How to make a Schmitt trigger or a Regenerative Comparator using 741 IC ?

A Schmitt trigger circuit is a fast-operating voltage-level detector. When the input voltage arrives at the upper or lower trigger levels, the output changes rapidly. The circuit operates with almost any type of input waveform, and it gives a pulse-type output.

The circuit of an op-amp Schmitt trigger circuit is shown in figure. The input voltage v_in is applied to the inverting input terminal and the feedback voltage goes to the non-inverting terminal. This means the circuit uses positive voltage feedback instead of negative feedback, that is, in this circuit feedback voltage aids the input voltage rather than opposing it. For instance, assume the inverting input voltage to be slightly positive. This will produce a negative output voltage. The voltage divider feedsback a negative voltage to the non-inverting input, which results in a larger negative voltage. This feedsback more nega­tive voltage until the circuit is driven into negative saturation. If the input voltage were, slightly negative instead of positive, the circuit would be driven into the positive saturation. This is the reason the circuit is also referred to as re­generative comparator.

When the circuit is positively saturated, a positive voltage is fedback to the non-in­verting input. This positive input holds the output in the high state. Similarly, when the output voltage is negatively saturated, anegative voltage is fedback to the non-inverting input, holding the output in the low state. In either case, the positive feedback reinforces the existing output state.

The feedback fraction, β = R₂/R₁ + R₂

When the output is positively saturated, the reference voltage applied to the non-inverting input is

V_ref ^{= +} βV_sat

When the output is negatively saturated, the reference voltage is

V_ref ^{= -} βV_sat

The output voltage will remain in a given state until the input voltage exceeds the reference voltage for that state. For instance, if the output is positively saturated, the reference voltage is + βV_sat. The input voltage v_in must be increased slightly above + β V_sat to switch the output voltage from positive to negative, as shown in figure. Once the output is in the negative state, it will remain there indefinitely until the input voltage becomes more negative than – βV_sat. Then the output switches from negative to positive. This can be explained from the input-output characteristics of the Schmitt trigger shown in figure, as below.

Characteristics of the Schmitt trigger

Assume that input voltage v_in is greater than the + β V_sat, and output voltage v_OUT is at its negative extreme (point 1). The voltage across R₂ in the figure is a negative quantity.

As a result, v_in must be reduced to this negative voltage level (point 2 on the characteristics) before the output switches positively (point 3). If the input voltage is made more negative than the – β V_sat, the output remains at + +v_OUT (points 3 to 4). For the output to go negative once again, v_in must be increased to the + β V_sat level (point 5 on the characteristics).

In figure, the trip points are defined as the two input voltages where the output changes states. The upper trip point (abbreviated UTP) has a value

UTP = β V_sat and the lower trip point has a value

LTP = – β V_sat

The difference between the trip points is the hysteresis H and is given as

H = + β V_sat – (-β V_sat) = 2 β V_sat

The hysteresis is caused due to positive feedback. If there were no positive feedback, β would equal zero and the hysteresis would disappear, because the trip points would both equal zero.

Hysteresis is desirable in a Schmitt trigger because it prevents noise form causing false triggering.

To design a Schmitt trigger, potential divider current I₂ is once again selected to be very much larger than the op-amp input bias current. Then the resistor R₂ is calculated from equation

R₂ = UTP/I₂

and R₁ is determined from

R_{1 =} (V_OUT – UTP) / I₂

S:circuitstoday.com