A Semiconductor Diode Multivibrator

The operation and design of a novel semiconductor multivibrator circuit is described. Consisting of one double-base diode, one diode, three resistors, and one capacitor, the diode multivibrator affords a circuit economy of two-to-one over the more conventional Eccles-Jordan configuration. The active element is the double-base diode, which is a three-terminal single-junction negative-resistance semiconductor device. Applications of the diode multivibrator to square-wave oscillators and delayed-pulse generators are illustrated. Control of the period of oscillation or variation of the pulse-delay time is accomplished by the variation of a single capacitor. Hence, this new circuit simplifies the design of astable, monostable or bistable multivibrators.