4/2/21

Operational Amplifier
• op-amp for short
• very widely used electronic component, particularly
Module 5 in analog applications
• capable of performing basic arithmetic operations
Operational Amplifiers (thus the name operational amplifier)
• Add, subtract, average, integrate, differentiate
EEE 123
• will study op-amps from a purely behavioral
standpoint and will not be concerned with how op-
amps are implemented

1 2

Operational Amplifier Example

LM741 : General Purpose Operational Amplifier

5 terminals: VCC
• v− : inverting input
v−
• v+ : non-inverting input
vo
• vo : output
v+
• VCC : positive power supply
• −VCC : negative power supply −VCC through-hole version
• GND is an implied 6th terminal
schematic symbol

surface-mount version

3 4

1
 4/2/21

Op-Amp Model: Voltage-Controlled Voltage

Voltage Output Characteristics
Source
+Vcc
i−
v−
−
Rout
ed Rin vo
iout
+
−
AOLed
+
v+
i+
−Vcc

Rin - input resistance, typically very large (MΩ range)

Rout - output resistance, typically small ( typically < 100Ω)
AOL - open loop gain, typically very large (typically > 104) In the Linear Region:
Notes: • The output vo is the product of the open-loop gain AOL and the differential
input voltage ed
• vo = AOL ed − Rout iout where ed = v+ − v− (differential input voltage) • The larger the value of AOL, the steeper the slope of the diagonal. As AOL
• Vmin < vo < Vmax where Vmax ≈ VCC and Vmin ≈ −VCC approaches ∞, the linear region approaches a vertical line

5 6

An Open Loop Op-Amp Circuit Example The Ideal Op-Amp

v
VCC VCC
v−
−
vs i−
ed = v+ - v− Vref v− −
+ +
v+
RL vo t
Vref - VCC vo
vs −
v+ +
ed
i+
Consider the circuit shown. Plot vo vs t. t
-VCC
Assume Vmax = Vcc and Vmin = -Vcc

• vo = AOL ed Assumptions:
vo
• Since AOL is large, vo quickly goes into
VCC • Rin = ∞, thus i+ = i− = 0
positive and negative saturation
• If AOL is very large, plot approaches a • Rout = 0, thus vo = AOL ed = AOL(v+ − v−)
square wave and circuit acts as a
comparator
t • AOL = ∞, thus ed = 0 or v+ = v−
−VCC

7 8

2
 4/2/21

Input Voltage Constraint Input current constraint

• When the op-amp is operated in the linear region, • Since the op-amp’s input impedance is very large,
because AOL is large, the following constraint is the currents flowing into the inverting and non-
imposed on the input voltages inverting terminals will be very small
𝑣! ≈ 𝑣" • For an ideal op-amp, since Rin = ∞, this constraint
• For an ideal op-amp where 𝐴#$ = ∞, this constraint translates into
becomes i+ = i− = 0
𝑣! = 𝑣" Vcc
• Also referred to as a “virtual short” between i- = 0
v− −
inverting and non-inverting input
vo
v+ +
i+ = 0
−Vcc
2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I 2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I

9 10

What is wrong with the following circuits? Negative Feedback

Assume that the op-amps are perfectly ideal. • Negative feedback is needed to prevent the output from
immediately saturating.
• Part of the output is fed back to the inverting input of the op-
amp
• Because of the feedback, as vo increases, ed decreases. This
has the effect of reducing vo and preventing it from
saturating immediately.
• Op-amp circuit becomes a “closed-loop” circuit as opposed
to an “open-loop” circuit
• Negative feedback is used to implement linear op-amp
circuits such as amplifiers, buffers, summing circuits and
filters

2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I

11 12

3
 4/2/21

Examples:
The golden rules1
Voltage Follower (Buffer)
• Simple rules for working out op-amp behavior with
Negative feedback configuration
external negative feedback feedback path

−
I. The output attempts to do whatever is necessary Rs
to make the voltage difference between the +
+
inputs zero. + vs
RL vo
− −
II. The inputs draw no current.

Note: these rules are obeyed only if the op-amp is in

the linear region (not saturated)
1Horowitz and Hill, “The Art of Electronics 3e”

2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I

13 14

Current to voltage converter Inverting Amplifier

Rf
R2

iIN R1
v vi
v
vo vo
v+ + v+ +

2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I 2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I

15 16

4
 4/2/21

Non-inverting amplifier Inverting summing amplifier

R2 R3
v3
R1 R2 Rf
v2
v
vo R1
vi + v1
v+ v
vo
v+ +

2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I 2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I

17 18

Page 2 Page 3

Difference Amplifier Difference Amplifier

R2 R2

R1 R1
v2 v2
v v
R3 vo vo
v+ R3
v1 + v+
v1 +

R4
R4

2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I 2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I

19 20
Page 4

5
Page 4
 4/2/21

Example: 3-bit Digital-to-analog conversion Example: Sallen-Key topology

R 𝒗𝟐 𝒗𝟏 𝒗𝟎 𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒕
v2
0 0 0
2R R
v1 0 0 1
4R
v0 0 1 0
v
vo 0 1 1
v+ +
1 0 0
1 0 1
1 1 0
The circuit above is a 3-bit digital-to-analog
converter. 1 1 1

Use nodal analysis to derive an expression for 𝑉*+, in terms of the 𝑍s and 𝑉-. .
Let a voltage of 5 V represent a “1” and Fill-in the table above with the
Treat the 𝑍s as resistors.
0 V represent a “0”, e.g. corresponding analog voltage for each 3-
bit combination.
Show that the relationship between 𝑉*+, and 𝑉-. is
1002 corresponds to 5 V for 𝑣' , 0 V for 𝑣( ,
𝑉*+, 𝑍/ 𝑍0
and 0 V for 𝑣) . =
𝑉-. 𝑍( 𝑍' + 𝑍/ 𝑍( + 𝑍' + 𝑍/ 𝑍0
2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I 2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I
Page 6

21 22

Example: Cascaded Stages Example: Cascaded stages

Calculate 𝑣 !"# in the circuit below given that 𝑅$ = 1 kΩ.
Implement the following operations using op-amp circuits
• 𝑣! = 2𝑣% + 𝑣 &

• 𝑣! = −𝑣% − 2𝑣 & − 3𝑣 '

• Use resistor values in the range of 10 kΩ to 100 kΩ.

2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I 2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I

23 24

6
 4/2/21

Summary
• Op-amp circuits are widely used in analog
applications
• Modelled as a voltage-controlled voltage source
• Ideal op-amp assumptions
• Input constraints
• Negative feedback
• Input and output relationships can be obtained
using nodal analysis
• It helps to be quickly familiar with the basic op-amp
circuit blocks

2S AY 2018-2019 EEE 123 Circuits and Electronics I

25