# How Colprit Oscilator Satisfy Barkhausen criterion?

I was reading an Article of LC-Tuned Oscillators in Microelectronics Circuits (By Sedra Smith).

I came across the the Colprit Oscillator. I did the simulation of the circut given in exerciseto understand it.

I dont understand How Colprit Oscilator Satisfy Barkhausen criterion?

The book says "Detailed analysis of amplitude control, which makes use of nonlinear-circuit techniques, is beyond the scope of this book". Does their is any reference to understand it in simple way.

• The Barkhausen criterion is only applicable to linear circuits, if I recall correctly.
– Fizz
Nov 14, 2016 at 7:02
• See electronics.stackexchange.com/q/110651/54580 for another, simpler example of non-linear oscillator.
– Fizz
Nov 14, 2016 at 7:12
• I'd suggest to stop using the Barkhsusen criterion. See here: web.mit.edu/klund/www/weblatex/node4.html Nov 14, 2016 at 7:50
• It is really bad that the contribution - as given with the above link - is still available in the internet. Its message is that Barkhausens criterion would be "simple but wrong". This statement is simply WRONG!. As it seems, the author of that article did not understand the meaning and the contents of this criterion. He presents an example, which does fulfill the criterion but does not oscillate. Hence, he did not recognize that the criterion is only a NECESSARY one. He should read Barkhausens book!. I urgently recommend not to continue to reference this (unqualified) article.
– LvW
Nov 14, 2016 at 9:47
• @LvW +1 for pointing that out! Dec 14, 2016 at 11:48

However, each oscillator with a loop gain >1 will generate a sinusoidal signal with rising amplitudes with hard-limiting caused by the fixed supply voltage. As a consequence, the signal will have much distortions (bad THD). For this reason, it is wise to incorporate an amplitude-sensitive part or circuitry which causes "soft-limiting" of amplitudes. This will automatically reduce the loop gain to the theoretical (ideal) value of "1". For this purpose, you can use diodes, thermistors, FETs (as resistors) or other non-linear (amplitude-sensitive) devices.
• -1 Firstly, gain must be 1, not greater than 1. Secondly, it is a necessary not sufficient condition for oscillation. See $H(s) = 10(s+1)^2/s^3$. Therefore, it is not true that each oscillator with loop gain >1 will generate a sinusoidal signal with rising amplitude. See page 28 here: qucosa.de/fileadmin/data/qucosa/documents/3913/… Nov 14, 2016 at 8:07