A review of stochastic resonance: circuits and measurement

Noise in dynamical systems is usually considered a nuisance. However, in certain nonlinear systems, including electronic circuits and biological sensory systems, the presence of noise can enhance the detection of weak signals. The phenomenon is termed stochastic resonance and is of great interest for electronic instrumentation. We review and investigate the stochastic resonance of several bistable circuits. A new type of S characteristic circuit is demonstrated using simple nonlinear elements with an operational amplifier. Using this circuit, the effects on stochastic resonance were determined as the slope of the S shaped characteristic curve was varied.