Multivibrators

EEE 53 1s1718
L. R. Tria
 Multivibrators
 Monostable
 One stable state and may be triggered into
another temporary state
 Astable
 No stable state; Circuit oscillates between
two quasi – stable states
 Normally designed to operate as square
wave generators

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Mono – Stable Multivibrator
 Circuit with one stable state
 Maybe triggered into another temporary
state (Quasi – stable state) by the
application of a trigger pulse
 Remains with the quasi stable state
controlled by RC elements
 Will eventually return to its stable state
 A.k.a one shot
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Stable State
VCC

1. C is open, Q2 is
RC1 VC  RB
RC 2 on, D1 is forward
C biased, VBE is
R1 forward biased
Q2
Q1  VC2 = VCE,sat + VD
I B2
R2 D1

VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Stable State
VCC

2. VBE1 depends on
RC1 VC  RB
RC 2 R1, R2, -VBB and
C VC2,
R1  VB1 is negative
Q2
Q1 by design
I B2
R2 D1

VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Stable State
VCC

3. Q1 is off because
RC1 VC  RB
RC 2 BE is reversed
C biased,
R1  IB1=0, IC1=0
Q2
Q1 VC1=VCC
I B2
 Q2 is on, Q1 off
R2 D1
 VB2 = VBE2 + VD
VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Stable State
VCC

4. Initial Charge Eo:

RC1 VC  RB
RC 2 Eo = VC1 – VB2
C = VCC – (VBE2 + VD)
R1 = VCC – Vγ – VD
Q2
Q1 = VC(0-)
R2 D1

VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Stable State
VCC

5. IRB is just enough

RC1 VC  RB
RC 2 to saturate Q2:
C IC 2,sat I RC 2 - I R1
I B2,sat = =
R1 bmin bmin
Q2 VCC -VC 2
Q1 I RC 2 =
I B2 RC 2
R2 D1 VC 2 - (-VBB )
I R1 =
R1 + R2
VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Stable State
VCC

5. IRB is just enough

RC1 VC  RB
RC 2 to saturate Q2:
VCC -VC 2 VC 2 +VBB
C -
RC 2 R1 + R2
R1 I B 2,sat =
Q2 bmin
Q1
I B2
R2 D1 VCC -VB2
I B2 = > I B2,sat
RB
VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Triggered Condition
VCC
1. Q1 has been
triggered into
RC1 VC  RB
RC 2 saturation for
a brief
C instant
R1
Q2
Q1

R2 D1

VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Triggered Condition
VCC 2. At t = 0-
 VC(0-) = Eo
RB  Eo = VCC – Vγ – VD
RC1 VC  RC 2  VB2 = -Eo + VCE,sat
C = -VCC + Vγ +
R1 VD + VCE,sat
Q2
Q1 = -VCC
 -> Q2 turns off because
R2 D1 of the negative bias

VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Triggered Condition
VCC 3. VC2 moves rapidly
towards VCC.
 Q1 remains on
RC1 VC  RB Q1’s base above
RC 2 

ground
 VB1 becomes FB
C
 Q1 assumes the Quasi
R1 – stable state
Q1

R2 D1

VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Triggered Condition
VCC 4. With VB2 negative, Q2
off
VCC -VB2
RB I RB =
RC1 VC  IRB RC 2 RB
VCC - (-VCC +Vg +VD +VCE,sat )
C I RB =
RB
R1
Q1 2VCC
I RB =
RB
R2

VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Triggered Condition
VCC 5. As long as current
flows in C, circuit is
not stable
RC1 VC  IRB RB
RC 2
IRB causes discharge
C
VB2 will start from
R1 –VCC + VBE,sat + VD +
Q1 VCE,sat towards VCC

R2

VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Triggered Condition
VCC 6. When VB2 reaches VBE
+ VD, Q2 will turn on;

RC1 VC  RB
RC 2 Q1 will turn off;
C
Circuit will return to
R1 its stable state
Q2
Q1
I B2
R2 D1

VBB
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Trigger
V BE

V
V B1

VCC
VC1
VCE , sat

VBE 2  VD1
VB 2
VCE , sat  EO
VCC
VC 2
VCE .sat  VD1

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria PW

 Output pulse width
VBE 2  VD1
VCC
VB 2
VCE , sat  EO

RB VCC
RC1 VC  I RC 2 VC 2
RB
VCE .sat  VD1
C 
 
VB 2 t   V f  Vi  V f e t / PW
IB2
Q1 
VB 2 t   VCC  VCE , sat  Eo  VCC e t /
  
VB 2 PW   VCC  VCE , sat  VCC  VBE, sat  V  VCC e  PW / 
 2VCC  VBE, sat  VCE , sat  V 
 ln    PW   CR B
 VCC  VBE, sat  V 
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria  
 Designing a Monostable
Multivibrator
 VCC = 9V VBB=-9V
 IC = 2mA
 hfe(min) = 50
 Output pulse of 250us

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Stable state: Q2 on, Q1 off
VCC
9  0.2  0.7
RC 2   4.05k  4.7k
2mA
RB
IC 2mA
RC 2
I B 2, sat    40A
 min 50

9  0.7  0.7 
RB   190k  180k Q2
40A
I B2
D1

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Quasi stable state: Q2 of, Q1
on V CC

9  0.2 RB
RC1   4.4k  4.7k
RC1 VC 
2mA
C
IC 2mA
I B1    40A R1
 min 50
Q1
I C 2mA I B2
I2    200A
10 10 R2
VB1  VBB 0.7  9
R2    48.5k  47k VBB
I2 200A

I  I B1  I 2  240 A

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Quasi stable state: Q2 of, Q1
on V CC

