Electronic Instruments and
Measurements
  UNIT-4       Signal Generator
            Dr. Girraj Sharma
    Associate Professor, Deptt. Of ECE
                  JECRC
      Introduction to Signal Generator
• Device that generate signal of various frequency and amplitude.
• Common and vital equipment in any electronic laboratory.
• Signal generator characteristics:
   • Stable and distortion-free signal
   • Controllable amplitude values
   • Controllable frequency values
   • DC offset
       Introduction to Signal Generator
                   Cont’d
• Types of signal generator:
  •   Standard Signal Generator
  •   Audio Signal Generator
  •   Radio-Frequency Signal Generator
  •   Function Generator
  •   Pulse Generator
  •   Sweep Generator
  •   Random Noise Generator
                       OSCILLATOR
• Oscillator is a circuit that generates an ac output signal without
  requiring any externally applied output signal.
• The only input power to an oscillator is the d.c power supply.
• Term ‘Oscillator’ is generally used for an instrument that provides only
  a sinusoidal output signal, and the term ‘generator’ is applied to an
  instrument that provides several output waveforms, including sine wave,
  square wave, triangular wave and pulse trains as well as amplitude
  modulation of the output signal.
           OSCILLATOR CONT’D
• ADVANTAGES:
  • An oscillators is a non-rotating device. Consequently,
    there is little wear and tear and hence longer life.
  • Due to the absence of moving parts, the operation of
    an oscillator is quite silent.
  • An oscillator can produce waves from 20 Hz to
    extremely high frequencies 100 MHz
  • The frequency of oscillations can be easily changed
    when desired.
  • It has good frequency stability.
  • It has very high efficiency.
                REQUIREMENTS FOR
                   OSCILLATION
• Basically, an oscillator is an amplifier with positive feedback.
• The signal regenerate and sustain itself.
• The gain equation for an amplifier with positive feedback is:
      Where:
                                A    Vo
                        Af        
                             1  A Vs
                    Af = gain with feedback
                    A = open-loop gain
                    β = feedback factor, Vi/Vo
                  REQUIREMENTS FOR
                  OSCILLATION CONT’D
• Gain for amplifier with positive feedback:
         Input         +           Vi = Vs - Vf
                  Vs                              A          Vo   Output
         Signal                                                   Signal
                           -
                                  Vf = βVo
                                                  B
                               Feedback
                                Signal
       Closed-loop system consisting of amplifier with feedback
  POSITIVE FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER
           OSCILLATOR
• A phase shift of 180° is produced by the amplifier and a further
  phase shift of 180° is introduced by feedback network.
• The signal get shifted by 360°.
• This signal is then feedback to the input. The feedback voltage is
  in phase with the input signal.
• The circuit is producing oscillations in the output.
• However, this circuit has an input signal. But, then this is
  inconsistent with our definition of an oscillator which states that
  an oscillator is a circuit that produces oscillations without any
  external signal source.
  POSITIVE FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER
       OSCILLATOR CONT’D
• If a positive-feedback circuit has a loop gain that satisfies two
  conditions:
                            Barkhausen
                              Criteria
    Loop Gain, Aβ ≥ 1               Net Phase Shift = 0 or 360 degree
  POSITIVE FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER
       OSCILLATOR CONT’D
• A transistor amplifier with proper positive feedback can act as an
  oscillator. You must remember that a positive feedback amplifier
  is the one that produces a feedback voltage, Vf that is in phase
  with the original input signal.
              TYPES OF OSCILLATOR
• Oscillator categorized in two types:
     i) Audio Oscillators
    ii) Radio Frequency Oscillators
• There are two common types of Audio Oscillators:
    i)Wien Bridge Oscillator
    ii) Phase-Shift Oscillator
   Both of which employ RC feedback network
   The Wien Bridge offers some very attractive features, including a
    straightforward design, a relatively pure sine-wave output and very
    stable frequency