ELECTRONICS II

OSCILLATORS
 INTRODUCTION
• In our houses we use DC Power Supplies for
converting AC to DC.
• In reverse to this activity for converting DC to
AC we use Oscillator circuits.
• Why do we need this converter ? Why don’t
we just use the AC supply directly.
• Electronic systems depend on internally
generated frequencies.
• All these frequencies are generated from the
DC voltages present in the system.
• Generating these frequencies is the function
of the Oscillators in the system.
• Approximately all the electronic devices
contain one or more oscillators.
 WHAT IS OSCILLATOR
• “An Oscillator is an AC signal generator.”

• “An Oscillator is a circuit that produces an

output waveform without any external signal
source.”

• The only input is the DC Power Supply.

• The output voltage can either be sinusoidal or
nonsinusoidal depending on the type of
Oscillator.

• Different types of Oscillators produces various

types of outputs including Sinewaves, squre
waves, sawtooth waves and triangular waves.
• Figure showing Oscillator Circuit

Sine wave

Square wave

Sawtooth wave
 BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR
OSCILLATION
• The circuit must have a positive feedback.

• The circuit must receive some trigger, either

internally or externally generated, to start the
oscillation action.

• Feedback factor and voltage gain is equal to

unity. This is called Barkhausen Criterion.
 POSITIVE FEED BACK
• The key to the operation of Oscillators is “Positive
FeedBack.”
• When a feedback signal is in phase with the original
amplifier input signal. It is called Positive Feedback.

• A positive feedback amplifier produces a feedback voltage

Vf that is in phase with the original input signal. An input
signal Vin is applied to the amplifier which gives a 180
phase shift. The output signal is applied to the input of the
feedback network, which gives another 180 phase shift. It
means signal has been shifted 360. Shifting a signal 360 is
the same as not shifting it at all. Therefore, the feedback
signal is in phase with the original input signal.
 OSCILLATORS: BASIC IDEA
• Adding switch in series with the amplifier input. When the switch is closed
the circuit waveform are as shown in figure. Now assume that the switch
is opened while the circuit is in operation. This shows Vin is removed from
the circuit. However, Vf (in phase with the original input) is still applied to
the amplifier input. The amplifier will respond to this signal in the same
way as it did to Vin. In other words, Vf will be amplified and sent to the
output. Since the feedback network sends a portion of the output back to
the input, the amplifier recieves another input cycle and another output
cycle is produced. In any Oscillator system the feedback network is used
to generate an input to the amplifier, which in turn is used to generate an
input to the feedback network. This positive feedback network is also
called regenerative feedback. It is the basis of operation for all oscillators.
• It is noted that a trigger signal is required to start the oscillating circuit
action. In other words, anything that causes a slight signal variation at any
point in the circuit will start the oscillator.
 CLASSIFICATION OF OSCILLATORS
• Oscillators are divided into two groups:
• Sinusoidal Oscillators
produce an output having sine waveform
• Non-sinusoidal Oscillators
produce an output having square, rectangular,
or sawtooth waveform
• Sinusoidal oscillators are further divided as:
• Tuned Circuits or LC Oscillators such as
Hartley, Colpitts and Clapp
• RC phase shift Oscillators
• Negative resistance Oscillator
• Crystal Oscillator
 LC OSCILLATOR
• LC Oscillator is a type of Oscillator where a LC
(inductor-capacitor) tank circuit is used for giving
the required positive feedback for sustaining the
oscillations.
• Colpitts Oscillator: An oscillator that uses two
capacitors and one inductor. The capacitors are
connected in series and the inductor is connected
in parallel to the series combination of the
capacitors. This produces the 180 phase shift in
the feedback network.
• Hartley Oscillator: is a type of LC oscillator that
consists of two inductors and one capacitor. The
inductors are connected in series and the
capacitor is connected in parallel to the series
combination to produce 180 phase shift required
for oscillation.
• Clapp Oscillator: is a modification of Colpitts
oscillator. In clapp oscillator an additional
capacitor is added in series to the inductor in the
circuit. The additional capacitor compensates the
stray capacitance effects.
• Crystal Oscillators: uses quartz crystals to
produce extremely stable output frequencies.
The key to the operation of the crystal oscillator is
piezoelectric effect. This means that the crystal
vibrates at a constant rate when it is subjected to
an electric field.
• The quartz crystal falls between the two
extremes: it has a good piezoelectric activity, and
it is strong enough to withstand the vibrations.