Practice 3: Schmitt Triggers

[Background]
1. A Schmitt Trigger is essentially a comparator with hysteresis. It can be implemented by
connecting positive feedback to the non-inverting input of a comparator or differential amplifier.
In the non-inverting configuration, when the input voltage is > a chosen threshold (V
TH
), the
output voltage is high. When the input voltage is < another chosen threshold (V
TL
), the output
voltage is low. When the input voltage is between V
TL
and V
TH
, the output voltage maintains its
present value. This dual-threshold behavior is called hysteresis.
In fact, we need to consider 2 output voltage levels, V
OH
and V
OL
, when we look at V
TL
and V
TH
.
Furthermore, we should also consider the inverting configuration. The VTC for both
configurations are shown in the figures below:

The left VTC is for an inverting Schmitt Trigger; the right VTC is for a non-inverting trigger.
The VTC of Schmitt Trigger dictates that its operation must cross the hysteresis region. We
define the hysteresis voltage V
H
! V
TH
V
TL
and mid-hysteresis voltage V
M
! (V
TH
+ V
TL
)/2.

The positive feedback increases the switching speed, i.e. a slowly changing input wave form will
become a fast (steep) changing output wave form. The hysteresis region reduces impact by input
noise (as determined by V
H
).

The major difference between a simple comparator and the Schmitt Trigger is how they respond
to input noise. If the input signal V
in
shows noise near V
T
, then the output signal V
out
will show
some corresponding chattering (i.e. bouncing between low and high), for the simple comparator
in (a). The Schmitt Trigger, as in (b), shows more robustness.
(a)

(b)


2. There are many ways to implement the Schmitt Trigger. Lets look at some op-amp
implementations, starting with the non-inverting one.



In this circuit, R
1
and R
2
form a parallel voltage summer. This parallel positive feedback creates
the hysteresis controlled by the proportion of R
1
and R
2
. Since V
out
is referenced to ground, this
circuit does not need an amplifier with a differential input. Because conventional op-amps have
a differential input, the inverting input is grounded to ensure the reference point is 0 V.

V
out
will always follow the sign of the op-amp input voltage, but not necessarily the circuit input
voltage (i.e. the 2 input voltages can have different signs!) When V
in
is > V
TH
or < V
TL
, V
out
has
the same sign has V
in
(since this circuit is non-inverting). When V
TL
< V
in
< V
TH
, V
out
is
undefined and depends on its last state i.e. here this circuit works like a latch.



From V
+
= V
-
we know that:

0 = V
in
/R
1
+ V
out
/R
2
" V
in
= - V
out
(R
1
/R
2
) which gives

(1) When V
out
= V
OH
, V
in
= - V
OH
(R
1
/R
2
) = V
TL

(2) When V
out
= V
OL
, V
in
= - V
OL
(R
1
/R
2
) = V
TH


For this circuit, we obtain V
H
= V
TH
V
TL
= (R
1
/R
2
)(V
OH
V
OL
).

We also get V
M
= (1/2)( V
TH
+ V
TL
) = -(1/2) (R
1
/R
2
)(V
OH
V
OL
).

We also know that V
OH
= +V
S
, the positive power supply voltage, and that V
OL
= -V
S
, because
these output voltages are obtained directly from the op-amp output. Thus V
TL
= -V
S
(R
1
/R
2
) and
V
TH
= +V
S
(R
1
/R
2
).

From this derivation, we see that for this Schmitt Trigger, T = V
TH
and T = V
TL
, which defines
the horizontal boundaries of the Triggers switching band. M, on the other hand, is V
S
, the
positive power supply voltage itself. The band is centered around the origin. We can shift the
band to left and right by applying a bias voltage to the op-amps inverting input, creating a non-
zero reference point.


3. The other commonly seen implementation is the inverting op-amp configuration. The
following figure shows it.



In this case, R
1
and R
2
work entirely like a voltage divider. The input loop acts as a simple series
voltage summer that adds a part of V
out
in series to the circuit input voltage V
in
. This series
positive feedback creates the needed hysteresis controlled by the proportion between R
1
and
(R
1
+R
2
). Because the effective applied to the op-amp input is floating, the op-amp must have a
differential input in this configuration.

This circuit is inverting since V
out
always has an opposite sign to V
in
when it is out of the
hysteresis (i.e. its switching band), when V
in
is > V
TH
or < V
TL
. When V
TL
< V
in
< V
TH
, V
out
is
undefined and depends on its last state i.e. here this circuit works like a latch. The circuit can
be inverting as well as non-inverting (why?)

Similar to the non-inverting configuration, from V
+
= V
-
we know that:

V
in
= V
out
(R
1
/(R
1
+R
2
)) which gives

(1) When V
out
= V
OH
, V
in
= V
OH
(R
1
/(R
1
+R
2
)) = V
TH

(2) When V
out
= V
OL
, V
in
= V
OL
(R
1
/(R
1
+R
2
)) = V
TL


For this circuit, we obtain V
H
= V
TH
V
TL
= (R
1
/(R
1
+R
2
))(V
OH
V
OL
).

We also get V
M
= (1/2)( V
TH
+ V
TL
) = (1/2) (R
1
/(R
1
+R
2
))(V
OH
+ V
OL
).

We also know that V
OH
= +V
S
, the positive power supply voltage, and that V
OL
= -V
S
, because
these output voltages are obtained directly from the op-amp output. Thus V
TL
= -V
S
(R
1
/(R
1
+R
2
))
and V
TH
= +V
S
(R
1
/(R
1
+R
2
)). Note that the circuit will switch when V
in
= V
+
.

The T and M remain the same in quantities. But the VTC for inverting Schmitt Trigger is the
mirror image (w.r.t. the vertical axis) of that for the non-inverting trigger.

What happens if R
1
= 0 and R
2
# $?

Compared to the non-inverting trigger, this circuit does not have impact on the input V
in
, as V
in

is separated from the voltage divider output by the high op-amp input differential impedance.