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What's the minimum (physics first) to get an oscillator?
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jwet:
Okay - here are the definitiive answers* to all these questions-

The radioactive decay example isn't an oscillator.  It is a sensor measuring a random natural process which isn't oscillatory- doesn't repeat and has no period.

Taking a component of rotary motion is an oscillator whether with a crankshaft, cam or balance wheel cogging effect.  A rotating disk alone is not an oscillator.

NCO's are not oscillators- they are summers, they require an oscillator to operate

*- I'm being facetious of course- there are thousands of these kind of stipulated functions that we use every day.  I think its best not to think about them too heavily lest you get sucked into your naval.




SiliconWizard:
To answer "what's the must have for an oscillator?", I think the most basic answer would be: any system that can have at least 2 states, and some energy. One may reply to this that any physical system that can have more than 1 state implies the presence of energy, so that would simplify to just: some energy.
thermistor-guy:

--- Quote from: Brumby on May 24, 2023, 03:46:10 am ---My first thought was: Build an amplifier.   ;D

--- End quote ---
Or a switch-mode power supply.
T3sl4co1l:

--- Quote from: SiliconWizard on May 25, 2023, 03:52:01 am ---To answer "what's the must have for an oscillator?", I think the most basic answer would be: any system that can have at least 2 states, and some energy. One may reply to this that any physical system that can have more than 1 state implies the presence of energy, so that would simplify to just: some energy.

--- End quote ---

NMR "rings a bell" ;)



--- Quote from: thermistor-guy on May 25, 2023, 04:58:41 am ---
--- Quote from: Brumby on May 24, 2023, 03:46:10 am ---My first thought was: Build an amplifier.   ;D

--- End quote ---
Or a switch-mode power supply.

--- End quote ---

Class D is still an amplifier for a reason. :D

Tim
RoGeorge:
The question originated from an analog oscillator for RF.

Maybe the oscillator's definition should be narrowed down a little:
- physical device
- has an external power source as its only input (any constant DC-like power input, but not necessarily electric power)
- can output a sustained oscillation (of constant amplitude)
- by oscillation, it means a periodic waveform, with a predictable shape and frequency (not chaotic-attractors based oscillator, or alike)
- doesn't need other internal clocks/oscillators

A spring+weight can oscillate, but it's not an oscillator because it's not constant amplitude.  A digital counter, also not an oscillator because would need an external clock, and so on.
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