Electronic – Noninverting schmitt trigger circuit LTP, UTP calculation

operational-amplifierpositive-feedback

I knew very well how to work negative feedback using virtual short but this is the first time encountering positive feedback.
I think the feedback voltage here is \$\frac{R_1}{R_1+R_2}V_{out}\$. If so, this must be the reference voltage too. How is my textbook getting just \$\frac{R_1}{R_2}\$ ?

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Best Answer

The voltage at the \$V^+\$ is actually,

$$V^+=V_i\dfrac{R_2}{R_1+R_2}+V_o\dfrac{R_1}{R_1+R_2} $$

You can find that using superposition, for example. So if \$V_i\$ is indeed 0, you end up with what you've shown so far.

Now here is the thing, if doesn't take much to saturate the OP-Amp output to either +VSAT or -VSAT. Under negative feedback, the OP-Amp is forced to work under the linear region, not the case under positive feedback. So if \$V^+ > V^-\$ , the output is +VSAT, if \$V^+ < V^-\$, the output is -VSAT.

The trick here is that you have to assume an intial state for the output, either +VSAT or -VSAT. Say, it's +VSAT, then at the \$V^+\$ node, you'll have:

$$V^+=V_i\dfrac{R_2}{R_1+R_2}+V_{SAT}\dfrac{R_1}{R_1+R_2} $$

Since the \$V^-\$ node is fixed at ground, the OP-Amp output will remain at +VSAT so long as:

$$V_i\dfrac{R_2}{R_1+R_2}+V_{SAT}\dfrac{R_1}{R_1+R_2}>0 $$

$$V_i\dfrac{R_2}{R_1+R_2}>-V_{SAT}\dfrac{R_1}{R_1+R_2} $$ $$V_iR_2>-V_{SAT}R_1$$ $$V_i>-V_{SAT}\dfrac{R_1}{R_2}$$

So, as long as \$V_i\$ stays above that, the output will remain at +VSAT. If \$V_i\$ starts to decrease such that it doesn't meet the condition above, then it means that \$V^+ <V^-\$ and the output will switch over to -VSAT. You can follow the same procedure as above to find what the threshold would be to get it back to +VSAT.