9  0.7 RC1 VC  RB

R1  RC   34.6k
240A

R1  34 .6k  4.7k  29 .9k  27 k

C
R1
Q1
I B2
R2

VBB

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 With PW=250usec

t 250s
C   1800 pF
 E  EO   29  0.7  0.7  0.2 
R ln   180k ln  
 E  eC   9  0.7  0.7 

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Astable Multivibrator
 Has no stable states
 Duration of each quasi – stable state is
determined by RC values
 Continuously flips back and forth
 Used as a square wave generator

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Collector Coupled Astable
VCC

RC1 RB1 C1
RB 2 RC 2

VO
Q1 C2 Q2

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Quasi stable state
 At t=0-
VCC
 Q1 is off

RC1 RB1 C2
RB 2 RC 2
E 2  VCC  VBE , sat
VO

VO
Q1 C1 Q2

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Quasi stable state
 At t=0+
VCC
 Q1 has just
turned on
 Vce=Vce,sat
RC1 RB1 C2
RB 2 RC 2
E 2  VCC  VBE , sat
VO

 VO
VCE , sat
C1 Q2


EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Quasi stable state
 At t=0+
VCC
 Q2 is off

RC1 RB1 C2
RB 2 RC 2
VO
 E2 
 VO
VCE , sat C1 Q2


VB 2   E 2  VCE , sat  VCC  VBE , sat   VCE , sat

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Quasi stable state
 0<t<PW
VCC
 VCE2 will rise

towards VCC
RC1 RB1 RB 2 RC 2  C2 will start
C2
discharging
VO τ=RB2C2
 VB2 will rise
VO
towards VCC
Q1 C1 Q2

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Quasi stable state
 0<t<PW
VCC
 C1 charges

thru RC2
RC1 RB1 RB 2 RC 2 T=RC2C1
C2
VO

VO
Q1 C1 Q2

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Quasi stable state
 t=T-
VCC
 VC1=VCC-VBE,sat

RC1 RB1 C2
RB 2 RC 2
VO

VO
Q1 C1 Q2

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Quasi stable state
 t=T+
VCC
 VB2 reaches

VBE,sat
RC1 RB1 RB 2 RC 2  VCE2 drops to
C2
VCE,sat
 VB1 drops to –
VO
VC 1  VCC
VO
  Q1 off
Q1 C1 VCE , sat

 
VB1  VC1 T   VCE , sat  VCC  VBE , sat   VCE , sat
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 V BE

VB 2
 VCC
VCC
VC 2
VCE .sat

V BE

VB1
 VCC

VC1
VCE .sat

PW
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria
 Output pulse width VBE , sat
VCC
VB 2
VCC  VBE , sat  VCE , sat

RB 2 VCC
RC1 VC  VC 2
VCE .sat

C2 
VB 2 t   V f  Vi  V f e t / 
PW
Q1 
I B1  
VB 2 t   VCC   VCC  VBE , sat  VCE , sat  VCC e t /
VB1 PW   VCC   2VCC  VBE , sat  VCE , sat e  PW /  VBE , sat
 2VCC  VBE , sat  VCE , sat 
 ln   PW   C 2 RB 2
 VCC  VBE , sat 
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria  
 Example
 Vcc=10V, β=50 PW=0.7usec
VCC VCC  VCE , sat
I C , sat 
RC
RC1 RB1 RB 2 RC 2 VCC  VBE , sat I C , sat
C1 IB   I B , sat 
RB  min
VO VCC  VBE , sat VCC  VCE , sat
Q1 Q2 
C2 RB  min RC

  min RC  RB

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Example
 Vcc=10V, β=50 PW=0.7usec
VCC 0.7 ms
C
 2VCC  VBE , sat  VCE , sat 
RC 2 RB ln 
RC1 RB1 C1
RB 2  VCC  VBE , sat 
 

VO
Q1 C2 Q2

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Bi-stable Multivibrator
 2 stable states
 Can be switched from one state to the
other by applying a triggering input

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Bi – Stable Multivibrator
VCC

RC1 RC 2
RB 2 RB1

Q2
Q1

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Bi-Stable Multivibrator
 Assume Q1 is off (cutoff)
Let RB1 = RB2 = RB
VCC RC1 = RC2 = RC

IC 2 VCC -VBE,sat
IB2 I B2 =
RC1
RC 2 RC + RB
RB1
RB 2
VCC -VCE,sat
IC 2 =
Q2 RC
Q1

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Bi-Stable Multivibrator
 Condition for Q2 to be saturated when
Q1 is off: IC 2
IB2 >
VCC bmin
I B2 IC 2 VCC -VBE,sat VCC -VCE,sat
RC 2 >
RC1
RB 2 RB1 RC + RB RC bmin
bmin >
(VCC -VCE,sat ) ( RC + RB )
Q2
Q1 (VCC -VBE,sat ) RC
RC + RB
bmin >
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria RC
 Bi-Stable Multivibrator
 Verify Q2 is saturated and Q1 is off:
VCC VCC  VBE , sat
I B2 
IC 2 RC  RB
I B2
RC 2  I C , sat 
RC1
RB 2 RB1 I B 2 ? I B min  
  min 
VCC  VCE , sat
Q1 Q2 I B min 
RC  min
VCC  VCE , sat VCC  VCE , sat
I B min  
 RC  RB  RC  RB
RC  
EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria  RC 
 Triggering
 Designed to turn off the on transistor
 Two types:
 Asymmetrical – 2 trigger inputs; set and
reset
 Symmetrical – only 1 trigger input

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Asymmetrical collector
triggering
VCC

RC1 RC 2
RB1
RB 2
B
A
Q3
Q1
Q2 Q4

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria

 Symmetrical triggering
VCC
D3
RC1
D1 D2 RC 2
Vi

RB 2 RB1
Q2
Q1

EEE53 1s1718 L.A.R. Tria