Electronics

Dr. Lana Damaj

Chapter 6

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Chapter 6: Operational amplifier

• Operational Amplifier Terminals

• Terminal Voltages and Currents
• The Inverting--Amplifier Circuit
• The Summing--Amplifier Circuit
• The Noninverting--Amplifier Circuit
• The Difference--Amplifier Circuit

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 Operational Amplifier Terminals

A simplified circuit symbol

3 for an op amp Electronics 4
 Terminal Voltages
• The terminal behavior of the op amp as a linear circuit element is characterized
by constraints on the input voltages and the input currents.
• Voltage transfer function: The voltage constraint is derived from the voltage
transfer characteristic of the op amp integrated circuit and is pictured as below:

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 Terminal Voltages
• Note, we see that the op amp has three distinct regions of
operation.
•

• Linear region: When the magnitude of the input voltage difference

(vp − vn) is small, the op amp behaves as a linear device, as the output
voltage is a linear funcFon of the input voltages. The output in this
case, is a larger copy of the input signal.

• Non-Linear region: Outside this linear region.

• The output of the op amp saturates, and the op amp behaves as
a nonlinear device, because the output voltage is no longer a
linear function of the input voltages. The output signal is not
similar to the input one, and we can say in this case that the data
transferred is changed.
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 Terminal Voltages
• Input voltage constraints:
• When it is operating linearly, the op amp's output voltage is equal to the
difference in its input voltages times the multiplying constant, or gain, A. A
constraint is imposed on the input voltages, vp and vn: Vout = AVin
• The constraint is based on typical numerical values for Vcc and A are 20 V,
and is rarely less than 10,000 for the gain. We see that in the linear region,
the magnitude of the input voltage difference (vp − vn) must be less than
20/104, or 2 mV.
• Typically, node voltages in the circuits we study are much larger than 2 m
V, so a voltage difference of less than 2 mV can be considered as ≈ 0
compared to the other voltages in the circuit, means the two voltages are
essentially equal.
• Thus, when an op amp is constrained to its linear operating region, the
constraint on the input voltages of the op amp is: Vp = Vn
• The input voltage constraint is called the virtual short condition at the input
of the op amp.
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 Terminal currents
• Input current constraints: As we explained above, the input resistance
Ri for the amplifier is very high (1 MΩ) and above, considered ∞. The
input currents in and ip will be very small or approximately zero. So,
the constraint on the input currents of the op amp is: ip = in = 0

• These constraints will help use to solve op-amp circuits in a simpler

way, while still getting approximately the same results as for the real
amplifier case.
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 Notes

• The positive and negative power supply voltages do not have

to be equal in magnitude. In the linear operating region, vo
must lie between the two supply voltages: −Vcc < vo < Vcc

• Be aware also that the value of A is not constant under all

operating conditions. For now, however, we assume that it
is.

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 Negative feedback

• Even if the circuit provides a negative feedback path for the op

amp, linear operation is not ensured.
• We first assuming linear operation, performing the circuit
analysis, and then checking our results for contradictions, if
we have -VCC≤vo≤VCC, it’s in the linear region, if not, it’s
saturate!

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 Negative feedback

• Example 1: The op amp in the circuit is ideal.

• a) Calculate vo, if va = 1 V and vb= 0 V.
• b) If va = 1.5 V, specify the range of vb that avoids amplifier
saturation.

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 Solution for Example 1
a) vn = vp and in = ip = 0

vn Node voltage @ vn :
vn − va vn − vo
+ + in = 0
vp 25K 100K

vp = vb ⟹ vn = vp = vb

vo vb vb va
⟹ = + −
100K 25K 100K 25K
⟹ vo = 4vb + vb − 4va = 5vb − 4va
since vb = 0 and va = 1V ⟹ vo = = 5vb − 4va = − 4V
−Vcc = − 10 < vo = − 4V < Vcc = 10V ⟹ op amp in linear region
if vb = 4V and va = 1V ⟹ vo = 5vb − 4va = 16V
vo = 16V > Vcc = 10V ⟹ posiFve saturaFon ⟹ vo = 10V
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 Solution for Example 1
b) va = 1.5V
and vo = 5vb − 4va
vn
vo + 4va vo + 6
vp ⟹ vb = =
5 5
−10V < vo < 10V

