KEE 312

Electronics III
Chapter 1
Negative Feedback Amplifier

By
Mr. Rosemizi B. Abd. Rahim

Name

: ..

ID number

Group

-1Introduction
i)

ii)

Electronics concept

Operational amplifier

~negative feedback~

~mizi nov 04~

-2Classification of Amplifiers
Before proceeding with the concept of feedback it is useful to classify amplifiers into 4
basic categories based on their input & output signal relationships; i.e. voltage, current,
transconductance, and transresistance amplifiers.
Voltage amplifier

if Ri >> Rs then Vi Vs and

if Ro << R L then Vo AvVi AvVs
hence Av

Vo
with RL = represent the open circuit voltage gain.
Vi

Current Amplifier

if Ri << Rs then I i I s and

if Ro >> RL then I o Ai I i Ai I s
hence Ai

Io
with R L = 0 represent the short circuit current gain.
Ii

~negative feedback~

~mizi nov 04~

-3Transconductance amplifier

if Ri >> Rs then Vi Vs and

if Ro >> RL then I o GmVi GmVs
hence Gm

Io
with R L = 0 represent the short circuit mutual or transfer conductance.
Vi

Transresistance amplifier

if Ri << Rs then I i I s and

if Ro << R L then Vo Rm I i Rm I s
hence Rm

Vo
with R L = represent the open circuit mutual or transfer resistance.
Ii

~negative feedback~

~mizi nov 04~

-4Feedback

Feedback is a technique where a proportion of the output of a system (amplifier) is fed

back and recombined with input.
There are two types of feedback amplifier.

Positive feedback
Negative feedback

Positive Feedback
Positive feedback is the process when the output is added to the input, amplified again,
and this process continues.
Example. In a PA system, you get feedback when you put the microphone in front of a
speaker and the sound gets uncontrollably loud (you have probably heard this unpleasant
effect.
Negative Feedback
Negative feedback is when the output is subtracted from the input.
Example. Speed control, as in some modern cars, is an example of the use of negative
feedback. If the car starts to speed up above the desired set-point speed, negative
feedback causes the throttle to close, thereby reducing speed; similarly, if the car slows,
negative feedback acts to open the throttle.
The use of negative feedback reduces the gain. Part of the output signal is taken back to
the input with a negative sign.
~negative feedback~

~mizi nov 04~

-5The Feedback Concept

Basic structure of a single-loop feedback amplifier

Feedback Network
This block is usually a passive two-port network, which may contain resistors, capacitors,
and inductors. Usually it is simply a resistive network.
Sampling Network

Sampling connections for a feedback amplifier

In Fig. (a), the output voltage is sampled by connecting the feedback network in shunt
across the output, hence this type of connection is referred to as voltage, shunt, or
node sampling.
In Fig. (b), the output current is sampled by connecting the feedback network in series
with the output, hence this type of connection is referred to as current, series, or
loop sampling.
~negative feedback~
~mizi nov 04~

-6Comparator or Mixer Network

Mixing connections for a feedback amplifier

Fig. (a), shows voltage-applied feedback identified as voltage, series, or loop mixing.
Fig. (b), shows current-applied feedback identified as current, shunt, or node mixing.
Amplifier Transfer Ratio or Gain
The symbol A represents the ratio of output to input signal of the basic amplifier block for
the four respective cases. We will use the symbol A to represent any one of these
quantities.

AV =

Vo
Vi

Ai =

Io
Ii

Ar =

Vo
Ii

Ag =

Io
Vi

The symbol Af is defined as the ratio of output signal to input signal of the complete
amplifier with feedback and is called the transfer gain with feedback. Hence Af is used to
represent any of the four respective ratios:

AVf =

~negative feedback~

Vo
Vs

Aif =

Io
Is

Arf =

Vo
Is

Agf =

Io
Vs

~mizi nov 04~

-7Feedback Amplifier Topologies

The four basic feedback topologies

The Transfer Gain with Feedback

General signal-flow diagram of a feedback amplifier

~negative feedback~

~mizi nov 04~

-8We can calculate the gain with feedback (or closed-loop gain) Af as follows:

X o = A. X i ,

Af =

X f = .X o ,

X i = X s .X f

Xo
A
=
X s 1 + A

The quantity A is called the loop gain, and the quantity (1+A) is called the amount of
feedback or return difference, often denoted by D.
Rationale for Negative Feedback
Why would you feed back a negative signal from the output which cancels part of the
input, reducing the gain?
Because:

It helps to overcome distortion and nonlinearity.

It flattens frequency response or allows you to tailor it to a desired frequency
response curve.
It makes properties predictable, less dependent on temperature, manufacturing
differences or other internal properties of the active device.
Circuit properties are dependent upon the external feedback network and are thus
easily controlled by external circuit elements.
Circuit design can concentrate on function and not the details of operating point
selection, biasing, and the other details characteristic of discrete transistor
amplifier design.

