SELMAN KASIM BAIRICI

2008514046

CHAPTER 11
SIGNAL GENERATORS

CONTENT
What Is A Signal Generator? W h a t Ty p e s O f S i g n a l G e n e r a t o r s A r e T h e r e ?

Low Frequency Signal Generators

Function Generators Pulse Generators

RF Signal Generators
Sweep Frequency Generators A r b i t r a r y Wa v e f o r m G e n e r a t o r

What is a Signal Generator?

A signal generator is an electronic device which designed to produce electrical impulses. These devices are most often used in troubleshooting, testing,

and repairing other electronic or acoustic devices.

There are many types of signal generators, suited to a variety of uses. Because they have so many possible applications, no one signal generator is suited to every purpose.

What types of Signal Generators are there?

The signal generators are classified as;

1) Low Frequency (LF) Signal Generators : LF signal generators usually have a

maximum output frequency of 100 kHz and an output voltage adjustable from 0 to 10 V.

2) Function Generators : Funtion generators are also usually LF instruments which

provide three types of output waveforms : sine, square and triangular.

3) Pulse Generators : Pulse generators produce pulse waveforms, and controls are
provided for adjustment of pulse amplitude,pulse repetition frequency and pulse witdh. Some pulse generators have facilities for adjusment of rise time, fall time, delay time and dc bias level.

4) RF Signal Generators : The circuit techniques employed for RF signal generator

are substantially different from those used in LF instruments. Also, RF generators

are normally equipped with an output level meter and a calibrated attenuator.

5) Sweep Frequency Generators : The output of a sweep frequency generator is a

sine wave that increases gradually from a minimum frequency to a maximum frequency over a selected time period. A ramp voltage with an amplitude proportional to the instantaneous frequency is also generated. Investigation of circuit frequency response is a major application of this instrument.

1 ) L O W F R E Q U E N C Y S I G N A L G E N E R AT O R S Wein Bridge Oscillator

There are several types of sine-wave
oscillator circuits that can be used for signal generation. The wein bridge oscillator is one circuit that gives an output with good frequency and amplitude stability, and a low distortion waveform. The wein bridge is an ac bridge in which balance is obtained only at a particular supply frequency dependent on the values of the bridge components. When used in an oscillator, the wein bridge forms a feed-back network between the output and input terminals of an amplifier.

Analysis of the bridge shows that balance is obtained when;

R1 = R2 = R and C1 = C2 = C, the equations will be;

The voltage gain of the noninverting amplifier is

So, if R3 = 2R4 , Av will equal to 3. In fact, the amplifier gain must be slightly greater than this to sustain oscillations. However, the amplitude of the output tends to approach supply voltages +VCC and -VEE , and these voltage limits can introduce distortion. To avoid the problem, R3 is split into R5 and R6 , and diodes D1 and D2 are connected in parallel with R6. When the output amplitude is small, the voltage drop across R6 is not large enough to forward bias the diodes. In this case,

When the output amplitude is large enough to forward bias the diodes, R6 is short-circuited, and gain

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Frequency Range Changing

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Output Controls

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S q u a r e Wa v e C o n v e r s i o n

This figure shows one method of converting the sine-wave output of an oscillator into a square wave. The op-amp is connected to function as a noninverting amplifier. The amplifier has a very high gain, so that the amplified output tends to be very large. There is a clipping circuit also. So this circuit amplifies and clippies the sine-wave to obtain square wave.
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This is a LF Signal Generator

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2 ) F U N C T I O N G E N E R AT O R S

A function generator produces sine, square and triangular waveform outputs. Sometimes a ramp waveform is also generated.

Output frequency and amplitude are variable and a dc offset adjusment may be included.

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Tr i a n g u l a r a n d S q u a r e W a v e f o r m s

The usual method of generating a triangular wave is to use an integrator, and to generate a square wave is to use a Schmitt trigger circuit.
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S c h m i t t Tr i g g e r

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S i n e Wa v e C o n v e r s i o n

Generating sinusoidal waveform is constituted by decreasing the slope of triangular

waveform.

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When six or more diodes are employed, all connected via resistors to different bias voltage levels, a good sine-wave approximation can be achieved. The slope of the output wave changes three times during each quarter cycle.

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3 ) P U L S E G E N E R AT O R S
A basic pulse generator is made up of

Square-wave Generator
Monostable Multivibrator Attenuator
In the figure, the monostable multivibrator is triggered by the negative-going edge of the squarewave, to produce a constant-width pulse that is applied to the output stage. Variation of the square wave frequency varies the pulse frequency and adjustment of the monostable adjusts the output pulse width. The attenuator facilities output amplitude control and dc level shifting.
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This circuit is op-amp astable multivibrator. Capacitor C1 is charged from the op-amp output via resistor R1. When the capacitor voltage reaches UTP of the Schmitt trigger, the op-amp output switches to low.

