ASTABLE MULTIVIBRATORS

An astable multivibrator is also called a free-running or clock signal. This

multivibrator has no stable state. It is an oscillator circuit that generates a
continuous flow of digital pulses that switches back and forth between two
states while providing a square edge signal output. Clocks used in
computer circuits are considered astable multivibrators.

Shown below is a schematic diagram of an astable multivibrator built

using transistors. One transistor is normally on and the other transistor is
normally off. The states of both transistors change continuously because of
the charging and discharging of the two capacitors. The output signal may
be taken from the collector of either transistors.

The next schematic diagram shows a astable multivibrator, that is

constructed using NAND gates and inverters. Two output signals are
shown and are opposites of each other.

Frequency, Period, and Duty Cycle

Frequency
Frequency is a measurement of the number of complete cycles per
second that a signal contains. The units of frequency is the hertz (Hz). In
the diagram above, five cycles are completed in one second. Therefore
the frequency is 5 Hz.

Period
Period ( T ) is the time required to complete one cycle. In the diagram
above, it takes 0.2 seconds to complete one cycle, therefore the period is
.2 seconds.

Because frequency ( f ) and time ( t ) are inverses of each other, the

following formulas can be used to calculate one from the other.

Duty Cycle
Duty cycle is a measurement of the percent of time the signal is high
divided by the total period of the signal. The formula is:

Example 1:

Example 2:

555 IC Timer as a Clock Signal

Timing or synchronization is very crucial to most electronic devices and
systems. This is because timing is essential in maintaining the proper
sequencing of events.
There are many ICs designed and manufactured specifically to accomplish
this task. One of the most popular of these ICs is the 555 Timer. Shown
below is the pinout diagram of the 555 Timer IC.

The diagram below shows the 555 IC Timer configured to output a clock
signal. The clock frequency is determined by the formula:
F = 1.44/((R1 + 2*R2)*C)
F = 1.44/((1K + 2*470)*1uF)= 742 Hz