5/2/2017 Triangular wave generator using opamp.

Circuit diagram working and theory

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Triangular Wave Generator

Last Updated on March 25, 2014 by jojo in Signal Generators with 9
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Triangular wave generator using opamp.

This article is about a triangular wave generator using opamp IC.
Triangular wave is a periodic, non-sinusoidal waveform with a
triangular shape. People often get confused between triangle and
sawtooth waves. The most important feature of a triangular wave is
that it has equal rise and fall times while a sawtooth wave has un- Get Daily
equal rise and fall times. The applications of triangular wave include
sampling circuits, thyristor ring circuits, frequency generator
Updates via
circuits, tone generator circuits etc. There are many methods for
generating triangular waves but here we focus on method using
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opamps. This circuit is based on the fact that a square wave on
integration gives a triangular wave. Enter your email

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The circuit uses an opamp based square wave generator for

producing the square wave and an opamp based integrator for

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5/2/2017 Triangular wave generator using opamp. Circuit diagram working and theory

integrating the square wave. The circuit diagram is shown in the

gure below.

Circuit diagram.

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The square wave generator section and the integrator section of the
circuit are explained in detail below. Arduino (44)

ARM (3)
Square wave generator.
Audio Circuits (104)
The square wave generator is based on a uA741 opamp (IC1).
Resistor R1 and capacitor C1 determines the frequency of the Automotive Circuits (28)

square wave. Resistor R2 and R3 forms a voltage divider setup which AVR (18)
feedbacks a xed fraction of the output to the non-inverting input of
Basic Electricity (1)
the IC.
Basic Electronics (6)

Initially, when power is not applied the voltage across the capacitor Battery Circuits (23)
C1 is 0. When the power supply is switched ON, the C1 starts C plus plus (7)
charging through the resistor R1 and the output of the opamp will be
C Programming (14)
high (+Vcc). A fraction of this high voltage is fed back to the non-
inverting pin by the resistor network R2, R3. When the voltage across Cable TV Circuits (1)
the charging capacitor is increased to a point the the voltage at the Camera Technology (5)
inverting pin is higher than the non-inverting pin, the output of the
Clipping and Clamping Circuits (7)
opamp swings to negative saturation (-Vcc). The capacitor quickly
discharges through R1 and starts charging in the negative direction Clocking & Timer Circuits (2)
again through R1. Now a fraction of the negative high output (-Vcc) is Conversion Circuits (10)
fed back to the non-inverting pin by the feedback network R2, R3.
Counter Circuits (2)
When the voltage across the capacitor has become so negative that
the voltage at the inverting pin is less than the voltage at the non- Counters (2)

inverting pin, the output of the opamp swings back to the positive Digital Electronics (11)
saturation. Now the capacitor discharges trough R1 and starts
Drones (1)
charging in positive direction. This cycle is repeated over time and
the result is a square wave swinging between +Vcc and -Vcc at the Education & Training (6)

output of the opamp. Electronic Components (31)

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5/2/2017 Triangular wave generator using opamp. Circuit diagram working and theory

If the values of R2 and R3 are made equal, then the frequency of the Electronics Books (10)
square wave can be expressed using the following equation:
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F=1/(2.1976 R1C1)
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Integrator.
Events (3)
Next part of the triangular wave generator is the opamp integrator.
Fan Circuits (1)
Instead of using a simple passive RC integrator, an active integrator
based on opamp is used here. The opamp IC used in this stage is Filter Circuits (16)
also uA741 (IC2). Resistor R5 in conjunction with R4 sets the gain of Fire Alarm (3)
the integrator and resistor R5 in conjunction with C2 sets the
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bandwidth. The square wave signal is applied to the inverting input
of the opamp through the input resistor R4. The opamp integrator Gadget Reviews (6)
part of the circuit is shown in the gure below. Guides (1)

