The synchronized astable multivibrator bridge as a voltage-to-time convertor, a voltage comparator and an error detector
D M Bayich · Journal of Physics E Scientific Instruments · 1976
The synchronized astable multivibrator bridge is used as a new, sensitive, linear, temperature stable, reliable voltage-to-time converter, voltage comparator, zero crossing detector, error detector of an on-off servomechanism (for example as a contactless thermostat with thyristors), voltage differential transducer, measuring device with digital counter for voltage or corresponding nonelectric quantities (temperature pH etc.), convenient even for remote operations. The discrimination capability of the error detector or comparator, limited by the bridge jitter, is about 500 mu V. If the comparator is used with the preamplifier, its discrimination capability improves to about 0.4 mu V. The bridge as a comparator, employed with a Pt-Pt/Rh thermocouple, for temperature measurement and regulation within the range of about +or-50 degrees C around 1000 degrees C has a discrimination capability of about 0.2 degrees C.