CASE

Center of Advanced Studies in Engineering, Islamabad

Communication Systems Lab

EXPERIMENT # 09: Designing of Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO)

Name of Student: …………………………………………………….

Roll No.: …………………………………Section: ………………….

Date of Experiment: ………………………………………………….

Report submitted on: ………………………………………………..

Marks obtained: ……………………………………

Remarks: ……………………………………………

Instructor’s Signature: ……………………………...

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Experiment # 09

Designing of Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO)

1. Objectives
1. Understanding the operation of VCO
2. Understanding the working of varactor diodes
3. Design of VCO circuit using Colpitt/Clapp Configuration.

2. Introduction
A voltage-controlled oscillator or VCO is an electronic oscillator whose oscillation frequency is
controlled by a voltage input. The applied input voltage determines the instantaneous oscillation
frequency. Consequently, modulating signals applied to control input may cause frequency
modulation (FM) or phase modulation (PM). A VCO may also be part of a phase-locked loop.

Figure-1 Voltage Controlled Oscillator

There are several methods to make VCO. In today’s lab we use the feedback oscillators to make
a VCO by doing some changes in the circuit of last lab in which you were able to design single
frequency oscillator. VCO is nothing just variable frequency oscillator whose frequency changes
by the applied input voltage as shown in figure 1. So today’s lab is the continuation of the last
lab.

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3. Working of VCO

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Figure-2 Basic VCO operation & its voltage vs frequency graph

Figure-3 Basic variable reactance VCO

As shown in above figure just by inserting the varactor diodes in the place of fixed capacitor we
can implement the VCO.

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4. Varactor Diodes
A varactor diode is a P-N junction diode that changes its capacitance and the series resistance as
the bias applied to the diode is varied. The property of capacitance change is utilized to achieve a
change in the frequency and/or the phase of an electrical circuit.

Key Electrical Parameters

The key electrical parameters guiding the selection and usage of a varactor diode are

1) Reverse breakdown voltage.

2) Capacitance value and the capacitance-voltage change behavior.

3) Quality factor (also known as figure of merit), Q.

Figure-4 reverse voltage vs capacitance curve of diode MV2109

5. Experimental Work
1. Material Required
a) DC Power Supply --------- 2
b) Oscilloscope ---------------- 1
d) Npn-transistor 3904 ---------------- 1

2. Procedure
1. Set up the circuit shown in figure 4.
2. Connect +12V power supply. (When connecting the power supply, take care of the polarity).
3. Now observe the output at output coupling capacitor. Output would be sinusoidal waveform.
4. Now change the input voltage across the varactor diodes and measure the output frequency.
5. Repeat step 4 for different values of voltage(0,5,12).Make a graph of VR vs output frequency
attach with the report.

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Figure-5 Circuit of Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO)

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