Laboratories rewritten for 2024 by Prof.

Robert Niffenegger ©

UMass ECE 210 – Fall 2024

Lab 6: Function Generators with RC op-amp circuits

GOALS:

• Build Op-amp circuits for generating functions

• Create a low pass filter with RC components

DATA required for Lab report:

PLOT – Output of Square wave circuit

PLOT – Output of Triangle wave circuit
PLOT – Outputs of Sine wave circuit (filtering triangle wave)

Introduction:

Op-Amps can be combined with capacitors to create dynamic circuits based on the
charging and discharging time of the capacitors. As an example, we will create a square
wave generator in which a capacitor on the input charges and causes the output to invert
very quickly to its maximum due to the very large gain, creating a square wave. Then we will
add another op-amp to act as an integrator of the first stage’s square wave using a
capacitor on the feedback.
Finally, we will filter the triangle wave with a low pass filter to create a sinewave.

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1. Square wave generator:

We will NOT use the signal generator for this lab.

Instead, we will GENERATE a square wave using op-amp itself.
Similar to how we tested the open-loop gain of the op-amp last week in Lab 5.

However, now we will use the charging and discharging of a capacitor on the input of the
op-amp to set the period of the oscillations (not the signal generator).

The circuit is designed to reverse the charging and discharging of the input capacitor.
If the capacitor on the inverting input is not charged, then 𝑉𝑐𝑎𝑝 = 𝑄/𝐶 will be small.
𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡
The output will be 𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡 = 𝐴 ( − 𝑉𝑐𝑎𝑝 ) = 𝑉𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 . Saturating at the positive power supply
2
𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡
voltage when 𝑉𝑐𝑎𝑝 < , and charging the capacitor, slowly increasing its voltage.
2
𝑉
Then when 𝑉𝑐𝑎𝑝 > 𝑂𝑢𝑡 , the output quickly flips to the negative power supply voltage and
2
starts slowly discharging the capacitor until it is negatively charged enough that 𝑉𝑐𝑎𝑝 <
𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡
− and then the whole process repeats, creating a sawtooth wave on the inverting input.
2

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1. Square wave generator:

1. Draw the circuit diagram

2. Draw the breadboard layout of the circuit including the pins of the op-amp.

3. Assemble the circuit on the breadboard (like the op-amp circuit for Lab 5)
(For 5kΩ, you can use 4.7kΩ or 5.2kΩ)

4. Measure and RECORD - Input waveform at 𝑉𝐶𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑟 (V_ , the sawtooth on pin 2)
a. Voltage peak to peak?
b. Frequency?
c. Shape?

5. Measure and RECORD - Output waveform at 𝑉𝑂𝑢𝑡

a. Voltage peak to peak?
b. Frequency?
c. Shape?

6. Measure and RECORD the very small amount of time it takes for the output voltage
to switch from positive to negative (i.e. How sharp is the square wave???)

Zoom in on the trace and use the cursor or estimate with the TIME/DIV

Recall that the feedback can cross directly over the op-amp on the breadboard.
Don’t forget to connect the power supply to provide power to the op-amp.

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2. Triangle Wave Generator:

The next stage is an ‘integrator’, with a capacitor placed on the inverting feedback that
charges and discharges linearly as a constant current passes through it, equal to the
current passing through the input resistor. When the input changes sign the process
reverses and the capacitor discharges linearly as the constant current changes sign.
Note that the charging is linear, not exponential, creating a triangle wave.

Reference: https://www.ti.com/lit/pdf/snla140 (Fig. 1-11 pg. 8, Fig. 2-4 pg. 16).

Animation: https://www.falstad.com/circuit/e-triangle.html

1. Assemble the circuit by adding another op-amp to your breadboard

2. Use a 100k resistor to send current to the 2nd stage
3. Add the ~500kΩ resistor and 4.7nF capacitor in parallel to create the integrator
(The large resistor is needed to ‘center’ the integrator at long times and prevent offsets)
4. RECORD - the voltage at the input of the 2nd stage ,𝑉 ′ (output of 1st stage)
5. RECORD – 2nd stage output (𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑝𝑢𝑡 ) including Vpp and frequency
6. In your report, work out the KCL for the integrator at the inverting input

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3. Sinewave with low pass filter:

Lastly, we will build a low pass filter to convert the triangle wave to a sinewave.
1 1
𝑓= , = 100Hz
2𝜋𝑅𝐶 2𝜋 ⋅ 150𝑘Ω ⋅ 10𝑛𝐹

1. Use a 10nF capacitor.

2. Calculate the resistance to create a low pass
filter at the frequency of the input triangle wave
(Check what resistors are available in lab)

3. Draw the breadboard layout of the circuit

4. Add the resistor and capacitor to create the low

pass filter at the output of the triangle wave.
5. RECORD the input triangle wave and the output sinewave of the low pass filter.
(Note how there is still some ‘triangle-ness’ to your ‘sinewave’)

6. Next, calculate the resistance needed to create a low pass filter at HALF the
frequency of the input triangle wave.
7. Swap the resistors to create the lower low pass filter.
8. Measure and RECORD the output sinewave of the lower low pass filter.
(Note how this sinewave is purer than before but also more attenuated)

9. Questions for Lab report discussion:

a. Which low pass filter creates a better sine wave?
b. What is the impedance of the capacitor at the triangle waves frequency?

REFERENCE: https://www.ti.com/lit/pdf/snla140 (Figure 2-1 page 15)

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Prelab exercises:
(TAs will check before lab begins)

1. Triangle wave Generator

a. Draw how to wire the circuit in a breadboard

2. Sine wave generator

a. Calculate the resistance to create an RC filter at 1kHz using a 10nF capacitor.
b. Calculate the impedance of the resistor and capacitor at:
i. 1kHz
ii. 500Hz
iii. 2kHz

Required data for lab report:

• PLOTS
o Square wave with input sawtooth wave from capacitor
o Triangle wave with input square wave
o Sinewave with input triangle wave

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Lab Report – Rubric

To develop your technical writing skills, you will write a very concise lab report.

• Define concepts (Report must be a self-contained document)

• Diagram/schematic of experimental setup (with labels)
• Plot results (label axes with units)
• Critically analyze your results by comparing to theory
o Disagreement of theory and measurements on the 1-2% level is ok.
o ‘User’ errors/mistakes are wrong and will not receive points
• Conclusion – discuss limitations of measurements and how to improve

If your report appears sloppy, no one will trust your conclusions… even if they are correct

1 report/group

2-page max

Points
Introduce and define all concepts 5

Experimental Diagrams 5

PLOT – Square Wave (With input sawtooth from capacitor) 10

Analysis 5

PLOT – Triangle Wave (with input) 10

Analysis 5

PLOT – Sinewave (with input) 10

Analysis 5

Conclusion 5

Prelab 5

65

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LM741 PIN DIAGRAM

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