EET 2201- Applied Electronics II

Chapter 2- Differential Amplifier

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 Differential Amplifier(DA)

In the conventional amplifiers, the signal (generally

single input) is applied at the input terminals and
amplified output is obtained at the output terminals.
However, we can design an amplifier circuit that
accepts two input signals and amplifies the
difference between these two signals. Such an
amplifier is called a differential amplifier (DA).

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A differential amplifier is a circuit that can accept two input signals and
amplify the difference between these two input signals. Fig. 2.1 shows
the block diagram of an ordinary amplifier. The input voltage v is
amplified to Av where A is the voltage gain of the amplifier. Therefore,
the ouput voltage is v0 = Av.

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Fig. 2.2 shows the block diagram of a differential amplifier.
There are two input voltages v1 and v2. This amplifier
amplifies the difference between the two input voltages.
Therefore, the output voltage is v0 = A(v1 – v2) where A is the
voltage gain of the amplifier.

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 Basic Circuit of Differential
Amplifier
Fig. 2.3(i) shows the basic circuit of a differential amplifier. It
consists of two transistors Q1 and Q2 that have identical (ideally)
characteristics. They share a common positive supply VCC,
common emitter resistor RE and common negative supply VEE.
Note that the circuit is symmetrical. Fig. 2.3(ii) shows the symbol of
differential amplifier.

The following points may be noted about the differential amplifier :

(i) The differential amplifier (DA) is a two-input terminal device
using atleast two transistors. There are two output terminals
marked 1 (vout 1) and 2(vout 2).
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(ii) The DA transistors Q1 and Q2 are matched so that
their characteristics are the same. The collector resistors
(RC1 and RC2) are also equal. The equality of the
matched circuit components makes the DA circuit
arrangement completely symmetrical.
(iii) We can apply signal to a differential amplifier (DA) in
the following two ways :
(a) The signal is applied to one input of DA and the other
input is grounded. In that case, it is called single-ended
input arrangement.
(b) The signals are applied to both inputs of DA. In that
case, it is called dual-ended or double-ended input
arrangement.
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(iv) We can take output from DA in the following two ways :
(a) The output can be taken from one of the output terminals
and the ground. In that case, it is called single-ended output
arrangement.
(b) The output can be taken between the two output terminals
(i.e., between the collectors of Q1 and Q2). In that case, it is
called double-ended output arrangement or differential output.

(v) Generally, the differential amplifier (DA) is operated for

single-ended output. In other words, we take the output either
from output terminal 1 and ground or from output terminal 2
and ground. Any input/output terminal that is grounded is at 0V.

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 Operation of Differential
Amplifier
Let the signal is applied to one input of DA and the other
input is grounded
(i) Suppose the signal is applied to input 1 (i.e., base of
transistor Q1) and input 2 (i.e., base of transistor Q2)
is grounded as shown in Fig. 2.4.
The transistor Q1 will act in two ways : as a common
emitter amplifier and as a common collector amplifier. As
a common emitter amplifier, the input signal to Q1 (input
1) will appear at output 1 (i.e., collector of Q1) as
amplified inverted signal as shown in Fig. 2.4.
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As a common collector amplifier, the signal
appears on the emitter of Q1 in phase with the
input and only slightly smaller. Since the
emitters of Q1 and Q2 are common, the emitter
signal becomes input to Q2. Therefore, Q2
functions as a common base amplifier. As a
result, the signal on the emitter of Q2 will be
amplified and appears on output 2 (i.e.,
collector of Q2) in phase with the emitter signal
and hence in phase with the input signal (signal
at input 1). This is illustrated in Fig. 2.4.

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(ii) Now suppose the signal is applied to input 2(i.e.,
base of transistor Q2) and input 1(base of transistor
Q1) is grounded. As explained above, now Q2 acts
as a common emitter amplifier and common
collector amplifier while Q1 functions as a common
base amplifier. Therefore, an inverted and amplified
signal appears at output 2 (i.e., at collector of Q2)
and non-inverted, amplified signal appears at
output 1(i.e., at collector of Q1). This is illustrated
in Fig. 2.5.

