Circuits
 Quadrature Oscillator b) Equivalent circuit at the
input of op amp 2

Rf is made equal to
2R, and thus –Rf
cancels 2R.

1
𝜔0=
𝑅𝐶 a) A quadrature-oscillator circuit
 6.2 Op Amp – RC Oscillator Circuits
 Active – Filter – Tuned Oscillator
 The block diagram of the active-filter-tuned oscillator is shown below.
 Assume the oscillations have already started. The output of the
bandpass filter will be a sine wave whose frequency is equal to the
center frequency of the filter.
 The sine-wave signal is fed to the limiter and then produces a square
wave.

Block diagram of Active-Filter-Tuned Oscillator

A practical implementation of the active-filter-tuned oscillator
6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators

 LC and crystal oscillators are used in the

frequency range of 100kHz to hundreds of
megahertz (greater than RC types)
 LC oscillators are difficult to tune over wide
ranges.
 Crystal oscillators operate at a single
frequency.
 6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators
 LC-Tuned Oscillators

Z1, Z2, X3: capacitive or inductive

 6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators
 LC-Tuned Oscillators

for inductance and for capacitance

 6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators
 LC-Tuned Oscillators

Phase=0

and

o, X1 and X2 must have the same sign

( is positive)
If X1 and X2 are C, then X3=-(X1+X2) is L.
Colpitts oscillator
If X1 and X2 are L, then X3=-(X1+X2) is C
Hartley oscillator
 6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators
 LC-Tuned Oscillators

√
Colpitts Oscillator
X1 and X2 are C, X3 is L 𝐶1 𝐶2
𝜔=1/ 𝐿
𝐶 1 +𝐶 2
 6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators
 LC-Tuned Oscillators

Hartley Oscillator
X1 and X2 are L, X3 is C 𝜔=1/ √ ( 𝐿1 + 𝐿2 ) 𝐶
 6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators
 Equivalent circuit of the Colpitts oscillator

Node C
Oscillation:

For oscillators to start, the loop

gain must be made greater than
unity:
 6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators
 Complete circuit for a Colpitts oscillator
 Oscillator amplitude:
Radio
o LC tuned oscillators are Frequency
known as self-limiting Choke (RFC)
oscillators. (As
oscillation grown in
amplitude, transistor
gain is reduced below
its small-signal value).
o Output voltage signal
will be a sinusoid of
high purity because of
the filtering action of
the LC tuned circuit.
 Hartley oscillator can be
similarity analyzed.
 6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators
 Crystal Oscillators
 Piezoelectric crystal (is high-Q device)

a) Circuit symbol; b) Equivalent circuit; c) Crystal reactance versus frequency

 6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators
 Crystal Oscillators
2
𝑠 𝐿𝐶 𝑠 + 1 1
2 2
𝑆 𝐶𝑠 𝑠 𝐶𝑝 𝑠 𝐿 𝐶𝑠 + 1 1 𝑠 + 1/ 𝐿𝐶 𝑠
𝑍 ( 𝑠) = = =
𝑠2 𝐿 𝐶 𝑠 +1 𝑠 𝐶 𝑝 ( 𝑠 𝐿 𝐶 𝑠 +1 ) + 𝑠 𝐶 𝑠 𝑠 𝐶 𝑝 𝑠 +(𝐶 𝑝 +𝐶 𝑠) / 𝐿 𝐶 𝑠 𝐶 𝑝
2 2
1
+
𝑆 𝐶𝑠 𝑠 𝐶𝑝
(assume r=0)
There are two resonance frequencies:
 A series resonance at
 A parallel resonance at

Let , we have: Note:

 Since then
 Resonance frequency
6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators
 Crystal Oscillators
 The crystal reactance is inductive over the
narrow frequency band between and .
 Colpitts crystal oscillator
 6.3 LC and Crystal Oscillators
 Crystal Oscillators

A pierce Crystal oscillator utilizing a CMOS inverter as an amplifier

 6.4 Bistable Multivibrators

 Multivibrators (3
types)
 Bistable: two stable states
 Monostable: one stable
state

 Astable:
Bistableno stable state
 Has two stable states
 Can be obtained by using an
amplifier with positive-
feedback loop having a loop

where
gain greater than unity. i.e.

How to make the bistable circuit change state?

 6.4 Bistable Multivibrators

 Transfer characteristics of the Bistable circuit

How to make the bistable circuit change state?

 Triggering the Bistable circuit

 The bistable circuit as a
memory element
 Schmitt trigger
 6.4 Bistable Multivibrators

A Bistable circuit with Noninverting Transfer characteristic

 6.4 Bistable Multivibrators

 Applications of the Bistable circuit as a comparator

6.4 Bistable Multivibrators

Illustrating the using hysteresis in the comparator

characteristics as a means of rejecting interference
 6.4 Bistable Multivibrators

 Applications of the Bistable circuit as a comparator

3bit ADC
 6.4 Bistable Multivibrators

 Making the output levels more precise

Limiter circuits are used to obtain more precise

output levels for the bistable circuit
6.5 Generation of square and Triangular wave forms using astable multivibrators

 Astable multivibrators
Connecting a bistable multivibrator with inverting
transfer characteristics in a feedback loop with an
circuit results in a square-wave generator.
 Square-wave generator
 Generation of triangular waveforms
 6.6 Generation of a standardized pulse – The monostable Multivibrator

 Monostable Multivibrator – One shot

6.7 Integrated-Circuit Timers

 555 IC Timer
 Widely used as both a monostable and astable multivibrator
 Use as monostable multivibrator
6.7 Integrated-Circuit Timers

 555 IC Timer connected to implement a monostable multivibrator

6.7 Integrated-Circuit Timers

 555 IC Timer connected to implement an astable multivibrator

6.8 Oscillators with transistors
6.8 Oscillators with transistors