Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No .

Experiment No. 5
RC Oscillators

Objectives :
Demonstrating the Wien bridge oscillator and the RC phase-shift oscillator.
Measuring the oscillating frequency .

Theory :
Oscillators are circuits that spontaneously generate a periodic output voltage due to positive
feedback. Oscillators are often characterized by the frequency of their output signal:

 A low-frequency oscillator (LFO) is an electronic oscillator that generates a frequency

below ≈20 Hz. This term is typically used in the field of audio synthesizers, to
distinguish it from an audio frequency oscillator.

 An audio oscillator produces frequencies in the audio range, about 16 Hz to 20 kHz.

 An RF oscillator produces signals in the radio frequency (RF) range of about 100 kHz
to 100 GHz.

In an RC oscillator circuit, the filter is a network of resistors and capacitors. RC oscillators are
mostly used to generate lower frequencies, for example in the audio range. Two important
Common types of RC oscillator circuits ( sinusoidal oscillators ) are the Wien bridge and the
RC phase-shift oscillator.

An operational amplifier is ideal for use in oscillator circuits because of its large input
impedance, large gain, and the ease with which positive feedback can be introduced around it.
The positive feedback required for oscillation is specified by the Barkhausen criterion:

I. The total gain from input to output and back through the feedback circuitry must equal
at least one.
II. The total phase shift from input to output and back through the feedback circuitry must
equal 0°, or a multiple of 360°.

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Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No . 5

1. Wien bridge Oscillator

A Wien bridge oscillator is shown in Figure 1 It may be regarded as a bridge whose two
branches are the resistive voltage divider across the inverting terminal and the reactive
voltage divider across the non-inverting terminals of the operational amplifier. The circuit
oscillates at the frequency at which the ac voltages at the two input terminals are equal. If R1
and R2 (see Figure 1) are made equal-valued resistors and C1 and C2 are made equal-valued
capacitors, then the ratio of RF to Rin must be 2:1 to satisfy the Barkhausen criterion.
The oscillation frequency for the Wien bridge oscillator, given these stipulations, can be
calculated from:

Fig 1 Wien bridge oscillator

The amplifier gain :

𝑅𝑖𝑛
𝑣 − = 𝑣𝑜
𝑅𝑓 + 𝑅𝑖𝑛

𝑣𝑜 𝑅𝑓 + 𝑅𝑖𝑛 𝑅𝑓
𝐴= −
= =1+
𝑣 𝑅𝑖𝑛 𝑅𝑖𝑛
Angle (A) is 0° ; The Op-amp is used in a noninverting configuration .

The 𝛽 feedback network :

𝑣+
𝛽= 𝑣𝑜
Angle (𝛽 ) 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒 0° ;at the oscillating frequency, so that the total phase shift from input to
output and back through the feedback circuitry (angle (A 𝛽) = 0° ) is equal to 0°.
1
Then : 𝜔𝑜 = 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠𝑒𝑐
√R1R2C1C2

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Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No . 5

where R = R1 = R2 , C = C1 = C2
1
𝑓= 𝐻𝑧
2𝜋𝑅𝐶

At Oscillating frequency :
The value of 𝛽 is equal to 1/3
Amplifier gain must be :
Total loop gain must be equal to 1 ( |𝐴| |𝛽| = 1 )
1 1
A= = =3
𝛽 1/3
𝑅𝑓 𝑅𝑓
A=1+ = 3 =2
𝑅𝑖𝑛 𝑅𝑖𝑛

∴ 𝑅𝑓 = 2 𝑅𝑖𝑛

In practical Wien-bridge oscillators, 𝑅𝑓 is not equal to exactly 2𝑅𝑖𝑛 because component

tolerances prevent 𝑅1 from being exactly equal to 𝑅2 and 𝐶1 from being exactly equal to 𝐶2 .
Furthermore , the amplifier is not ideal , so 𝑣 − is not exactly equal to 𝑣 + . In a circuit
constructed for laboratory experimentation , 𝑅𝑓 should be made adjustable so that the loop
gain can be set as necessary to sustain oscillation .

1. RC phase-shift Oscillator
An example of an RC phase-shift oscillator is shown in Figure 2 The RC phase shift oscillator
uses three cascaded stages of RC high-pass filters, with the output of the last stage fed back to
the inverting input of the operational amplifier. The purpose of the RC filters is to provide a
phase shift of 180°. Since the output of these filters is fed back to the inverting terminal, the
amplifier itself provides another phase shift of 180°. The total phase shift of the circuit is
therefore 360° or 0°.

𝑣𝑖

Fig 2 . RC phase-shift oscillator

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Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No . 5

Given the stipulation that R1, R2, and R3 are equal-valued resistors, and that C1, C2, and C3
are all equal valued capacitors, the oscillation frequency of the RC phase-shift oscillator can
be calculated using the following equation:

The amplifier gain :

𝑣− = 𝑣+ = 0
𝑣𝑜 𝑣𝑖 𝑣𝑜 𝑅𝑓
= − = −
𝑅𝑓 𝑅𝑖𝑛 𝑣𝑖 𝑅𝑖𝑛

𝑅𝑓 𝑣𝑜
𝐴= = −
𝑣𝑖 𝑅𝑖𝑛
Angle (A) is 180° ; The Op-amp is used in an inverting configuration .

The 𝛽 feedback network :

𝑣𝑖
𝛽= 𝑣𝑜
Angle (𝛽 ) 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒 180° ;at the oscillating frequency, so that the total phase shift from input
to output and back through the feedback circuitry (angle (A 𝛽) = 360° 𝑜𝑟 0° ) is equal to 0°.
1
Then : 𝜔𝑜 = 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑅𝐶 √6

where R = R1 = R2 = R3 , C = C1 = C2 = C3
1
𝑓= 𝐻𝑧
2𝜋𝑅𝐶√6

This equation is exact only if the input resistor on the inverting terminal (10 kΩ in Figure 2) is
large enough to prevent any loading of the cascaded RC stages.

