Multivibrator

A multivibrator is an electronic circuit used to implement a variety of simple two-state devices such
as relaxation oscillators, timers and flip-flops. It consists of two amplifying
devices (transistors, vacuum tubes or other devices) cross-coupled by resistors or capacitors. The
first multivibrator circuit, the astable multivibrator oscillator, was invented by Henri Abraham and
Eugene Bloch during World War I. They called their circuit a "multivibrator" because its output
waveform was rich in harmonics.

The three types of multivibrator circuits are:

 Astable multivibrator, in which the circuit is not stable in either state —it continually switches
from one state to the other. It functions as a relaxation oscillator.
 Monostable multivibrator, in which one of the states is stable, but the other state is unstable
(transient). A trigger pulse causes the circuit to enter the unstable state. After entering the
unstable state, the circuit will return to the stable state after a set time. Such a circuit is useful for
creating a timing period of fixed duration in response to some external event. This circuit is also
known as a one shot.
 Bistable multivibrator, in which the circuit is stable in either state. It can be flipped from one
state to the other by an external trigger pulse. This circuit is also known as a flip-flop. It can store
one bit of information, and is widely used in digital logic and computer memory.
Multivibrators find applications in a variety of systems where square waves or timed intervals are
required. For example, before the advent of low-cost integrated circuits, chains of multivibrators
found use as frequency dividers. A free-running multivibrator with a frequency of one-half to one-
tenth of the reference frequency would accurately lock to the reference frequency. This technique
was used in early electronic organs, to keep notes of different octavesaccurately in tune. Other
applications included early television systems, where the various line and frame frequencies were
kept synchronized by pulses included in the video signal.

Astable multivibrator
An astable multivibrator consists of two amplifying stages connected in a positive feedback loop by
two capacitive-resistive coupling networks. The amplifying elements may be junction or field-effect
transistors, vacuum tubes, operational amplifiers, or other types of amplifier. Figure 1, below right,
shows bipolar junction transistors.
The circuit is usually drawn in a symmetric form as a cross-coupled pair. The two output terminals
can be defined at the active devices and have complementary states. One has high voltage while
the other has low voltage, except during the brief transitions from one state to the other.

Operation
The circuit has two astable (unstable) states that change alternatively with maximum transition rate
because of the "accelerating" positive feedback. It is implemented by the coupling capacitors that
instantly transfer voltage changes because the voltage across a capacitor cannot suddenly change.
In each state, one transistor is switched on and the other is switched off. Accordingly, one fully
charged capacitor discharges (reverse charges) slowly thus converting the time into an exponentially
changing voltage. At the same time, the other empty capacitor quickly charges thus restoring its
charge (the first capacitor acts as a time-setting capacitor and the second prepares to play this role
in the next state). The circuit operation is based on the fact that the forward-biased base-emitter
junction of the switched-on bipolar transistor can provide a path for the capacitor restoration.
State 1 (Q1 is switched on, Q2 is switched off)
In the beginning, the capacitor C1 is fully charged (in the previous State 2) to the power supply
voltage V with the polarity shown in Figure 1. Q1 is on and connects the left-hand positive plate of
C1 to ground. As its right-hand negative plate is connected to Q2 base, a maximum negative voltage
(-V) is applied to Q2 base that keeps Q2 firmly off. C1 begins discharging (reverse charging) via the
high-value base resistor R2, so that the voltage of its right-hand plate (and at the base of Q2) is
rising from below ground (-V) toward +V. As Q2 base-emitter junction is reverse-biased, it does not
conduct, so all the current from R2 goes into C1. Simultaneously, C2 that is fully discharged and
even slightly charged to 0.6 V (in the previous State 2) quickly charges via the low-value collector
resistor R4 and Q1 forward-biased base-emitter junction (because R4 is less than R2, C2 charges
faster than C1). Thus C2 restores its charge and prepares for the next State C2 when it will act as a
time-setting capacitor. Q1 is firmly saturated in the beginning by the "forcing" C2 charging current
added to R3 current. In the end, only R3 provides the needed input base current. The resistance R3
is chosen small enough to keep Q1 (not deeply) saturated after C2 is fully charged.

