In the classic configuration and most variants of the astable 555 multivibrator circuit, the timing characteristics are based on the charging and discharging of a capacitor. However, it can be argued that since the exponential voltage of a ...
A previous Design Idea “Gated 555 astable hits the ground running” ( Ref. 1 ) offered a fix for the problem of the excessively long first pulse that’s generated by traditional topology 555 astable circuits on start up when gated ...
The classic and versatile 555 finds its way into many low to moderate frequency oscillator applications. Some of these require the ability to selectively gate oscillation on and off on demand and the 555’s RESET pin can conveniently be used ...
Second test circuit I looked at several types of AGC circuits (strictly, Automatic Level Control). JFETs are the usual starting-point but are inherently non-linear and need to be surrounded by lots of stuff to limit the signal voltage across them ...
A while ago, I needed (or wanted) a pocket-sized audio sine-wave generator: simple, stable, repeatable, single-gang control pot, 9 V battery-powered. A “squashed tri-wave” approach looked appropriate. While the principle is easy make a ...
The traditional analog function generator with its customary triple-threat ensemble of square, triangle, and sine waveform outputs is a familiar tool on electronics lab benches. It’s also a classical design exercise. Generally, the square and ...
Many applications involve the digital synthesis of three-phase sinusoidal waveforms, such as ac-motor drives, active power filters, and grid-voltage synchronizers, that use a microcontroller or a DSP for digital control. You can perform this ...
LVDTs (linear variable differential transformers) are electromechanical measuring devices that convert the position of a magnetic core into electrical signals. You generate these signals via excitation on the primary side. The results on the ...
Figure 1, fast rise time pulse generator, switches a high grade, commercially produced tunnel diode mount to produce a 20 ps rise time pulse. O1’s clocking (trace A, Figure 2) causes Q1’s collector (trace B) to switch the capacitively ...
Rail-to-rail input and output (RRIO) op amps, both FET and BJT, have been around for a long time, but the possibilities they provide for versatile waveshape generation with simple circuits can still surprise. Figure 1 is an example, outputting a ...