At Oscillating frequency :
The value of 𝛽 is equal to – 1/29
Amplifier gain must be :
Total loop gain must be equal to 1 ( |𝐴| |𝛽| = 1 )
1 1
A= = = -29
𝛽 −1/29
𝑅𝑓 𝑅𝑓
A =− = -29 = 29
𝑅𝑖𝑛 𝑅𝑖𝑛

∴ 𝑅𝑓 = 29 𝑅𝑖𝑛
In practice , the feedback resistor is made adjustable to allow for small differences in component
values .

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Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No . 5

Primary Work :

Calculate the oscillating frequencies for the Wein bridge oscillator and the RC phase shift
oscillator using the values for the capacitors and resistors indicated in table 1 and table 2 on page 7 .

Equipments:
Op-amp 741
1KΏ potentiometer
Resistors
Capacitors
Oscilloscope
Multimeter
Power supply

Procedures :
Part (1) . Wien bridge oscillator

1. To demonstrate the Wien bridge oscillator, connect the circuit as in Figure 1

2. Connect an oscilloscope set to ac input coupling so that 𝒗𝒐 can be viewed. With R1 =

R2 = 10 kΩ and C1 = C2 = 0.1 μF, carefully adjust the 1 kΩ potentiometer until the
output waveform has the least amount of distortion. Measure and record the frequency

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Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No . 5

of this waveform in Table 1. Also using a Multimeter measure the adjusted 𝑅𝑓 value
and record it in Table 1 .

NOTE: make sure you measure 𝑅𝑓 only ,not the equivalent resistance between the two
nodes where 𝑅𝑓 is connected !

3. Repeat procedure step 2 using resistor and capacitor values in Table 1.

Part(2). RC phase-shift oscillator

1. To demonstrate the RC phase-shift oscillator, connect the circuit as in Figure 2

2. Connect an oscilloscope set to ac input coupling so that 𝒗𝒐 can be viewed. With R1

= R2 = R3 = 1 kΩ and C1 = C2 = C3 = 0.22 μF, carefully adjust the 500 kΩ
potentiometer until the output waveform has the least amount of distortion. Measure
and record the frequency of this waveform in Table 2. Also using a Multimeter
measure the adjusted 𝑅𝑓 value and record it in Table 2 .

NOTE : There is no 500k Ω potentiometer in our lab . So use instead a constant

resistor in series with a potentiometer . Record resistor and potentiometer values
which gave you oscillation at the output .

3. Repeat procedure step 2 using resistor and capacitor values in Table 2.

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Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No . 5

Table 1 “Wein bridge oscillator “

1
R = R1 = R2 C = C1 = C2 𝑓= 𝒇 𝑹𝒇
2𝜋𝑅𝐶
Pre-calculated Measured

0.1 µF

10 k𝛺 0.22 µF

0.47 µF

0.1 µF

1 k𝛺 0.22 µF

0.47 µF

Table 2 “ RC phase shift oscillator “

1
R = R1 = R2 =R3 C = C1 = C2 = C3
𝑓= 𝒇 𝑹𝒇
2𝜋𝑅𝐶√6
Pre-calculated Measured

0.22 µF
1 k𝛺
0.47 µF

0.22 µF
570𝛺
0.47 µF

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Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No . 5

Report Discussion :

Primary Wok :

(1). Wein bridge oscillator

R = 10 kΩ C = 0.1 µF
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R = 10 kΩ C = 0.22 µF
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R = 10 kΩ C = 0.47 µF
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R = 1 kΩ C = 0.1 µF
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R = 1 kΩ C = 0.22 µF
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R = 1 kΩ C = 0.47 µF
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(2). RC phase-shift oscillator

R = 1 kΩ C = 0.22 µF
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R = 1 kΩ C = 0.47 µF
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Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No . 5

R = 570Ω C = 0.22 µF
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R = 570Ω C = 0.47 µF
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In part (2). RC phase-shift oscillator :

What resistor and potentiometer values did you use ,in series , instead of the 500k Ω potentiometer ?
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What resistors did you connect in series whose total resistance is 570 Ω ?
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Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No . 5

The Results :

Table 1 “Wein bridge oscillator “

1
R = R1 = R2 C = C1 = C2 𝑓= 𝒇 𝑹𝒇
2𝜋𝑅𝐶
Pre-calculated Measured

0.1 µF

10 k𝛺 0.22 µF

0.47 µF

0.1 µF

1 k𝛺 0.22 µF

0.47 µF

Table 2 “ RC phase shift oscillator “

1
R = R1 = R2 =R3 C = C1 = C2 = C3
𝑓= 𝒇 𝑹𝒇
2𝜋𝑅𝐶√6
Pre-calculated Measured

0.22 µF
1 k𝛺
0.47 µF

0.22 µF
570𝛺
0.47 µF

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Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No . 5

Discussion :
Q1) Using Figure 1 and 2, design a Wien bridge and an RC phase-shift oscillator each of
which will oscillate at a frequency of 1 kHz.
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Conclusion :
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Analogue Electronics Lab III Experiment No . 5

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References :
Experiment manual
Theodore F. Bogart , Jeffrey S. Beasley , Guillermo Rico . “Electronic Devices and Circuits” , 5th
Edition ,2001 . Prentice-Hall . p.510 , 512 .

Contributors :
Abdullah Buood
Safa Buzgeia

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