The RC Phase Shift Oscillator: At low frequencies (around 100 KHz or less), resistors are usually employed to determine

the frequency oscillation. Various circuits are used in the feedback circuit including ladder network.

Fig. 4 A block diagram of a ladder type RC phase shift oscillation is shown in fig. 4. It consists of three resistor R and C capacitors. If the phase shift through the amplifier is 180, then oscillation may occur at the frequency where the RC network produces an additional 180 phase shift. To find the frequency of oscillation, let us neglect the loading of the phase shift network. Writing the KV equations,

For phase shift equal to 180o between Vx and VO, imaginary term of Vx / VO must be zero.

Therefore,

This is the frequency of oscillation. Substituting this frequency in Vx / VO expression.

In order to ensure the oscillation, initially |A| >1 and under study state A =1. This means the gain of the amplifier should be initially greater than 29 (so that A >1) and under steady stat conditions it reduces to 29. This oscillator can be realized using FET amplifier as shown in fig. 5. The feedback circuit is same as discussed above.

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

The input impedance of FET is very high so that there is no loading of the feedback circuit. In this circuit, the feedback is voltage series feedback. Vx =VGS +VS or VGS = Vx - V

The same circuit can be realizing using OPAMP. The circuit is shown in fig. 6. The input impedance is very high and there is no overloading of feedback circuit. The OPAMP is connected in an inverting configuration and drives three cascaded RC sections. The inverting amplifier causes a 180 phase shift in the signal passing through it. RC network is used in the feedback to provide additional 180 phase shift. Therefore, the total phase shift in the signal, of a particular frequency, around the loop will equal 360 and oscillation will occur at that frequency. The gain necessary to overcome the loss in the RC network and bring the loop gain up to 1 is supplied by the amplifier. The gain is given by

Note that input resistor to the inverting amplifier is also the last resistor of the RC feedback network. Example -1: Design a RC phase shift oscillator that will oscillate at 100 Hz. Solution: An RC phase shift oscillator using OPAMP is shown in fig. 7. OPAMP is used as an inverting amplifier and provides 180 phase shift. RC network is used in the feedback to provide additional 180 phase shift.

Fig. 7 For an RC phase shift oscillator the frequency is given by

Let C = 0.5 F. Then

Therefore, Rf= 29 R = 29 (1300) = 37.7 k. The completed circuit is shown in fig. 7. Rf is made adjustable so the loop gain can be set precisely to 1. Example - 2

For the network shown in fig. 8 prove that

This network is used with an OPAMP to form an oscillator. Show that the frequency of oscillation is f =1 /2RC and the gain must exceed 3. Solution: To find the frequency of oscillation, let us neglect the loading of the phase shift network. Writing the KV equations,

From equation (E-3), Fig. 8

Substituting I1 in equation (E-4),.

Solving this equation we get,

Therefore, from equation (E-1),

Putting

, we get,

For phase shift equal to 180 between vf and vo, imaginary term of vf / vo must be zero. Therefore,

This is the frquency of oscillation. Substituting this frequency in vf / vo expression, we get,

This shows that 0 phase shift from vo to vf can be obtained if

and the gain of the feedback circuit becomes 1/3. Therefore, oscillation takes place if the gain of the amplifier exceeds 3. Transistor Phase Shift Oscillator: At low frequencies (around 100 kHz or less), resistors and capacitors are usually employed to determine the frequency of oscillation. Fig. 1 shows transistorized phase shift oscillator circuit employing RC network. If the phase shift through the common emitter amplifier is 180, then the oscillation may occur at the frequency where the RC network produces an additional 180 phase shift. Since a transistor is used as the active element, the output across R of the feedback network is shunted by the relatively low input resistance of the transistor, because input diode is a forward biased diode

Fig. 1 Hence, instead of employing voltage series feedback, voltage shunt feedback is used for a transistor phase shift oscillator. The load resistance RL is also connected via coupling capacitor. The equivalent circuit using h-parameter is shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 2 For the circuit, the load resistance RL may be lumped with RC and the effective load resistance becomes R'L(= RC || RL). The two h-parameters of the CE transistor amplifier, hoe and hre are neglected. The capacitor C offers some impedance at the frequency of oscillation and, therefore, it is kept as it is, while the coupling capacitor behaves like ac short. The input resistance of the transistor is Rihie. Therefore the resistance R3 is selected such that R=R3+Ri=R3+hie. This choice makes the three R C selections alike and simplifies the calculation. The effect of biasing resistor R1 , R2, & REon the circuit operation is neglected. Since this is a voltage shunt feedback, therefore instead of finding VR /VO, we should find the current gain of the feedback loop.

The simplified equivalent circuit is shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 3 Applying KVL,

Since I3 and Ib must be in phase to satisfy Barkhausen criterion, therefore

Also initially I3 > Ib, therefore, for oscillation to start,

Therefore, the two conditions must be satisfied for oscillation to start and sustain. Exampl - 1 (a). Show that the OPAMP phase shifter shown in fig. 4

. (b) Cascade two identical phase shifters of the type sown in fig. 4. Complete the loop with an inverting amplifier. Show that the system will oscillate at the frequency f = 1 / 2RC provided that the amplifier gain exceeds unity. (c) Show that the circuit produces two quadrature sinusoids (sine wave differing in phase by 90).

Fig. 4 Solution: (a)The voltage the non-inverting terminal input of the OPAM is given by

Since the differential input voltage of OPAMP is negligible small, therefore, the voltage at the inverting terminal is also given by

The input impedance of the OPAMP is very large, therefore,

or

Vi - 2V2 = -VO

Substituting v2 in above equation, we get,

Substituting XC, we get

Therefore, and the phase angle between VO and Vi is given by

The magnitude of VO / Vi is unity for all frequencies and the phase shift provided by this circuit is 0 for R = 0 and 180 for R > infinity. (b). If two such phase shifters are connected in cascade and an inverting amplifier with gain is connected in the feedback loop, then the net loop gain becomes Loop gain = Gain of phase shifter 1 x Gain of phase shifter 2 x = 1 x 1x = Therefore, the oscillation takes place if gain =1, but it is kept >1 so that the losses taking place in the amplifier can be compensated. The total phase shift around the loop is given by total phase shift = -2 tan-1 (RC) - 2 tan-1(RC) + 180 Further, for oscillation to take place the net phase shift around the loop would be 0.Therefore, -2 tan-1 (RC) - 2 tan-1(RC) + 180 =0 or RC = 1 or f = 1 / 2R C (c). The phase shift provided by amplifier in the feedback path is 180, therefore, the phase shift provided by the phase shifters should also be 180 to have 360 or 0 phase shift. Thus ,the phase shift provided by the individual shifter will be 90 as both are identical. Therefore, the sine wave produces by two phase shifters are 90 apart and the circuit produces two quadrature sinusoids.