Figure 1: Basic BJT astable multivibrator

When the voltage of C1 right-hand plate (Q2 base voltage) becomes positive and reaches 0.6 V, Q2
base-emitter junction begins diverting a part of R2 charging current. Q2 begins conducting and this
starts the avalanche-like positive feedback process as follows. Q2 collector voltage begins falling;
this change transfers through the fully charged C2 to Q1 base and Q1 begins cutting off. Its collector
voltage begins rising; this change transfers back through the almost empty C1 to Q2 base and
makes Q2 conduct more thus sustaining the initial input impact on Q2 base. Thus the initial input
change circulates along the feedback loop and grows in an avalanche-like manner until finally Q1
switches off and Q2 switches on. The forward-biased Q2 base-emitter junction fixes the voltage of
C1 right-hand plate at 0.6 V and does not allow it to continue rising toward +V.
State 2 (Q1 is switched off, Q2 is switched on)
Now, the capacitor C2 is fully charged (in the previous State 1) to the power supply voltage V with
the polarity shown in Figure 1. Q2 is on and connects the right-hand positive plate of C2 to ground.
As its left-hand negative plate is connected to Q1 base, a maximum negative voltage (-V) is applied
to Q1 base that keeps Q1 firmly off. C2 begins discharging (reverse charging) via the high-value
base resistor R3, so that the voltage of its left-hand plate (and at the base of Q1) is rising from below
ground (-V) toward +V. Simultaneously, C1 that is fully discharged and even slightly charged to 0.6 V
(in the previous State 1) quickly charges via the low-value collector resistor R1 and Q2 forward-
biased base-emitter junction (because R1 is less than R3, C1 charges faster than C2). Thus C1
restores its charge and prepares for the next State 1 when it will act again as a time-setting
capacitor...and so on... (the next explanations are a mirror copy of the second part of State 1).
Monostable
In the monostable multivibrator, one resistive-capacitive network (C2-R3 in Figure 1) is replaced by a
resistive network (just a resistor). The circuit can be thought as a 1/2 astable multivibrator. Q2
collector voltage is the output of the circuit (in contrast to the astable circuit, it has a perfect square
waveform since the output is not loaded by the capacitor).

When triggered by an input pulse, a monostable multivibrator will switch to its unstable position for a
period of time, and then return to its stable state. The time period monostable multivibrator remains
in unstable state is given by t = ln(2)R2C1. If repeated application of the input pulse maintains the
circuit in the unstable state, it is called a retriggerable monostable. If further trigger pulses do not
affect the period, the circuit is a non-retriggerable multivibrator.
For the circuit in Figure 2, in the stable state Q1 is turned off and Q2 is turned on. It is triggered by
zero or negative input signal applied to Q2 base (with the same success it can be triggered by
applying a positive input signal through a resistor to Q1 base). As a result, the circuit goes in State
1 described above. After elapsing the time, it returns to its stable initial state.

Bistable
In the bistable multivibrator, both resistive-capacitive networks (C1-R2 and C2-R3in Figure 1) are
replaced by resistive networks (just resistors or direct coupling).

This latch circuit is similar to an astable multivibrator, except that there is no charge or discharge
time, due to the absence of capacitors. Hence, when the circuit is switched on, if Q1 is on, its
collector is at 0 V. As a result, Q2 gets switched off. This results in more than half +V volts being
applied to R4 causing current into the base of Q1, thus keeping it on. Thus, the circuit remains stable
in a single state continuously. Similarly, Q2 remains on continuously, if it happens to get switched on
first.
Switching of state can be done via Set and Reset terminals connected to the bases. For example, if
Q2 is on and Set is grounded momentarily, this switches Q2 off, and makes Q1 on. Thus, Set is
used to "set" Q1 on, and Reset is used to "reset" it to off state.