Dokuz Eylül University

Faculty of Engineering
Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Retriggerable Monostable Multivibrator Desing

St. Name: Ozan Abut ID: 2019502016

April 22, 2024

Abstract

Retriggerable monostable multivibrators has so many applications. We can see some

applications as while we are in the apartment stairs, after we push the button for the
lightning the lightning stays on for a certain duration and went off. In this report, it will
shown two alternative models for that.

Design 1- NOT Gate Version

When the button is pressed, it forces the capacitor to discharge to 0 volts, and then it
starts recharging. The output remains at 5V until the voltage of the capacitor reaches a
certain value. When the value of the capacitor exceeds a certain value, the output remains
at 0. If the button is not pressed, the output will be 0 until it is pushed again.
So, we can write output as:

𝑅1
5𝑉, 𝑣𝑐 < 𝑉𝑐𝑐
𝑅1 + 𝑅2
𝑂𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 =
𝑅1
0, 𝑣𝑐 > 𝑉𝑐𝑐
{ 𝑅1 + 𝑅2

Pulse Duration

From the time that button is pressed to critical voltage time (I am neglecting the discharge
time since it happens so quickly.) can be calculated as:

𝑅1 𝑡
−
𝑉𝑐𝑐 = 𝑉𝑐𝑐 −𝑉𝑐𝑐 𝑒 𝑅𝑐 𝐶 , 𝑣𝑐 (0) = 0
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

It can be observed that 𝑉𝑐𝑐 voltage is not affecting the pulse duration!

𝑅1 𝑡
−
= 1 − 𝑒 𝑅𝑐 𝐶
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

𝑅1 𝑡
−
1− =𝑒 𝐶
𝑅𝑐
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

𝑅1 𝑡
ln (1 − )=−
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅𝑐 𝐶

Rearranging yields;

𝑅1 + 𝑅2
𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒 = 𝑡 = 𝑅𝑐 𝐶. 𝑙𝑛 ( )
𝑅2

So we can say:

Time duration of pulse increases if 𝑅𝑐 , C and 𝑅1 increases.

Time duration of pulse decreases if 𝑅2 increases.
Simulation Graph

For the values given below;

𝑅𝑐 =10kΩ, C=1mF, 𝑅1 =10kΩ, 𝑅2 = 1𝑘Ω

Expected pulse duration;

𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒 = 10 𝑙𝑛(11) ≅ 23.98 𝑠

the output graph of the circuit is shown below

after button is pushed,[Vc(green), Vo=(blue)]

Design 2- Hysteresis (Schmitt Trigger) Version

In this version, due to positive feedback output will be always saturated. Output has
two states which is +Vsat and -Vsat, two threshold levels can be calculated as:

𝑅2
𝑉𝑈𝑇 = 𝑉𝑐𝑐
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

𝑉𝐿𝑇 = 0 ∵ −𝑣𝑠 = 0

This implementation also prevents noise effects (if amplitude of the noise smaller than
𝑉𝑇𝐻 − 𝑉𝑇𝐻 − ). Also, it whould be better to set −𝑣𝑠 a bit higher than zero to make sure
+

when button is pressed inverting input can be lower than non-inverting input.

Pulse Duration

After pressing the button, opamp will saturate to -Vsat and until the capacitor’s
voltage reaches the upper threshold level it will keep its state. (I am neglecting the
discharge time since it happens quickly.)
 𝑅2 𝑡
𝑉𝑐𝑐 = 𝑉𝑐𝑐 −𝑉𝑐𝑐 𝑒 −𝑅𝐶 , 𝑣𝑐 (0) = 0
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

𝑅2 𝑡
= 1 − 𝑒 −𝑅𝐶
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

𝑅1 𝑡
= 𝑒 −𝑅𝐶
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

𝑅1 𝑡
ln ( )=−
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅𝐶

Rearranging yields

𝑅1 + 𝑅2
𝑡 = 𝑅𝐶 ln ( )
𝑅1

So, we can say that;

If R, C and 𝑅2 increases, pulse time increases

If 𝑅1 increases, pulse time decreases

Simulation Graph
For the values given below;

R=10kΩ, C=1mF, 𝑅1 =1kΩ, 𝑅2 = 1𝑘Ω,

Expected pulse duration is;

𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑠𝑒 = 10 ln(2) ≅ 6.93 𝑠

the output graph of the circuit is shown below

after button is pushed, [Vc(green), Vo=(blue)]

Conclusion

For the first design (not gate version), the duration time was closer to the calculated
values than the second model but output voltage vas lower than we expect it to be. For the
second design (hysteresis version), voltage levels of output was close to our expectations
but pulse duration time has bigger error that the first design.