Wien bridge Oscillator

Wien bridge Oscillator

What is a Wien bridge Oscillator ?

• A Wien bridge oscillator is a sine wave oscillator (a circuit that produces sine waves
as output) which uses R-C network in the feedback circuit.

• The feedback network consists of RESISTORS (R) and CAPACITORS (C)

• Wien-bridge oscillator is one of the most commonly used AF oscillators.
Wien bridge Oscillator using op-amp
 Wien bridge Oscillator using op-amp

• The figure shows the circuit of a

Wien-bridge oscillator based on an
op-amp.
Figure: Wien bridge Oscillator using op-amp
 Wien bridge Oscillator using op-amp
Wien bridge

• In the figure, Wien-bridge is marked

by a dotted red line.

Figure: Wien bridge Oscillator using op-amp

• The Wien bride oscillator given above can
be rearranged like the one shown below.

Figure: Wien bridge Oscillator using op-amp

 Non-inverting amplifier

Feedback network
• From the figure on the right side, it is clear that the Wien bridge oscillator
circuit consists of a feedback network and a non-inverting amplifier
 Wien bridge Oscillator using op-amp

• The circuit diagram of a Wien-bridge oscillator

based on an op-amp is given in Figure.

• The feedback signal is connected to the non-

inverting input terminal. So the op-amp
works as a non-inverting amplifier. [In this
circuit, the op-amp is connected in the
noninverting configuration.]

• In this configuration, the gain of the amplifier

is given by Av= 1+
(R4 / R3)

Feedback network
 • The feedback circuit contains 2 RC networks.

• In one RC network, R and C are connected in

series (R1 and C1). This works as a high pass filter.

• In the other RC network, R and C are connected

in parallel (R2 and C2). This works as a low-pass
filter.

• These components decide the frequency of the

oscillator.

• The output of the amplifier is connected to the

input of the feedback network and the output of
the feedback network is fed to the noninverting
Feedback network
input terminal of the op-amp.
 • Wien bridge oscillator uses a non-inverting
amplifier, which provides a phase shift of 0.

• Feedback must be Positive to obtain

oscillations. This means that total phase shift
around the loop = 0 or 360.

• So, phase shift introduced by the feedback

network must also be equal to 0.

Feedback network
• Normally, a potentiometer (variable resistor)
is used in place for the fixed resistor R4.

• The potentiometer allows you to fine tune

the resistance (allows you to adjust the gain
of the amplifier), so that you can get a good
sine wave signal at the output.

• If the gain is too low, you will not get a sine

wave at all at the output.

• If the gain is too high, the peaks of sine

waves will be clipped and, thus, distorted.

• The potentiometer has to be adjusted so

that there is an undistorted, unclipped sine
wave at the output.
Analysis of Feedback circuit

• The feedback network consists of a high

pass filter and a low pass filter.
• We know that the reactance of a capacitor ‘C’ at a frequency ‘f’ is given by

At very low frequency

• At very low frequencies, reactance of C1 and
C2 is very high.

• So, the C1 and C2 behave like an open. Because

of this, output voltage =0

At very high frequency

• At very high frequencies, reactance of C1 and C2
is very low.
• So, the C1 and C2 behaves like a short. (output
is shorted to ground). Because of this, output
voltage =0
• In between these two high and low frequencies, there is a particular frequency at
which the output voltage reaches a maximum value (see the figure given below).
This frequency is referred to as resonant frequency (fr).

• From the circuit analysis, we can obtain the

maximum output voltage at the resonant
frequency as ,
 At this frequency, the phase-shift between the input and the output of the
feedback circuit will become zero.
Frequency of Oscillation
• The frequency of oscillation is given by

If both capacitors are equal in value

& If both resistors are equal in value
▪
Then the frequency of oscillation is given by the formula

▪
The 2 RC network determine the
frequency of the output sine wave
signal.
• At this frequency, it is found that the feedback factor of the network is

• To obtain oscillations, A =1.

• This means that the gain of the amplifier should be = 3

• The gain of the non-inverting amplifier is given by

Wien bridge Oscillator using transistor

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 Wien bridge Oscillator using Transistor

• The figure shows the circuit of a

Wien-bridge oscillator based on
transistors

Figure: Wien-bridge oscillator using BJT

Circuit description
• Write a description about the circuit

Circuit Analysis
• Circuit analysis, frequency of operation, etc are the same as those given
in the case of op-amp based Wien-bride oscillator.
END

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