Waveform Generators

Type of Signal Generators

1 Working on high-end audio equipment, you'll want an audio oscillator, a lowdistortion sine wave oscillator that can be used as a signal source for checking total harmonic distortion. These signal generators operate in the audio range, usually going from around 20 Hz or lower to over 20KHz Exp; Wien Bridge oscillator and phase-shift oscillator 2 Working on communications equipment, you'll need an RF signal generator. These have a frequency output of anywhere around 50KHz or lower to 50MHz, 500MHz, 1GHz or more, depending upon the model

RF Generator

RF Oscillators

* RF = Radio Frequency

Type of Signal Generators

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An all-around "signal generator" is the function generator which outputs a sine wave, triangle wave or square wave.
Most have a frequency range of around 1 Hz or less to over 1MHz. Premium units can go from 0.001Hz to 40MHz and have all sorts of other bells and whistles built in. The function generator is probably the best choice for general electronic experimentation.

Pulse generators produce a rectangular output waveform. The frequency range is from a fraction of a hertz to several megaherzt.

5 Sweep-frequency generators provide an RF sine-wave output that can be varied smoothly and continuously over an entire frequency band.

Introduction

Many electronic devices require a source of energy at a specific frequency which may range from a few Hz to several MHz.

This task is achieved by an electronic device called an oscillator, which is a circuit that generates an ac output signal without requiring any externally applied input signal.

Introduction

Where is this oscillator used or what are its applications?

Electronic equipments like in radio and television receivers. They are also used to generate high frequency wave ( carrier wave ) in the tuning stages. Oscillators are also widely used in radar, electronic computers and other electronic devices.

Oscillators can produce sinusoidal or non-sinusoidal ( say square) waves.

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Introduction

What is sinusoidal oscillators?

Sinusoidal oscillators are electronic devices that generates sinusoidal oscillations of desired frequency. As an oscillator generates a frequency, it does not create energy, but merely acts as an energy converter. It receives d.c. energy and changes it into a.c. energy of desired frequency. The frequency of oscillations depends upon the constants of the device.

The oscillations are produced without any external signal source. The only input power to an oscillator is the d.c. power supply.

Introduction
Advantages:i. An oscillator is a non-rotating device. Consequently, there is little wear and tear and hence longer life .
ii. Due to the absence of moving parts, the operation of an oscillator is quite silent. iii. An oscillator can produce waves from 20 Hz to extremely high frequencies (>100 MHz). iv. The frequency of oscillations can be easily changed when desired. v. It has good frequency stability. This means that the frequency once set remains constant for a considerable period of time. vi. It has very high efficiency.

Requirement for Oscillation

Oscillator
An electronic device used for the purpose of generating a signal. An amplifier

with positive feedback. The signal regenerate and sustain itself.

Gain for amplifier with positive feedback

V A Af o 1 A Vs
where

Input Signal

Vs

+ -

Vi = Vs - Vf

Vo

Output Signal

Vf = Vo

Af = gain with feedback A = open-loop gain = feedback factor =

Vf Vo

Feedback Signal

Positive Feedback Amplifier Oscillator.

A transistor amplifier with proper positive feedback can act as an oscillator. A positive feedback amplifier is the one that produces a feedback voltage, Vf that is in phase with the original input signal.

Positive Feedback Amplifier Oscillator. A phase shift of 180 is produced by the amplifier and a further phase shift of 180 is introduced by feedback network.
The signal get shifted by 360.

This signal is then fed back to the input. The feedback voltage is in phase with the input signal. The circuit is producing oscillations in the output. However, this circuit has an input signal.
But, then this is inconsistent with our definition of an oscillator which states that an oscillator is a circuit that produces oscillations without any external signal source.

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Positive Feedback Amplifier Oscillator.

If we open the switch S in the figure, we will get the circuit as shown:

It means that the input signal is removed. However, the feedback voltage is still applied to the input signal. The amplifier will respond to this signal in the same way that it did to the input signal and that is the feedback voltage will be amplified and sent to the output. The function of the feedback network is to send a portion of the output back to the input. Therefore, the amplifier receives another input cycle and another output cycle is produced. This process will continue so long as the amplifier is turned on.
Therefore, the amplifier will produce sinusoidal output with no external signal source.
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Oscillator

RF Oscillator Oscillator Wien Bridge Oscillator Audio Oscillator Phase Shift Oscillator

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RADIO-FREQUENCY OSCILLATORS - Hartley oscillator

Adjust osc. f
LC circuit is resonant when inductive reactance and capacitive reactance are equal XL = Xc (3.2) 2fL=(2fC)-1 (3.3)
L1 + L2

Frequency of oscillation,
Inverting Amplifier
180o phase shift across amplifier

1 2 LC
(3.4)

Feedback factor,

L1 L2

(3.5)

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