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Lets assume the positive side of the square wave is rst applied to Lab Manuals (20)
the integrator. By virtue capacitor C2 oers very low resistance to
LED related (3)
this sudden shoot in the input and C2 behaves something like a
Light Related (14)
short circuit. The feedback resistor R5 connected in parallel to C2 can
be put aside because R5 has almost zero resistance at the moment. Lighting Circuits (44)
A serious amount of current ows through the input resistor R4 and MATLAB (3)
the capacitor C2 bypasses all these current. As a result the inverting
Microcontrollers (7)
input terminal (tagged A) of the opamp behaves like a virtual ground
because all the current owing into it is drained by the capacitor C2. Mobile Phone Related (1)
The gain of the entire circuit (Xc2/R4) will be very low and the entire Motor Related (14)
voltage gain of the circuit will be close the zero.
Nanotechnology (14)

After this initial kick the capacitor starts charging and it creates an Oscillators (25)

opposition to the input current owing through the input resistor R4. Peripheral Interface Controller (PIC)
The negative feedback compels the opamp to produce a voltage at (29)
Power Controller Circuits (8)
its out so that it maintains the virual ground at the inverting input.
Since the capacitor is charging its impedance Xc keeps increasing Power Electronics (2)

and the gain Xc2/R4 also keeps increasing. This results in a ramp at Power Supplies (72)
the output of the opamp that increases in a rate proportional to the
Product Reviews (5)

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5/2/2017 Triangular wave generator using opamp. Circuit diagram working and theory

RC time constant (T=R4C2) and this ramp increases in amplitude until Project Ideas (1)
the capacitor is fully charged.
Projects (7)

Proteus (8)
When the input to the integrator (square wave) falls to the negative
peak the capacitor quickly discharges through the input resistor R4 Proximity Detectors (3)
and starts charging in the opposite polarity. Now the conditions are Radio Circuits (30)
reversed and the output of the opamp will be a ramp that is going to
Radio Transmitters (19)
the negative side at a rate proportional to the R4R2 time constant.
This cycle is repeated and the result will be a triangular waveform at Raspberry Pi (1)
the output of the opamp integrator. Relays (3)

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Testing the triangular wave generator.
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added soon.
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5/2/2017 Triangular wave generator using opamp. Circuit diagram working and theory

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abel alemseged April 6, 2017 at 4:55 am
its good to have this kind of tutorials on your website.i liked your
posts.but you have to include some other videos. thank you!
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jojo April 7, 2017 at 1:44 am Post author Avoidance Robot)
@abel Thanks for the suggestion. We have a Youtube
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jatin butta November 28, 2013 at 8:22 pm and GSM Module
why the output of integrator will be triangular wave only when R4 C2
Interface 7 Segment Display to
> T/ 2 and why R4 C2 should be equal to T?
AVR Atmega32 using CD4511B
also what is the shape of the output waveform when R4 C2 not equal
to or less than T/2 or T
Interfacing Accelerometer to
Reply Arduino

DC Motor Speed Control using

jatin butta November 28, 2013 at 8:25 pm PWM in AVR Atmega32
and also why is it necessary to use resistance R5 = 10 R4? Electrical Safety Tips Ultimate
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Ramayya September 21, 2012 at 2:05 am for Electronics Engineers
Infographics
I am getting dc bias in the triangular output..i am not getting how to
eliminate that..please someone help me out..
Digital Integrated Circuits in
Reply Proteus

vijay August 12, 2013 at 1:33 pm Like Us on Facebook

blocking cap should do the trick

Reply

mohammadreza December 12, 2010 at 12:53 pm

thanks a lot

but this curcuit donot run in ps_pice

it need noise maker

can you order that make noiser

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5/2/2017 Triangular wave generator using opamp. Circuit diagram working and theory

i need it for my project

Circuitstoday.com
30,529likes
please answre it i return back

iran

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Bethefirstofyourfriendstolikethis
suresh February 25, 2010 at 1:05 am
hi,
i want to design a Negative edge zero sawtooth wave for my
circuit.from negative zero positive.

Reply

JeanGraf January 21, 2010 at 7:01 pm Recent Comments

Thanks!! But what is the equation that discribes the square-wave
niy on Understanding the PN
generator? The circuit is exactly what I need for my joob, so thanks
Junction
again!!

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