A comparison between Integrating

Operational Amplifier
&
Differentiating Operational Amplifier
EECE201: Electric Circuit Theory
Professor: Nadeen Rishani
Spring 2021

Mohammad Rashwan
Mostafa Aboelnaga
1. Integrating Operational Amplifier
The configuration of an Operational Amplifier used to perform integration calculus
operation is known as Integrators. In other words, the output voltage of an integrator is the
integration of the input voltage with respect to time. An integrator op-amp uses a capacitor as
a feedback component instead of a resistor as shown in the figure 2.
1.1. Basic Operation of Integrating Operational Amplifier
The output voltage of a basic integrator (Figure 1)
is the result of integral of 𝑉𝑖𝑛 overtime 0 to 𝑡. The output
voltage of this operational amplifier is always the sum of
the input values up to a precise instant of time. The output
voltage polarity also depends on the polarity of the input
voltage. Considering an op-amp with a feedback
element, the output characteristic of the op-amp reflects
the feedback element characteristic. The using of linear
or logarithmic element as a feedback element creates
Figure 1. A Basic Integrator Block
linear or log or anti-log behavior respectively. In order to
achieve the integration, a capacitor is used as a feedback
element so that the output current is proportional to the
integration of the voltage across the capacitor as shown
in Figure 2.

The voltage across the capacitor is

1 𝑡
𝑉𝐶 (𝑡) = 𝐶 ∫0 𝑖(𝑡) 𝑑𝑡 (1)

The output voltage of the op-amp is equal to the voltage Figure 2. Operational Amplifier Integrator
across the capacitor but opposite in polarity due to virtual
ground at the inverting op-amp terminal.
𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡 (𝑡) = −𝑉𝐶 (𝑡) (2)
As all the input voltage (𝑉𝑖𝑛 ) drops across the input resistor(𝑅𝑖 ), the input current, 𝑖 is
𝑉𝑖𝑛 (𝑡)
𝑖(𝑡) = (3)
𝑅𝑖
Combining Eq. 1 and Eq. 3 yields
1 𝑡 𝑉𝑖𝑛 (𝑡)
𝑉𝐶 (𝑡) = 𝐶 ∫0 𝑑𝑡 (4)
𝑅𝑖
1 𝑡
𝑉𝐶 (𝑡) = 𝑅 𝐶 ∫0 𝑉𝑖𝑛 (𝑡)𝑑𝑡 (5)
𝑖

The characteristic equation for the integrator circuit is obtained by combining Eq. 2 and Eq. 4.
1 𝑡
𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡 (𝑡) = − 𝑅 𝐶 ∫0 𝑉𝑖𝑛 (𝑡)𝑑𝑡
𝑖

1.2. Advantages and disadvantages of Integrating Operational Amplifier

One of the biggest advantages that come with utilizing integrators is that they tend to be
stable at high frequencies. This allows integrators to be used for applications that require high
frequencies. However, it is important to realize that it comes with a trade-off; as the frequency
increases in an integrator, the voltage gain decreases. Moreover, it is worth noting that another
disadvantage integrator possess is that integrators generate errors caused by DC offsets at lower
frequencies.
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1.3. Application of Integrating Operational Amplifier
As suggested by the name, integrators can be utilized in analog computers in order to
perform calculus integral operations. Another common application of the integrator includes
its use in analog to digital converters. Other applications include wave signaling and ramp
generators. The wave signaling application can be applied to integrate water flow signals,
which produces a signal that represents the total amount of water that has moved past the flow
meter. This is known as a totalizer.
1.4. Differentiator Operational Amplifier
The Differentiator is an operational amplifier which
instantaneous amplitude of the output voltage is the rate of
change of the input voltage. In other words, the output
voltage value is the first order derivate of the input voltage.
The op-amp high pass filter acts as a differentiator which
can be ether active or passive. The block diagram of a
differentiator is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3. A Basic Differentiator Block

1.5. Basic Operation of Differentiator Operational Amplifier

To achieve the differentiation, a capacitor is used at 𝑅𝑖 position instead of placing at
feedback position whereas 𝑅𝑓 is used as feedback element as shown in Figure 4.

