Electronic – Applying an oscillation to a DC voltage

operational-amplifieroscillatorvoltage

I've lost a 555 IC that I had owned, so thought I'd make an relaxation oscillator for practise out of an operational amplifier:

http://i.imgur.com/odNq7.png

The example of the simulator I have been using creates a square wave quite nicely, however there is no battery or current attached to it.

Is it possible to apply this, or amplify it with a DC current from a small battery so that it can be more useful in terms of powering something with a current? (i.e. a solenoid)

I seem to remember people putting an AC voltage source behind a DC source to have it risen (ride) on the DC voltage.

I am unsure weather to use a transistor or what!

If I am able to, how would I safely handle the inverse current (- peak of the square wave) if connected to a battery? Would it damage it? Would I have to redirect that portion with a diode or possibly have to lose it if I am using a transistor? Two transistors to handle each direction separately?

Edit: Adding a non-inverting op-amp circuit after the output seemed to in simulation jump 5 to 15 volts, and allow a current (150mA), however that current is coming from "nowhere" (ground and out a resistor to ground again) so I am unsure it could provide any real power.

Best Answer

It's not clear what you really want. Your circuit looks fine if you want a square wave symmetric about ground. It's not clear if the problem is you always want the voltage zero or positive, or that you want it able to drive more power. To make a 0 to positive square wave:

R1 and R4 form a voltage divider to make 1/2 the supply voltage at a impedance of 10 kΩ. This 2.5V and 10 kΩ source forms another voltage divider with R2. Since the opamp output is always either at ground or supply, the + input will be either at 1/4 or 3/4 of the supply. The cap will charge and discharge between these two levels.

If you want more current drive from this square wave signal than the opamp can provide, one solution is to add a double emitter follower:

In this case the opamp only supplies the base current to the transistors. Most of the emitter (output) current will come from the collectors, which is either from the 5V supply or ground. One drawback of this particular circuit is that a little voltage will be lost at each end. It can only drive to within the B-E drop of the transistor to each supply rail. There are other buffer configurations that have different characteristics, but this illustrates a simple way to get more current capability.