Oscillator Definition, Types, and Applications

An Oscillator is an electronic circuit or device which can convert a steady state

signal into an oscillating signal. For example, the oscillator can convert a steady
state DC signal into a periodic  AC signal of the desired frequency.

There is a huge application of Oscillator in electronics engineering and also it is

widely used in electrical engineering. Actually, the oscillation not only related to
electrical or electronics, but there is mechanical oscillator also available. So if we
look at the common definition of an oscillator then we see,

Definition of Oscillator: The oscillator is a device(may be electrical or maybe

mechanical) which can create oscillation of steady state energy(may be electrical
energy or mechanical energy).

As we represent the electrical energy by the electrical or electronic signal and

waveforms theoretically that is why we used the word Signal instead of energy in
the definition of an electronic oscillator.
You may know that we have needed the signals of different different frequency
for different different applications like in digital electronics most of the devices
like Flip-Flop circuits, Registers etc need a clock pulse for their operation. The
clock pulse or clock signal is nothing but an oscillating signal. Even the CPU of
the computer need a clock pulse. As the oscillating signals have a frequency that is
why they are used for many applications.

How Oscillator Works?

The concept of a simple oscillator circuit:

The basic concepts of an oscillator can be given by a simple electrical circuit

which consists of a capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel. But remember
that you must have the basic knowledge of Inductor and Capacitor to understand
that circuit. We know that the capacitor store the electrical energy in the form of
charge and the inductor can also store electrical energy but in the form of
electromagnetic magnetic field.
As you see in the above figures a capacitor and an inductor are connected in
parallel. Assume the capacitor is fully precharged, so now the capacitor starts
discharging through the inductor and the electrical energy is storing into the
inductor in form of the electromagnetic field. When the capacitor is fully
discharged there will be no current flow in the circuit. In this condition, the
capacitor is fully discharged and the inductor is fully charged.

Now the inductor starts discharging through the capacitor and the capacitor start
charging in the opposite polarity. So this charging and discharging of the capacitor
and inductor makes the oscillating signal or we can say the repeatable get and paid
of electrical energy between the capacitor and inductor creates the oscillations.
You may have a question in your mind how long it runs? The inter-conversion of
energy cannot continue forever because of energy losses. The energy loss will
occur due to the resistance of the circuit. For this reason, the oscillation becomes
decreasing and a time will come when the oscillation will be zero.

So a simple oscillator circuit can be made by capacitor and inductor but it cannot
give the continuous oscillation and of constant amplitude.

Oscillator circuit using Amplifier

The oscillator circuit can be made by an amplifier with feedback. The feedback
may be positive or regenerative. The feedback means a part of the output signal of
the amplifier is fed back to the input of the amplifier. The oscillator circuit using
an amplifier can give continuous constant amplitude oscillations.
So when we applied some sinusoidal signal as the input of the amplifier the output
of the amplifier will be the multiplication of the gain of the amplifier and the input
signal. Now the output of the amplifier is given to the feedback circuit as the input.
Generally, the feedback circuit is nothing but a frequency selective circuit or
resonant circuit and it decides what fraction of the output signal of the amplifier is
to be given to the input of the amplifier as feedback signals.

When the output signal of the feedback circuit is added to the input signal and at
the same time the input signal of the amplifier is removed the feedback signal will
act as the input of the amplifier. Now after removing the input signal, we can
decide which type of oscillation(sustain or not) we want to get and this depends
upon the multiplication of the gain of the amplifier and the feedback fraction of the
feedback circuit.

So from the above explanation, it is cleared that the input of the oscillator circuit
does not need all over the time during the operation of the oscillator. The input is
needed only for starting the oscillation and once the oscillation is started the input
can be removed or in other words, the oscillator can give the output without input.

Types of Oscillator:

(1) We already know that the oscillator circuit has a feedback path so according to
the feedback path,
1.     Positive Feedback Oscillator
2.     Negative Feedback Oscillator

(2) We know that the Oscillator circuit creates an oscillating signal which may be
many types in Waveform. So based on the types of waveform the Oscillator
classified as below,

1.     Sine Wave Oscillator

2.     Rectangular or square wave Oscillator
3.     Sawtooth Wave oscillator

A special type of single Oscillator can also create all types of Waveforms.

(3) Based on the circuit design,

1.     LC Oscillator
2.     RC Oscillator
3.     Crystal Oscillator

(4) According to the frequency range,

1.     Low-Frequency Oscillator
2.     High-Frequency Oscillator
3.     Very High-Frequency Oscillator
4.     Ultra High-Frequency Oscillator

Examples of Oscillator:

Some examples of oscillators are Royer Oscillator, Tri-tet Oscillator, Armstrong

Oscillator, Meissner Oscillator, Pierce Oscillator, Ring Oscillator etc.

Applications of Oscillator:

Oscillators are a cheap and easy way to generate specific Frequency of a signal. For example, an
RC oscillator is used to generate a Low Frequency signal, an LC oscillator is used to generate a
High Frequency signal, and an Op-Amp based oscillator is used to generate a stable frequency.

The frequency of oscillation can be varied by varying the component value with potentiometer
arrangements.

Some common applications of oscillators include:

 Quartz watches (which uses a crystal oscillator)

 Used in various audio systems and video systems
 Used in various radio, TV, and other communication devices
 Used in computers, metal detectors, stun guns, inverters, ultrasonic and radio frequency
applications.
 Used to generate clock pulses for microprocessors and micro-controllers
 Used in alarms and buzzes
 Used in metal detectors, stun guns, inverters, and ultrasonic
 Used to operate decorative lights (e.g. dancing lights.