Lab # 09

Wien-Bridge Oscillator: With and Without Stabilizing

Circuit
Objectives:
In this lab students will understand the following.
1. Basic RC oscillator fundamentals
2. Operation of the Wien-bridge oscillator

Pre Lab:
Made a circuit on LTspice or PS-pice software

Circuit:
In Lab Task:
Task 1:
1. Construct the circuit in Figure 11.3. Set R5 to 25 k Ω, and temporarily short R4 and the
diodes by placing a jumper in parallel.
2. Calculate and record the expected fc .
3. Turn on circuit power. Monitor the output of the oscillator with your oscilloscope. It is
necessary for your oscillator operation that the closed-loop gain be very close to 3, and this
requires R5 to be twice the value of R3 . If R5 is larger than 2R3 , the gain will be greater than 3
and the oscillator will produce a squared waveform. If R5 is less than 2R3, the gain will be less
than 3 and there will be no oscillation.
4. Slowly adjust R5 to the point of a stable sinusoidal output waveform. Measure and record
below the peak-to-peak oscillator output signal. Measure and record the frequency at the
output signal.
Vout(p-p) =

5. Slowly readjust R5 to increase its resistance and note below the results on the output
waveform.
6. Slowly readjust R5 to decrease its resistance and note below the effect on the output
waveform.
7. Readjust R5 to produce a stable sinusoidal waveform. (You should have found that a
very small change in R5 made a significant change in the oscillator output.)
R5 = .
8. Replace R5 in the circuit. Remove the jumper shorting R4 and the diode network. Adjust R5
to obtain a stable sinewave form of approximately 4 to 5 Vp-p.
9. Slowly adjust R5 to increase and decrease its resistance while observing the output
waveform.
Sol:
Waveform:

Fc=1.35kHz
R5=20.9k
Rout=21.5k
Post Lab:
Problem 1:
Discuss the effect of adjusting the potentiometer on the output of the Wen-bridge oscillator.
Include in your discussion why the output would go to saturation (clipping or no output).

Ans:
When we decrease the potentiometer the output of the signal first become square wave than
sine wave but if you increase the potentiometer no wave output.

Problem 2:
Discuss the effect of disabling the diode network of the Wien-bridge oscillator. Did the diode
network add stability to the oscillator?

Ans:
When we short the diode for a while the output voltage become unstable because we add
diodes in a circuit for stability.

Problem 3:
Is the oscillator capable of maintaining oscillation at less than full.scale output amplitude?

Ans:
No, the oscillator is not responsible for maintaining oscillations at less than full scale output
amplitude.

Problem 4:
Is the operating frequency the same?

Ans:
No, the operating frequency is not the same the frequency changes with the change of
resistance.

Problem 5:
Is the circuit as sensitive to changes in feedback (Rs :R3 ratio)?

Ans:
Yes the circuit is sensitive with feedback changes.
Conclusion/Critical Analysis:
In this lab, we learn about wien bridge oscillator. Oscillators use positive feedback and,
therefore, are actually nonlinear circuits in some cases. The analysis and design of oscillator
circuits are divided into two parts. In the first part, the condition and frequency for oscillation
are determined; in the second part, means for amplitude control is addressed. different active
filters using op-amp or operational amplifier. Active filters are popular because they produce
better filtering at a lower cost.
The circuit of wien bridge oscillator consists of an op-amp connected in a non-inverting
configuration and two RC networks connected as the frequency-selecting feedback circuit. We
initially assume that an input signal exists at the non-inverting terminals of the op-amp. Since
the non-inverting amplifier introduces zero phase shift, the frequency-selective feedback circuit
must also introduce zero phase shift to create the positive feedback condition.

We simply made the wien bridge circuit on the breadboard then we apply the initial voltage
then we increase or decrease the potentiometer value to obtain a stable waveform of a output
voltage.

Now we are able to easily made the wein bridge oscillator easily and obtain the stable waveform.