Colpitts Oscillator

A Colpitts oscillator, invented in 1920 by American engineer Edwin H. Colpitts, is one of a number of designs for electronic oscillator circuits using the combination of an inductance (L) with a capacitor (C) for frequency determination, thus also called LC oscillator. The distinguishing feature of the Colpitts circuit is that the feedback signal is taken from a voltage divider made by two capacitors in series. One of the advantages of this circuit is its simplicity; it needs only a single inductor. Colpitts obtained US Patent 1624537 for this circuit.

The frequency is generally determined by the inductor and the two capacitors at the bottom of the drawing.