Improved Astable Multivibrator

TL;DR

This paper presents a modified astable multivibrator circuit using diode pairs to produce sharper waveforms and derives its oscillation period, enhancing waveform quality over the conventional design.

Contribution

It introduces a diode-based modification to the traditional astable multivibrator, improving waveform steepness and providing a detailed analysis of oscillation period and current limits.

Findings

Waveforms are more steeply rising and falling.

Derived the time period of oscillations for the modified circuit.

Discussed current limits at transistor collectors.

Abstract

The conventional two transistor astable multivibrator has been modified to produce better waveform which are more steeply rising and falling than those from the conventional astable. The improvement in the waveform is achieved by using a diode pair in each collector branch of the transistors. This restricts the direction of current flow for the charging and discharging of the timing capacitors. This article also derives the time period of oscillations for the modified circuit and discusses the limits on source and sink currents at the transistor collectors.