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The following points are worth noting about single-ended
input DA : (a) When signal is applied to input 1 (i.e., base
of transistor Q1 in Fig. 2.4), an inverted, amplified signal
appears at output 1 and non-inverted, amplified signal
appears at output 2. Reverse happens when signal is
applied to input 2 and input 1 is grounded.

(b) When only one output terminal is available, the phase

of the output of single-ended input DA depends on which
input receives the input signal. This is illustrated in Fig.
2.6.

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When signal applied to the input of DA produces no phase shift in the
output, it is called non inverting input [See Fig. 2.6 (i)]. In other words,
for non inverting input, the output signal is in phase with the input
signal.

When the signal applied to the input of DA produces 180° phase shift,
it is called inverting input [See Fig. 2.6 (ii)]. In other words, for inverting
input, the output signal is 180° out of phase with the input signal.

Since inverting input provides 180° phase shift, it is often identified

with –sign. The non inverting input is then represented by +*sign.

It may be noted that terms non inverting input and inverting input
are meaningful when only one output terminal of DA is available.
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 Common-mode and Differential-
mode Signals
The importance of a differential amplifier lies in the
fact that the outputs are proportional to the
difference between the two input signals.
Thus the circuit can be used to amplify the
difference between the two input signals or amplify
only one input signal simply by grounding the other
input. The input signals to a DA are defined as :
(i) Common-mode signals (ii) Differential-mode
signals
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 (i) Common-mode signals :

When the input signals to a DA are in phase and exactly

equal in amplitude, they are called common-mode signals
as shown in Fig. 2.7.
The common-mode signals are rejected (not amplified) by
the differential amplifier. It is because a differential
amplifier amplifies the difference between the two signals
(v1 – v2) and for common-mode signals, this difference is
zero. Note that for common-mode operations, v1 = v2.

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 (ii) Differential-mode signals.
When the input signals to a DA are 180° out of phase and
exactly equal in amplitude, they are called differential-mode
signals as shown in Fig. 2.8. The differential-mode signals are
amplified by the differential amplifier. It is because the
difference in the signals is twice the value of each signal. For
differential-mode signals, v1 = –v2.

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 Voltage Gains of DA
The voltage gain of a DA operating in differential mode is called differential-
mode voltage gain and is denoted by ADM.
The voltage gain of DA operating in common-mode is called common-mode
voltage gain and is denoted by ACM.
Ideally, a DA provides a very high voltage gain for differential-mode signals
and zero gain for common-mode signals.

However, practically, differential amplifiers do exhibit a very small common-

mode gain (usually much less than 1) while providing a high differential
voltage gain (usually several thousands).

The higher the differential gain w.r.t. the common-mode gain, the better
the performance of the DA in terms of rejection of common-mode signals.

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 Common-mode Rejection Ratio
(CMRR)
A differential amplifier should have high differential
voltage gain (ADM) and very low common mode
voltage gain (ACM).
The ratio ADM/ACM is called common-mode
rejection ratio (CMRR) i.e.,

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 Example 2.2.
A certain differential amplifier has a differential
voltage gain of 2000 and a common mode gain
of 0.2. Determine CMRR and express it in dB.

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 Example 2.3.
A differential amplifier has an output of 1V with a
differential input of 10 mV and an output of 5 mV with
a common-mode input of 10 mV. Find the CMRR in dB.

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 Example 2.4.
A differential amplifier has a voltage gain of 150 and a
CMRR of 90 dB. The input signals are 50 mV and 100 mV
with 1 mV of noise on each input. Find (i) the output
signal (ii) the noise on the output.

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 Example 2.5.
The differential amplifier shown in the following fig. has a differential voltage
gain of 2500 and a CMRR of 30,000. A single-ended input signal of 500 µV
r.m.s. is applied. At the same time, 1V, 50 Hz interference signal appears on
both inputs as a result of radiated pick-up from the a.c. power system.
(i) Determine the common-mode gain.
(ii) Express the CMRR in dB.
(iii) Determine the r.m.s. output signal.
(iv) Determine the r.m.s. interference voltage on the output.

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