With the op-amp output low, capacitor charging current is reversed, so that the capacitor
discharges , and then recharges with negative polarity. When C1 voltage arrives at the Schmitt LTP, the op-amp output switches back to high and the cycles begin again.
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The frequency of the square wave depends on the time (t) for the capacitor to charge between LTP and UTP :

Time t can be adjusted by variable resistor R1. So R1 is a continuous frequency control. Frequency range is changed by selecting various capacitor values by switch. The time is calculated by;

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Monostable Multivibrator
A monostable multivibrator has one stable state.

When a triggering input applied, the output changes state for a fixed period time, and then
reverts back to its initial condition.

The inverting input = VB (is typically equal 1V) The noninverting terminal = Ground (0V)

These cause op-amp output to be saturated in

negative direction. Vo - = -(VEE 1) Volt Therefore C2 is charged to Vo -

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When a square-wave input is applied to the circuit, C1 charges via R1 The pulses of charging current through R1 generate

spikes at he op-amp inverting terminal.

In fact, C1 and R1 behaves as a differentiating circuit, and diode D1 clips off the positive spikes. Positive spikes have no effect on the monostable circuit. However, the negative spikes drive the op-amp inverting input terminal below the level of noninverting terminal. Vo + = VCC 1 (Volt)

C2 now begins to discharge via R2 and finally the noninverting terminal falls towards ground level (below VB also). So, the op-amp output switches to Vo again.

PW control is done by R2 and C2.

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Output Attenuator

This circuit allows the output amplitude of the pulse generator to be adjusted and gives low

output impedance.
R1, R2, R3 and A1 constitute an output attenuator. R4, R5, R6 and A2 provide dc level shifting. A2 is a voltage follower, and its dc output voltage is set by potentiometer R5.

For example, when the voltage of R5 = +5V, the output pulse is symmetrical above and
below the +5V level.
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Pulse Shaping
Rise time (tr) = time for the output to go from 10% to 90% of its amplitude. Fall time (tf) = time for the output to go from 90% to 10% of its amplitude. tr and tf is much smaller than the PW. Delay time (tD) = time between the trigger input and commencement of the output pulse.

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4 ) R F S I G N A L G E N E R AT O R S
A radio frequency (RF) signal generator has a sinusoidal output. Frequency range of RF is from 100kHz to 40GHz

RF signal generator consists of RF oscillator Amplifier

Calibrated attenuator
Output level meter

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RF Oscillator
There are two types RF oscillator : Hartley

oscillator and colpitts oscillator.

Both circuits consist of an amplifier and a phase shifting feedback network. Amplifier inverts the input signal while

amplifying (or phase shifts it through 180)

The amplified output is attenuated and phase shifted through a further 180 degree by he feedback network.

Then it is applied to the amplifier input

terminals. Thus, loop gain is equal to 1 and a loop phase shift of 360.

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Modulation
Amplitude Modulation If FET Q2 were not present in the circuit, the amplifier gain would be Av = R3 / R4. Q2 is capacitor coupled to R4 via C2, so that it has no effect on the dc bias condition in the circuit of Q1 With Q2 in the circuit the amplifier gain becomes The LF applied to the gate of the FET varies the drain resistance of Q2 and consequently varies the gain of the amplifier. In this way the amplitude of the RF output is increased and decreased in the phase with the LF input.

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Frequency Modulation FM is usually performed at the oscillator stage of an RF signal generator. One method of frequency modulating the oscillator output uses a variable-voltage diode (VVC diode). This is a specially constructed semiconductor diode operated in reverse bias. Varying the reverse bias on a VVC diode alters its capacitance.

As the capacitance of D1 is varied, the resonant frequency of the tank circuit varies. Thus, the oscillator output frequency is modulated by the low-frequency input signal.
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5 ) S W E E P F R E Q U E N C Y G E N E R AT O R S
The process of testing the frequency response of amplifiers and filters can be
simplified and speed up by using a signal generator that automatically varies its frequency over a predetermined range.. Such an instrument is known as a sweep frequency generator.

A ramp generator applies a linear ramp

voltages to the input of a voltage tuned oscillator. As the ramp voltage level increases, the reverse bias on the VVC diode increases, and this causes

its capacitance to decrease. Thus, oscillators output

frequency increases as the ramp voltage grows. When the ramp voltages returns to its zero level, the diode capacitance and oscillator frequency return to their starting levels.
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More-Detailed Block Diagram

The discriminator balances the ramp from the ramp generator according to correct

range of frequencies.

The output voltage level is stabilized by the action of the automatic level control

(ALC) circuit and variable gain amplifier. The output amplitude from the sweep frequency generator is adjusted by means of
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the calibrated attenuator.

A R B I T R A R Y WAV E F O R M G E N E R AT O R
An Arbitrary Waveform Generator allows the instrument user to design and generate

virtually any desired waveform.

For example this arbitrary waveform generator can produce all sinusoidal, pulse, ramp and triangular waves. Amplitude, frequency and phase shift modulation of the various waveform is possible and dc offset voltages can be added.

Arbitrary waveforms may be created by combining and modulating the various

standard waveforms. The output voltage range of the generator is 1mV to 20V p-to-p Frequency range is 0.1mHz to 20MHz.

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THANKS FOR LISTENNING

ANY QUESTIONS?

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