The basic capacitor equation,

𝑑𝑉(𝑡)
𝑖(𝑡) = 𝐶 (6)
𝑑𝑡

The output voltage of the differentiator is equal to the

voltage across 𝑅𝑓 but inverted.
𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡 (𝑡) = −𝑉𝑅𝑓 (𝑡) (7)
Figure 4. Operational Amplifier Differentiator
Using Ohm’s law the voltage across𝑅𝑓 ,
𝑉𝑅𝑓 = 𝑖𝑅𝑓 (8)
Combining Eq. 6, Eq. 7, and Eq. 8, and assuming all input current flows through 𝑅𝑓 yields,
𝑑𝑉(𝑡)
𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡 (𝑡) = −𝑅𝑓 𝐶 (9)
𝑑𝑡

Thus, Eq. 9 is the characteristic equation of a differentiator.

1.6. Advantages and disadvantages of Differentiator Operational Amplifier
Arguably the biggest advantage that comes along with using differentiators is that at
higher frequencies, voltage gain increases. However, this makes them relatively unstable at
these higher frequencies. Not only that but also noise and input impedance issues also occur at
these higher frequencies. Thankfully, simple solutions can be implemented to resolve such
issues such as placing a small capacitor in parallel with the feedback resistor.
1.7. Application of Differentiator Operational Amplifier
The most common application of differentiators is operating on triangular and rectangular
signals. Similar to integrators, they can also be used as wave shaping circuits. These circuits

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 are further utilized to detect high frequencies in the input signal. Moreover, as its name implies,
differentiators can be used to perform mathematical differentiation operations.

2. Multisim Simulation of Integrating Operational Amplifier

Figure 5 and Figure 8 show integrator operational amplifier practical circuits with
sinusoidal voltage source and bipolar voltage source respectively.
Two transient responses of this amplifier is obtained using Multisim and graphed in Figure 7
and Figure 8. The transient response shows that output signal (green colored curve) leads the
input signal (red colored curve) by 900.
C1

1µF

VR1
PR1
V
1kΩ PR2

V1
1Vpk
1kHz
0°

Figure 6. Integrator with Sinusoidal Voltage Source Figure 5. Transient Analysis for Sinusoidal Voltage Source
C1

1µF

VR1
PR1
V
1kΩ PR2

V1
1V -1V
1kHz

Figure 7. Integrator with Bipolar Voltage Source Figure 8. Transient Analysis for Bipolar Voltage Source

3. Conclusion
In this research, structures and the application of integrator and differentiator are described.
Particularly transient response of two integrator circuits are described and responses are
plotted. Both type of operational amplifiers are configured using the inverting voltage-feedback
model. Most important difference between these two op-amps is that integrator uses capacitor
in the feedback path whereas the differentiator uses the capacitor at input terminal instead of
using as feedback element of the op-amp. Moreover, the integrator’s output voltage leads by
900 to the input; on the other hand, differentiator’s output voltage lags by 900 to the input.
Furthermore, if the frequency increases for the integrator, the voltage gain falls, while a
frequency increase for differentiators result in a voltage gain increase. Hence, one of the most
common advantages of differentiators over integrators is that differentiators voltage gain is
normally higher than the integrators. While operating at lower frequencies, integrators tend to
generate errors due to DC offsets. These errors can be eliminated by using an additional parallel
resistor with the capacitor. This parallel resistor also makes the integrator suitable for high
frequency operation. On the contrast, differentiators tend to be unstable at higher frequencies
due to the positive relationship between voltage gain and frequency. The noise, stability and
input impedance problems associated with the differentiator can be solved by placing a small
capacitor in parallel with𝑅𝑓 . Both integrator and differentiator are used in analog computer
which simulates the physical system. As the integrators are relatively more stable than the
differentiator, integrators are preferred for the analog computation system.

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4. References

electronicshub.org. Op Amp Integrator Circuit Design and Applications. 2021,

https://www.electronicshub.org/operational-amplifier-as-integrator/.
---. Operational Amplifier as Differentiator Circuit Applications.
https://www.electronicshub.org/operational-amplifier-as-differentiator/. Accessed 17
Apr. 2021.
Fiore, James M. Operational Amplifiers & Linear Integrated Circuits: Theory and Application
/ 3E.
www.electronics-tutorials.ws. Op-Amp Integrator, Operational Amplifier Integrator. 2021,
https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/opamp/opamp_6.html.