1

Design of a colpitts oscillator

Diana Camacho, Ariel Dı́az
Ingenierı́a en Electrónica y Telecomunicaciones
Departamento de Eléctrica y Electrónica
Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE
Sangolquı́ - Ecuador

The present laboratory report provides the implementation of colpitts oscillator,the data is analyzed and compared when the
oscillator is armed in proto. Equally it analyzes the changes that arise at the exit when the circuit is assembled on a plate and is
outside a metal box and when introducing said plate in a metal box.

Index Terms—oscillator,colpitts, metal box.

I. INTRODUCTION 3) Oscillator parameters:

• Frequency : is the frequency of the fundamental mode
Tis known by the name of an oscillator that does everything
I that it, starting from a continuous power supply, is able
to provide an output of alternating current, regardless of its
• Tuning range, for adjustable frequency, is the adjustment
range
• Power output and performance. The yield is the ratio
waveform. It is possible, then, to find sine wave oscillators,
between the power of the output signal and the power
square wave, sawtooth, etc. Traditionally, however, the name
supply consuming
of oscillators is reserved for those whose output is a sinusoid,
• Level of harmonics: harmonic power based on the power
receiving the rest of special names. Communication systems
of the fundamental, in dB
usually employ harmonic oscillators, normally controlled by
• Pulling: frequency variation of the oscillator to vary the
crystal, as a reference oscillator. But also variable frequency
load
oscillators. The frequency is can be adjusted mechanically
• Pushing: frequency variation of the oscillator to vary the
(capacitors or adjustable value coils) or by applying voltage to
supply voltage
a element, the latter are known as voltage controlled oscillators
• Drift with temperature variation of oscillator frequency
or VCO, that is, oscillators whose oscillation frequency de-
with temperature variations
pends on the value of a control voltage. And it is also possible
• Phase noise or frequency drift snapshots
to find crystal oscillators controlled by voltage or VCXO.
• Frequency stability long term, during the life of the
oscillator
II. CONTENTS 4) Oscillation Criterion:
A. Theoretical Foundation 1 To find the oscillation criterion, the oscillator can be
assimilated to a circuit with feedback positive, like the
1) RF Oscillator: one shown in figure ??xi and xo are the input and output
Circuit that generates a periodic signal at the output without signals, while xr and xe are, respectively, the feedback
having any type of periodic input signal signal and the error signal. A is the initial amplifier gain,
or open-loop gain, β is the feedback factor and Aβ is the
loop gain. All are complex numbers whose module and
2) Classification: phase vary with frequency angular, ω. The feedback of
1 Harmonics: when the output is sinusoidal. the feedback circuit is
2 Relaxation: when the output is square. xo A
3 Crystal Oscillator: is a harmonic oscillator whose fre- =
xi 1 − Aβ
quency is determined by a quartz crystal or a piezoelectric
ceramic. The behavior of the circuit can be predicted by knowing
4 Variable oscillators: Where the frequency fo is controlled the module, |Aβ|, and the phase, ϕAβ , of the loop gain.
by variable capacitors or inductors. -If |Aβ| < 1, the circuit is stable regardless of the value
5 Oscillators controlled by Tension: fo = g(4v)(4Co ). of ϕAβ .
6 Glass Oscillators controlled by Voltage: -If at a certain frequency |Aβ| = 1, that is to say
fo = g(4v)(4CXo ). |Aβ| = 1 and ϕAβ = 0, any oscillation present in the
entry to that frequency is maintained indefinitely, at the
same amplitude.
 2

Figure 3: Equivalent Circuit in CA:

− βib Ze = Vo (3)
 
Vx
−β Ze = V o
hie
Figure 1: Block diagram of a linear circuit with positive Vo βZe
feedback =− (4)
Vx hie
Vx0 V 0 Vo
AB = = x
- If at a certain frequency |Aβ| > 1, es decir |Aβ| > 1 Vx Vo Vx
and ϕAβ = 0, any oscillation present in the input to that
1 hie
frequency is amplified indefinitely until the saturation SC hie SC
Z1 = 1 = 1+hie SC
of the amplifier so returns to the previous condition. SC + hie SC
Since saturation is a non-linear phenomenon, it causes
Ze = [Z2 ||(Z1 + ZL )]
the appearance of harmonics.
1
Ze =
If the circuit has Aβ > 1 we can do without the SC
input signal since the noise, always present, contains 
Z1

β Z2 (Z1 + SL)

components at all frequencies. The noise component at AB = − ∗
Z1 + SL hie Z2 + Z1 + SL
the frequency at which this condition, known as starting
condition, is fulfilled indefinitely until the saturation of βhie
AB =
the amplifier or until an auxiliary circuit achieves that for 1 + Shie (2C + S 2 LC 2 ) + S 2 LC
that frequencyAβ = 1. Then on the amplitude of the os- βhie
cillation is maintained, that is why the condition Aβ = 1 AB =
1 + jωhie (2C − ω 2 LC 2 ) − ω 2 LC
is called maintenance condition. These conditions for a
circuit to oscillate are known as criteria of Barkhausen. despejando ω se tiene:
5) Mathematical analysis of the circuit of colpitts r
2
• Equivalent Circuit in CA: ω=
LC

B. Design
Analysis on the RF Circuit
Datos:
IC = 9mA
VCE = 3.5V
hf e = 75

Figure 2: Equivalent Circuit in CA: RE = 220Ω

RB = 10KΩ
Vx = ib ∗ hie
Vx L = 1uH
ib = (1)
hie
  L1 = 6mH
Z1
Vx0 = Vo
Z1 + SL Circuit Equivalent in Continuous Current
0
  Calculations:
Vx Z1 12 − 3.5
= (2) IE =
Vo Z1 + SL RE
 3

