Experiment 6 : ZERO CROSSING DETECTOR, WINDOW DETECTOR AND

SCHMITT TRIGGER
AIM: To design and construct zero crossing detector, window detector and Schmitt trigger
and test their working.
COMPONENTS AND EQUIPEMENTS REQUIRED:
Bread board, 741 IC, resistors, capacitors, Function generator, CRO, regulated power supply
THEORY:
Comparator is a circuit that produces two output state +V
sat
and -V
sat
by comparing the
input signal with a reference voltage. If the input signal is applied to the inverting terminal of
op-amp then for input voltages less than V
ref
, the output is equal to +V
sat
and for input
voltages greater than v
ref
, the output voltage is equal to V
sat
. If the reference voltage is zero,
then the comparator can be used as zero crossing detector. If the applied input signal is a
sinusoid, then for positive half cycle, the output is V
sat
and for negative half cycle, the
output is +V
sat
thus producing a square wave. That is the zero- crossing detector can be used
to convert a sinusoidal wave form to a square wave.

Fig.6.1. Zero Crossing detector
PROCEDURE:
1. Place 741 IC on the bread board and connect external components.
2. Connect dual power supply to op-amp.
3. Apply sinusoidal input of 5v p-p and 1khz frequency.
4. Observe the output and plot input and output waveforms on graph sheet.


Model graph:


Fig.6.2
WINDOW DETECTOR:

Sometimes one may like to mark the instant at which an unknown input is between two
threshold levels. This can be achieved by a circuit called window detector. The circuit
diagram for window detector is shown in figure. Since the current through both operational
amplifiers is zero, the branch with three 10 resistors acts as a voltage divider network. The
input voltage is applied to non-inverting terminal and reference voltage is applied to inverting
terminal of both op-amps. However the reference voltage applied to inverting terminals are
not equal. The reference voltage at inverting terminal of op-amp1 is
((1220)/(10+10+10))=8V and the reference voltage at inverting terminal of op-amp2 is
((1210)/(10+10+10))=4V. If the input voltage is between 0 and 4v, the output of both op-
amps is equal to V
sat
. As a result LED1 switches on. Remaining two LEDs are in off
condition. If the input coltage v
i
lies between 4 and 8, then the output of opamp 1 is + v
sat
and
opam 2 is -V
sat
. This swithes LED 1 to off state and LED 2 to on state. The LED 3 is in off
condition. When the input voltage is greater than 8 volts, the out put of both opamps is +v
sat.

Therefore LED3 is in on condition. Therefore depending on which of the LEDs are in on, we
can find the input voltage levels.

Fig.6.3. Window Detector

PROCEDURE:
1. Place 741 IC on the bread board and connect external components.
2. Connect dual power supply to op-amp.
3. Connect a variable input voltage source to non-inverting terminal.
4. Vary the input voltage and observe the switching of LEDs.

THEORITICAL PRACTICAL LED1 LED2 LED3
0 < v
i
< 4 ON OFF OFF
4 < v
i
< 8 OFF ON OFF
8 < v
i
< 12 OFF OFF ON

SCHMITT TRIGGER:
The other name for Schmitt trigger is regenerative comparator. In Schmitt trigger positive
feedback is used which forces the op-amp to drive in saturation. The voltage divider network
connected at the output, provide positive feedback. The input voltage is applied to the
inverting terminal. The voltage at non-inverting terminal can be obtained using superposition
theorem. Let us assume initially V
i
< V
N
, then the output is equal to V
sat
.
12V
AD8011AN
3
2
4
7
6
Vi
AD8011AN
3
2
4
7
6
1
R1
10k
5
R2
10k
R3
10k
9
0
7
LED2
LED3
LED1
2
R5
4.7k
3
R6
4.7k
8
R7
5.6k
4
R8
5.6k
6
0
0
-12V
Opamp2
Opamp1

The voltage at non-inverting terminal is
1
2
1 2 1 2
ref
sat
N
V R
V R
V
R R R R


----------------------(1)
This voltage is known as V
UTP.

If the input voltage is less than V
UTP
, the output is v
sat
. When the input crosses beyond V
UTP
,
the output switches to v
sat
.
Now the voltage at non-inverting terminal is equal to
1
2
1 2 1 2
ref
sat
N
V R
V R
V
R R R R


--------------------(2)
The above voltage is known as V
LTP

When the input voltage is less than V
LTP
, the output voltage switches from V
sat
to +V
sat
.
Note that V
LTP
< V
UTP .

The difference between these two voltages is known as Hysteresis and can be written as
2
1 2
2
sat
H UTP LTP
V R
V V V
R R

Because of hysteresis, the circuit triggers at a higher voltage for increasing signals than for
decreasing ones.
DESIGN:
2
1 2
2 1 2
1
1 2
3 1 2
3.5 and 2
2(12)
1 , 3.36 , 3.3
2( )
1.5
0.97
1
|| 770 ..
720
UTP LTP
H UTP LTP
ref
UTP LTP
ref
ref
Let V V V V
R
V V V
R R
If R k then R k So select R k
V R
V V
R R
Substituting the values we get V V
So select V V
R R R ohms
Select ohms

PROCEDURE:
1. Place 741 IC on the bread board and connect external components.
2. Connect dual power supply to op-amp.
3. Apply sinusoidal input of 5v p-p and 1kHz frequency.
4. Observe the output and plot input and output waveforms on graph sheet.
5. Find the values of V
LTP
and V
UTP
and compare with theoretical values.
Transfer Characteristics
To find the transfer characteristics of Schmitt trigger consider the circuit
shown in figure

The UTP and LTP of the circuit is 5.7 volts and 3.3 volts respectively. Connect the power
supply at input increase the voltage from 0 to 10 volts and note down the output voltage.
Next decrease the input voltage from 10 to 0 volts and note down the readings. Plot a graph
between input voltage and out put voltage.



Model graph




0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
iNPUT Vi
O
U
T
P
U
T


V
o
HTP LTP
Vsat
-Vsat

Fig. Transfer Characteristics of Schmitt trigger
Result: The circuits for zero crossing detector, window detector and schmitt trigger were
designed and analysed.
Viva Questions
1. What are the non-linear applications of op-amp?
2. Explain the operation of i) inverting comparator ii) Non-inverting
comparator.
3. Explain the applications of comparator.
4. What are the applications of op-amp? Explain any one practical
application.
5. What is the other name for Schmitt trigger?
6. Which feedback is used in Schmitt trigger?
7. Define i) UTP ii) LTP
8. Define Hysteresis
9. With an example, explain how the Schmitt trigger circuit can be used to
design an on-off controller.