NAME : LEONG WEI JIE

53106114010
CLASS : 3 AEM 2
SUBJECT : ELECTRONICS FUNDAMENTAL (MECHANICAL)
SUBJECT CODE : AKD 20102
LECTURER : ROSLAM BIN IDERIS
TOPICAL : CLAPP OSCILLATOR
What are Clapp Oscillators?
A clapp oscillator is in effect a series tuned version of the colpitts oscillator. Perhaps
the simplest Colpitts oscillator to construct and get running is the "series tuned"
version, more often referred to as the "Clapp Oscillator". Because there is no load on
the inductor a high "Q" circuit results with a high L/C ratio and of course much less
circulating current. This aids drift reduction in what is otherwise a clapp oscillator.
Because larger inductances are required, stray inductances do not have as much
impact as perhaps in other circuits.
Introduction:
Oscillator is an amplifier with the positive feedback and it converts DC input signal
into AC output waveform with certain variable frequency drive and certain shape of
output waveform (like sine wave or square wave, etc) by using the positive feedback
instead of input signal. Oscillators which utilizes the inductor L and capacitor C in
their circuit are called as LC oscillator which is a
The Clapp oscillator is one of several types of LC electronic oscillator constructed
from a transistor (or vacuum tube) and a positive feedback network, using the
combination of an inductance with a capacitor for frequency determination. It was
published by James Kilton Clapp in 1948. According to Vak, oscillators of this kind
were independently developed by several inventors, and one developed by
Gouriet had been in operation at the BBC since 1938.
Operation:
Whenever power supply is switched on, the capacitors C1 and C2 shown in the
above circuit start charging and after the capacitors get fully charged, the capacitors
starts discharging through the inductor L1 in the circuit causing damped harmonic
oscillations in the tank circuit.
Thus, an AC voltage is produced across C1 & C2 by the oscillatory current in the
tank circuit. While these capacitors get fully discharged, the electrostatic energy
stored in the capacitors get transferred in the form of magnetic flux to the inductor
and thus inductor gets charged.
Similarly, when the inductor starts discharging, the capacitors start charging again
and this process of energy charging and discharging capacitors and inductor
continues causing the generation of oscillations and the frequency of these
oscillations can be determined by using the resonant frequency of the tank circuit
consisting of inductor and capacitors. This tank circuit is considered as the energy
reservoir or energy storage. This is because of frequent energy charging and
discharging of the inductor, capacitors that part of LC network forming the tank
circuit.
The continuous undamped oscillations can be obtained from the Barkhausen
criterion. For sustained oscillations, the total phase shift must be 3600 or 00. In the
above circuit as two capacitors C1 & C2 are center tapped and grounded, the
voltage across capacitor C2 (feedback voltage) is 1800 with the voltage across
capacitor C1 (output voltage). The common emitter transistor produces 1800 phase
shift between the input and output voltage. Thus, from the Barkhausen criterion we
can get undamped continuous oscillations
Clapp Oscillator is a refinement of the Colpitts oscillator. The single inductor found in
the Colpitts oscillator is replaced by a series L-C combination. Addition of capacitor
Ca in series with L improves the frequency stability and eliminates the effect of
transistor parameters on the operation of the circuit. The operation of the circuit is
the same as that of the Colpitts oscillator. As the circulating tank current flows
through C1, C2 and C3 in series, the equivalent capacitance is:

C = C1 x C2 x C0/(C1 x C2) + (C2 x C0) + (C1 x C0)

The frequency of oscillation is given as Capacitors C1 and C2 are kept fixed while ca-
pacitor C3 is employed for tuning purpose.
In a Clapp oscillator C0 is much smaller than C1 and C2 As a result, the equivalent
capacitance C is approximately equal to C 0, and the frequency of oscillation is given
as:

The Clapp oscillator is distinguished from the Colpitts oscillator by the addition of
C0 in series with L. This additional capacitor has several effects on the oscillator
circuit. The signal voltage divider formed by C 1 and C2 is unchanged, and these
capacitors are fixed in value. Therefore the amount of energy fed back to sustain
oscillations is the same at any frequency, so the amplitude of the signal is not
affected much by a change in frequency. In addition, stray capacitances in the
transistor have less effect on the operating frequency, which now depends on the
series combination of all three capacitors.
The circuit still oscillates at a frequency of = 2f = 1/ , but now C0 is part of C in
that expression. If C0 is made variable, it can control the frequency of oscillation
without changing the feedback ratio or the stability of the overall circuit.
A Clapp circuit is often preferred over a Colpitts circuit for constructing a variable
frequency oscillator (VFO). In a Colpitts VFO, the voltage divider contains the
variable capacitor (either C1 or C2). This causes the feedback voltage to be variable
as well, sometimes making the Colpitts circuit less likely to achieve oscillation over a
portion of the desired frequency range. This problem is avoided in the Clapp circuit
by using fixed capacitors in the voltage divider and a variable capacitor (C0) in series
with the inductor.
 Picture 1: Schematic Diagram of Clapp Oscillator
However, precaution is to be taken in selection of C 0. If capacitor C0 is made too
small, the L-C branch will not have a net inductive reactance and under such
condition the circuit will refuse to oscillate.
Advantages of Clapp Oscillator:
Because there is no load on the inductor a high "Q" circuit results with a high L/C
ratio and of course much less circulating current. This aids drift reduction. Because
larger inductances are required, stray inductances do not have as much impact as
perhaps in other circuits.
The additional capacitor offers more accurate and stable frequency compared to
Hartley and Colpitts oscillators. It has the added advantage of a higher loaded Q
factor than the Colpitts. As stated above, it is the addition of and the small value of C
that creates the Clapp oscillators unique characteristic of not being influenced by
stray and transistor capacitances which would otherwise alter the values of C1 and
C2. This results in a much more stable oscillator whose accuracy is dependable. The
range of frequency of operation is limited in a Clapp oscillator but nevertheless, its
reliability makes it a popular design. C1 and C2 may be adjusted for optimum
feedback. The frequency of oscillation is altered through the adjustment of C.
Application of Clapp Oscillator:
It is used for generation of sinusoidal output signals with very high
frequencies.
The Clapp oscillator using SAW device can be used as the different type of
sensors such as temperature sensor. As the device used in this circuit is
highly sensitive to perturbations, it senses directly from its surface.
It is frequently used for the applications in which very wide range of
frequencies are involved.
Used for applications in which undamped and continuous oscillations are
desired for functioning.
This oscillator is preferred in situations where it is intended to withstand high
and low temperatures frequently.
The combination of this oscillator with some devices (instead of tank circuit)
can be used to achieve great temperature stability and high frequency.
It is used for the development of mobile and radio communications.
 It has many applications used for the commercial purposes.