Op Amp Analysis
Op Amp Analysis
Op Amp Analysis
by Kenneth A. Kuhn Dec. 28, 2007, rev. Jan 1, 2009 Introduction This article demonstrates the fundamental concepts of analysis to determine the transfer function of an op-amp circuit. First, the classical analysis method which includes the finite op-amp gain term, Av is shown. Then the easier ideal analysis method which assumes that Av is infinity is shown. The student should be aware of the classical method because when pushing circuit performance to the limit the ideal case will have too much error. However, the majority of circuits are not pushed to the limit and the error of ideal analysis is negligibly small. Ideal analysis is preferred most of the time because it is easier, faster, and less prone to mistakes.
The Classical Analysis Method There are four fundamental steps to the classical analysis method as illustrated below on the two most common op-amp circuits. The steps are always the same for any circuit. Simple Non-inverting Amplifier The non-inverting amplifier is the easiest to analyze and is shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: Simple Non-Inverting Amplifier Step 1:Write equations describing the two inputs Vin+ = Vsource Vo * R1 Vin- = ------------R1 + R2 This one is usually obvious
With substitution
Step 3:Solve the resulting equation for Vo in terms of the input(s) First we gather the Vo terms on the left side. Av * R1 Vo * (1 + -------------) = Av * Vin R1 + R2 Then we solve for Vo. Av * Vin Vo = --------------------Av * R1 1 + ------------R1 + R2
Step 4: Simplify the resulting solution for maximum clarity Although correct, this first solution is hard to interpret since an unknown large value, Av, is in the numerator. Large unknown values should be in the denominator. We now divide both numerator and denominator by Av. Vin Vo = -----------------------1 R1 --- + -----------Av R1 + R2 This version is better as it clearly shows that a large Av has minimal effect on the result. H w vriisla id f u t udrad A p i t cnet ft ed uti o ee tstl b ii l o ne t . pl n h ocp o e n j ie , i t fc t sn yg e h sf s t m as w wll multiply by the inverse of the resistor fraction. h en e i e
This is our final equation. Note that the gain is simply one plus the ratio of the resistors. Note also that if Av is very large in comparison to this gain then the denominator term goes to 1. Both of these concepts were hard to visualize in the first solution. Lets work a typical example using R1 = 1K, R2 = 100K, and Av = 50,000. This results in Vsource * 101 Vsource * 101 Vo = --------------------- = ------------------ ~= Vsource * 101 101 1.0020 ---------- + 1 50,000
Simple Inverting Amplifier The inverting amplifier is slightly more complicated to analyze and is shown in Figure 2 below.
Step 2:Substitute the equations into the op-amp model Vo = (Vin+ - Vin-) * Av Vsource * R2 Vo * R1 Vo = (0 - ------------------ - -------------) * Av R1 + R2 R1 + R2 Step 3:Solve the resulting equation for Vo in terms of the input(s) First we gather the Vo terms on the left side. Av * R1 -Vsource * Av * R2 Vo * ( 1 + -------------) = --------------------------R1 + R2 R1 + R2 Then we solve for Vo. -Vsource * Av * R2 --------------------------R1 + R2 Vo = ------------------------------Av * R1 1 + ------------R1 + R2
Step 4: Simplify the resulting solution for maximum clarity Although correct, this first solution is hard to interpret since an unknown large value, Av, is in the numerator. Large unknown values should be in the denominator. We now divide both numerator and denominator by Av and also multiply by R1 + R2 to clean things up.
Final result
This is our final equation. Note that the gain is simply the ratio of the resistors and is negative because the output phase is inverted relative to the input. Note also that if Av is very large in comparison to this gain then the denominator term goes to 1. Both of these concepts were hard to visualize in the first solution. Lets work a typical example using R1 = 1K, R2 = 100K, and Av = 50,000. This results in -100 * Vsource -100 * Vsource Vo = --------------------- = --------------------- ~= -100 * Vsource 101 1.0020 ---------- + 1 50,000
Figure 3: Two input, four resistor circuit We should recognize that R1 and R2 form a voltage divider for VA and that R3 and R4 form a non-inverting amplifier for VA and an inverting amplifier for VB (we are using superposition). Thus we can write R2 Vo = VA * ------------ * (1 + R4/R3) - VB * (R4/R3) R1 + R2 We did not even need steps 1 and 2. Since we like to have our results in ratio form then we apply step 3 to produce 1 + (R4/R3) Vo = VA * ----------------- - VB * (R4/R3) 1 + (R1/R2) This was a fairly complicated circuit and we solved it in only a few steps. The student should solve this circuit using the classical approach as an excellent example to perfect that skill. While we are on this example, lets see what happens if we let R4 = R2 and R3 = R1. After a little simplification we have the result Vo = (VA VB) * (R2/R1) We now have an amplifier that multiplies the difference between two voltages by a factor we set via a resistor ratio. Observe that this equation is very similar to the simple model
Solutions with complex impedances It can be shown that the result is general and the resistors in the preceding examples can be replaced with complex impedances. Two classic examples are the integrator and differentiator. We will first analyze the integrator in Figure 4 by direct application.
Conclusions It is easy to place the appropriate feedback network in an op-amp circuit to create a wide variety of mathematical operations. These transfer functions are easily derived using ideal analysis. The few examples shown here point to the reason for developing a universal amplifier building block known as an operational amplifier.