Oscillators

Introduction

 Oscillator is an electronic circuit that generates a

periodic waveform on its output without an external
signal source. It is used to convert dc to ac.
 Oscillators are circuits that produce a continuous signal
of some type without the need of an input.
 These signals serve a variety of purposes.
 Communications systems, digital systems (including
computers), and test equipment make use of oscillators
Types of oscillators

1. RC oscillators
 Wien Bridge
 Phase-Shift
2. LC oscillators
 Hartley
 Colpitts
 Crystal
3. Unijunction / relaxation oscillators
 Basic principles for oscillation

 An oscillator is an amplifier with positive feedback.

Ve Vo
Vs A
+
Ve  Vs  V f (1) Vf
b
V f  βVo (2)

Vo  AV e  AVs  V f   AVs  βVo  (3)

Basic principles for oscillation
Vo  AV e
 AVs  V f   AVs  βVo 
Vo  AV s  A Vo

1  A Vo  AV s

 The closed loop gain is:

Vo A
Af  
Vs 1  Aβ 
 Basic principles for oscillation

 In general A and  are functions of frequency and thus

may be written as;

A f s  
Vo
s   As 
Vs 1  As β s 

As β s  is known as loop gain

Basic principles for oscillation

 WritingT s   As β s the

 loop gain becomes;
As 
A f s  
1  T s 

 Replacing s with j
A jω
A f  jω 
1  T  jω

 and T  jω  A jωβ  jω

Basic principles for oscillation

 At a specific frequency f0

T  jω0   A jω0 β  jω0   1

 At this frequency, the closed loop gain;

A jω0 
A f  jω0  
1  A jω0 β  jω0 

will be infinite, i.e. the circuit will have finite output

for zero input signal - oscillation
Basic principles for oscillation

 Thus, the condition for sinusoidal oscillation of

f
frequency 0 is;

A jω0 β  jω0   1

 This is known as Barkhausen criterion.

 The frequency of oscillation is solely determined by the
phase characteristic of the feedback loop – the loop
oscillates at the frequency for which the phase is zero.
Design Criteria for Oscillators

1. The magnitude of the loop gain must be unity or

slightly larger
Aβ  1 – Barkhaussen criterion

2. Total phase shift, of the loop gain mus t be Nx360°

where N=0, 1, 2, …
RC OSCILLATOR
Wien-bridge Oscillator
 It is a low frequency oscillator which ranges from a few
kHz to 1 MHz.
Wien-bridge Oscillator

 The loop gain for the oscillator is;

 R2  Z p 
T s   As β s    1  
 R1  Z p  Z s 

 where; R
Zp 
1  sRC

 and; 1  sRC
Zs 
sC
Wien-bridge Oscillator
 R2   1 
T s    1    
 R1  3  sRC  1 /sRC  
 Hence;

 Substituting for s;
 R2   1 
T  j   1   
  
 R1  3  j RC  1 /j RC 

 For oscillation frequency f0

 R2   1 
T  j 0    1   
  
 R1  3  j  0 RC  1 /j  0 RC  
Wien-bridge Oscillator

 Since at the frequency of oscillation, T(j) must be

real (for zero phase condition), the imaginary
component must be zero;
1
j0 RC  0
j0 RC

 which gives us
1
0 
RC
 1
j0 RC  0
j0 RC
1
 j0 RC  
j0 RC
 ( j0 RC ) 2  1
 j 2 0 RC   1
2

 1.0 RC   1
2

 0 RC   1
2

 0 RC  1
1
 0 
RC
Wien-bridge Oscillator

 From the previous eq. (for oscillation frequency f0),

 R2   1 
T  j 0    1   
  
 R1  3  j  0 RC  1/j  0 RC  
 the magnitude condition is;
 R2  1   R2  1  R2
1  1     1      3 1  2
 R1  3  0   R1  3  R1
Wien-bridge Oscillator

 With the ratio;

R2
2
R1
 then;
R2
K  1 3
R1

K = 3 ensures the loop gain of unity – oscillation

 K > 3 : growing oscillations
 K < 3 : decreasing oscillations
Phase-Shift Oscillator

 The phase shift oscillator utilizes three RC circuits to

provide 180º phase shift that when coupled with the
180º of the op-amp itself provides the necessary
feedback to sustain oscillations.
 The gain must be at least 29 to maintain the
oscillations.
 The frequency of resonance for the this type is similar
to any RC circuit oscillator:

1
fr 
2 6 RC
LC Oscillators

 Use transistors and LC tuned circuits or crystals in their

feedback network.
 For hundreds of kHz to hundreds of MHz frequency
range.
 Examine Colpitts, Hartley and crystal oscillator.
Unijunction Oscillator

 The unijunction
transistor can be used in
what is called a
relaxation oscillator as
shown by basic circuit as
follow.
 The unijunction oscillator
provides a pulse signal
suitable for digital-circuit U
applications.
J
 Resistor RT and capacitor T
CT are the timing
components that set the
circuit oscillating rate
Application of Oscillators

 Oscillators are used to generate signals, e.g.

 Used as a local oscillator to transform the RF signals to IF
signals in a receiver;
 Used to generate RF carrier in a transmitter
 Used to generate clocks in digital systems;
 Used as sweep circuits in TV sets and CRO.

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