Advantages of Negative Feedback

Since negative feedback reduces the transfer gain, why is it used? The answer is that
many desirable characteristics are obtained for the price of gain reduction, such as:
1. Stabilization of gain; i.e. make the gain less sensitive to changes in circuit
components e.g. due to changes in temperature.
2. Reduce non-linear distortion; i.e. make the output proportional to the input,
keeping the gain constant, independent of signal level.
3. Reduce the effect of noise; i.e. minimize the contribution to the output of unwanted
signals generated in circuit components or extraneous interference.
4. Control the input and output resistances; i.e. raise or lower the input and output
resistances by selection of the appropriate feedback topology.
5. Extend the bandwidth of the amplifier.

~negative feedback~

~mizi nov 04~

-9Stabilization of Gain
One of the benefits of negative feedback is the stabilization of the gain of an amplifier
against changes in the components (e.g., with temperature, frequency, etc.). If you
represent the gain without feedback (the open loop gain) by A0, then the system gain with
negative feedback is

Af =

1
Vout
Ao
=

Vin 1 + Ao

where is the fraction of the output which feeds back as a negative voltage at the input.
The extent of this stabilizing influence can be illustrated as follows:

This stabilization increases the effective

bandwidth

Decreasing Distortion/noise with Feedback

The use of negative feedback can discriminate against sources of noise or distortion
within an amplifier.

Solving for the output voltage gives

Vout =

1
Ao1 Ao 2
Ao 2
Vin +
Vd 1 +
Vd 2
1 + Ao1 Ao 2 B
1 + Ao1 Ao 2 B
1 + Ao1 Ao 2 B

which shows discrimination against the distortion voltages.

Distortion reduction takes the form below for this amplifier, showing that distortion within
the feedback loop is discriminated against, with more reduction of distortion which arises
near the output.

~negative feedback~

~mizi nov 04~

- 10 -

Increasing the Bandwidth

Consider an amplifier whose high-frequency response is low-pass and characterized by a
single pole. Its gain at mid and high frequencies can be expressed as
AM
A( s ) =
1 + s / H
where AM denotes the midband gain and H is the upper 3 dB frequency.
AM
Thus the amplifier with feedback has a midband gain, AMf =
and an upper -3 dB
1 + AM
frequency given by Hf = H (1 + AM ) ,
Thus the midband gain is reduced by D = (1 + AM ) and the upper -3 dB frequency H is
increased by the same factor with negative feedback.
Similarly, it can be shown that if the open-loop gain of the amplifier is characterized by a
dominant low-frequency pole giving a lower -3 dB frequency L, then the amplifier with
feedback will have a lower -3 dB frequency Lf =

L
1 + AM

Thus L is reduced by factor D with negative feedback.

Frequency response of amplifier with and without feedback.

~negative feedback~

~mizi nov 04~

- 11 Modification of input and output impedance

i)

Input Resistance
The input resistance with negative feedback will be raised for series or voltage
mixing, but will be lowered for shunt or current mixing. Note that this is
independent of the type of sampling at the output.

Series or Voltage Mixing

V
Z i = i , Vi = Vs V f
Ii
V
Z if = s = Z i (1 + A)
Ii
Shunt or Current Mixing
V
Zi = i , Ii = I s I f
Ii
V
Zi
Z if = i =
I s (1 + A)
ii)

Output Resistance

The output resistance with negative feedback will be lowered for shunt or voltage
sampling, but will be raised for series or current sampling. Note that this is independent of
the type of mixing at the input.

~negative feedback~

~mizi nov 04~

- 12 -

Voltage, shunt, or node sampling

Voltage or Shunt Sampling
Let, X s = 0 , replaced load with test voltage

X i = X f = Vt

vt AX i vt + Avt vt (1 + A)
=
=
Ro
Ro
Ro
v
Ro
Z of = t =
it (1 + A)

it =

Current or Series Sampling:

The output resistance with feedback for current or series sampling to be:
Z of =

vt
= Ro (1 + A)
it

[*]

Exercise
Draw a diagram showing current or series sampling at the output, and following a similar
method to that above, derive equation [*].

Summary
For a series connection at input or output, the resistance is increased by (1+A) and
For a shunt connection at input or output, the resistance is lowered by (1+A).

~negative feedback~

~mizi nov 04~

- 13 Practical Feedback Circuit

i)
-

ii)
-

Negative Feedback Voltage Amplifier

Voltage-series feedback amplifier
series-shunt feedback amplifier

- non-inverting voltage feedback amplifier

Negative Feedback Current Amplifier

Current-shunt feedback amplifier
Shunt- series feedback amplifier

~negative feedback~

- inverting current feedback amplifier

~mizi nov 04~

- 14 iii)
-

iv)
-

Negative Feedback Transconductance Amplifier

Current-series feedback amplifier -non-inverting current feedback amplifier
Series- series feedback amplifier

Negative Feedback Transresistance Amplifier

Voltage-shunt feedback amplifier
Shunt-shunt feedback amplifier

~negative feedback~

- inverting voltage feedback amplifier

~mizi nov 04~