Figure 6: Circuit Equivalent in Alternate Current

Design of Capacitors
CE =?
Figure 4: Oscillator Circuit
100
CE ≥
RE wo
100
CE ≥
(220)(2π · 65 × 106 )
CE ≥ 0.11129nF

CE =?
100
CE ≥
RB wo
100
Figure 5: Circuit Equivalent in Continuous Current CE ≥
(10000)(2π · 65 × 106 )
CE ≥ 2.4485pF
8.5
IE = III. MATERIALS
220
IE = 38.63mA The materials to be used in the practice are detailed below.
M ATERIALS
IE • Protoboard
IB = • 2 capacitors of 47pF
1 + hf e
• 1 capacitor of 1uF
38.63mA • 1 resistor of 220ohms
IB =
1 + 75 • 1 shock coil of 6mH
IB = 0.50828mA • 1 resistor of 10kohms
• 1 coil between 1uH-3uH
• 2 variable capacitors of 6pF-24pF
VRE = IE RE • 1 transistor 2N2222
VRE = (38.63 × 10−3 A) · (220Ω) T OOLS
• 1 bakelite plate
VRE = 8.5V
• Tin and solder paste
Equivalent Circuit in Alternate Current E QUIPMENT
Calculations: • Oscilloscope GwINSTEK GDS-2204
2 • SOURCE OF 12 V
wo2 =
LC
IV. R ESULTS
2
C= 2 A. Measurement of the output signal
wo L
As you can see in the figure 7 the oscillation frequency of
2
C= the circuit is considered almost perfect, since the theoretical
(2π · 65 × 106 )2 (1 × 10−6 ) design oscillation frequency is 65MHz and the figure shows
C = 11.9906pF an oscillation frequency of 65.4992MHz.
 4

Figure 10: Base current

Figure 7: Output signal of a Colpitts Circuit

B. Measurement of voltages and currents

• Collector-emitter voltage

Figure 11: Voltage in the emitter resistance

The figure 13 shows the measurement of the output signal

of the oscillator circuit printed on the plate and outside the
metal box
As mentioned, external disturbances greatly affect the os-
cillator circuit, therefore the figure shows the measurement of
Figure 8: Collector-emitter voltage the output of the oscillating circuit inside a metal box with
the aim of reducing errors and improving the operation of the
• Collector current circuit.
However for our case the theoretical design oscillation fre-
quency is 65MHz and in the figure 14 shows an oscillation
frequency of 64.1MHz, noting that our circuit has a better
performance out of the metal box and in protoboard

D. Calculation of errors
After testing the design, it was preceded to take the data
presented in the table

Teórico Práctico
Figure 9: Collector current VCE [V ] 3.5 3.27
IC [mA] 9 7.83
IB [mA] 0.507 0.38
• Base current VRE [V ] 8.5 8.99
• Voltage in the emitter resistance

The data was taken when the circuit was armed in

C. Measurement of the output signal with oscillator in protoboard and outside the metal box.
printed circuit outside the box
In the figure12 the oscillation frequency of the circuit 1) Collector-emitter voltage
already printed on the plate is very good, since the theoretical
design oscillation frequency is 65MHz and in the figure 12 V alorT eorico − V alorP ractico
shows an oscillation frequency of 64,992MHz. EVCE % = ∗ 100%
V alorT eorico
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Figure 14: Wave with oscillator in printed circuit inside the

Figure 12: Wave with oscillator in printed circuit outside the box
box

Figure 15: Oscillator in printed circuit inside the box

Figure 13: Oscillator in printed circuit outside the box

In the same way considering the measurement conditions

3.5 − 3.227 already mentioned and knowing that they are very small
EVCE % = 100%
3.5 values, the error of 13 % obtained in the measurement of the
EVCE % = 7.8% collector current is considered acceptable
3) Base current
Taking into account that the circuit has many losses due to the
protoboard, the connection cables and external disturbances,
V alorT eorico − V alorP ractico
the error 7.8 % obtained in the measurement of the collector- EVCE % = ∗ 100%
emitter voltage is considered acceptable V alorT eorico
2) Collector current 0.507 − 0.38
EVCE % = 100%
0.507
V alorT eorico − V alorP ractico EVCE % = 25%
EVCE % = ∗ 100%
V alorT eorico
In the same way considering the measurement conditions
9 − 7.83
EVCE % = 100% already mentioned and knowing that they are very small
9 values, the error of 25 % obtained in the measurement of the
EVCE % = 13% base current is considered acceptable
 6

Diana Camacho She was born in Ambato on July

19, 1993. Her basic studies were conducted at the
Elı́as Toro Funes Educational Unit and the ”Am-
bato” Educational Unit School in the city of Ambato
with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Mathematics.

Figure 16: Oscillator in printed circuit inside the box

4) voltage in the emitter resistance

V alorT eorico − V alorP ractico

EVCE % = ∗ 100%
V alorT eorico
8.5 − 8.99
EVCE % = 100%
8.5
EVCE % = 1.05%
Ariel Diaz He was born in Latacunga on September
finally the error 1.05 % obtained in the measurement of the 21, 1995. His basic studies were carried out in
emitter voltage is considered acceptable the Particular Technical Educational Unit ”Hermano
Miguel” in the city of Latacunga with a degree in
Mathematical Physics.
V. CONCLUSIONS
•
•
•
•
•

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