−4V < vo + 6 < 16V

vo + 6
−0.8V < vb = < 3.2V
5

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 The Inverting--Amplifier Circuit
3 steps to be followed to solve
any op-amp circuit:
1- find Vp?
Vp = 0
2- put Vn=Vp
vn = vp = 0
3- apply node-voltage (KCL) at n
and p:
is + if = in = 0
where
in=0
Note: to solve for Vp, you can use KCL, voltage divider or whatever method you want
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 The Inverting--Amplifier Circuit

vn = vp = 0
is + if = in = 0

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 The Inverting-‐Amplifier Circuit
• Example 2:
• a) Design an inverting amplifier with a gain of 12. Use ±15 V
power supplies and an ideal op amp.
• b) What range of input voltages, vs, allows the op amp in this
design to remain in its linear operating region?

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 Solution for Example 2
a) We need to find two resistors whose ratio is 12 from
the realistic resistor values listed in Appendix H.
Rs = 1 kΩ Rf = 12 kΩ
verify

b) Solve two different versions of the

inverting-amplifier equation for vs:
first using vo = +15 V and then using
vo = -15 V:

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 The Summing--Amplifier Circuit

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 The Noninverting--Amplifier Circuit

Rf
Operation in the linear region requires that vo = (1 + )vg
Rs

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 The Noninverting-‐Amplifier Circuit
• Example 2:
• a) Design a noninverting amplifier with a gain of 6. Assume the op
amp is ideal.
• b) Suppose we wish to amplify a voltage vg, such that -1.5 V ≤ vg≤
1.5 V. What are the smallest power supply voltages that could be used
with the resistors selected in part (a) and still have the op amp in this
design remain in its linear operating region?

•
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 Solution for Example 3

a) Using the noninverting amplifier equation

Therefore, we have

We want two resistors whose ratio is 5.

Let's choose Rf = 10 kΩ, so Rs = 2 kΩ.

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 Solution for Example 3
b) Solve two different versions of the noninverting amplifier
equation for vo—first using vg = +1.5 V and then using vg =
-1.5V:

Thus, if we use ±9 V power supplies for the noninverting

amplifier designed in part (a) and -1.5 V ≤ vg ≤ +1.5 V,
the op amp will remain in its linear operating region.

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 The Difference--Amplifier Circuit

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 Summary

• Ideal op amp, linear region, saturate

• vp = vn
• iP = in = 0
• −VCC < vo < VCC : linear region
• Inverting amplifier, summing amplifier, noninverting
amplifier, difference amplifier

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 Summary

Inverting amplifier Non-inverting amplifier

Summing amplifier Difference amplifier

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 Problem 1

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 Problem 1: Solution
vn 1) Node-voltage method

vn − vo vn − va
vp @vn : + + in = 0
100k 20k
@vp : vp = vb since ip = 0

vp = vn = vb

iP = in = 0
Note that the configuration of this amplifier is difference

vb − vo + 5vb − 5va = 0 ⟹ vo = 6vb − 5va

if va = 1V and vb = 2V ⟹ vo = 6vb − 5va = 7V
−15V ≤ vo = 7V ≤ 15V ⟹ amplifier operates in linear region
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 Problem 1: Solution
2) vb = 1.6V
vn
The op amp do not saturate:
vp
⟹ − 15V ≤ vo ≤ 15V

since vb = 1.6V ⟹ vo = 9.6 − 5va

9.6 − vo
⟹ va =
5
if vo = − 15V ⟹ va = 4.92V
if vo = 15V ⟹ va = 1.08V
⟹ 1.08V ≤ va ≤ 4.92V the amplifier do not saturate
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 Problem 2

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 Problem 7: Solution
v o
il = ⟹ vo ?
4000
vn vn − vo vn − 5
vo @vn : + + in = 0
5k 10k
vp vp − 3 vp
@vp : + + ip = 0
6k 3k
vp = vn

Note that the configuration of this amplifier is difference iP = in = 0

From the eq. of vp : vp − 3 + 2vp = 0 ⟹ vp = 1V

⟹ vp = vn = 1V
From the eq. of vn : 2vn − 2vo + vn − 5 = 0 ⟹ vo = 1.5vn − 2.5 = − 1V
−5V ≤ vo = − 1V ≤ 5V ⟹ amplifier operates in linear region
vo
il = ⟹ il = 0.25mA
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 Problem 3

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 Problem 3: Solution
vn

vp

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