Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology

Electronics & Communication Engineering

Department

ECE 333
Electronic
Circuits 2

Dr Mohamed EL-Bouridy

[email protected]
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 3. FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER—PHASE AND FREQUENCY
CONSIDERATIONS:
❖A feedback amplifier operates with negative feedback,
where the feedback signal opposes the input signal.
However, this condition holds only within a certain mid-
frequency range. As frequency increases, the amplifier's
gain decreases, and its phase shift changes. If the phase
shift causes part of the feedback signal to reinforce the
input, positive feedback may occur, leading to
oscillations. An oscillating amplifier becomes ineffective.
Therefore, a well-designed feedback amplifier must
remain stable across all frequencies to prevent unwanted
oscillations triggered by transient disturbances.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 4. Nyquist Criterion:
The stability of a feedback amplifier depends on the
“βA” product and the phase shift between input and
output. The “Nyquist method” is a widely used
technique to assess stability by plotting gain and
phase shift as a function of frequency on a complex
plane. The “Nyquist plot” combines the information
from Bode plots into a single representation,
allowing for a quick evaluation of whether an
amplifier is stable across all frequencies and how
stable it is based on gain and phase-shift criteria.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 4. Nyquist Criterion:
The complex plane (Fig 14.14) is used to represent
both the gain magnitude “βA” and phase shift of a
feedback amplifier. Points on this plane correspond to
different gain values at specific phase shifts. For
example, a gain of “βA = 2” at 0° is represented at one
point, while “βA = 3” at 135° and “βA = 1” at 180°
can be shown at others fig .
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 4. Nyquist Criterion:
By plotting these points as frequency increases, a
“Nyquist plot” (Fig 14.15) is formed. At “zero
frequency”, the gain is “0”, and as frequency rises, both
gain and phase shift increase. At a particular frequency
(f₄), the gain is the vector length from the origin, and the
phase shift is the corresponding angle. At (f₅), the phase
shift reaches “180°”, and beyond this, the gain decreases
back to “0” at higher frequencies.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 4. Nyquist Criterion:
The “Nyquist criterion” is used to determine the stability
of the amplifier by analyzing whether the plot encircles
critical points on the complex plane.
The Nyquist criterion for stability can be stated as
follows:
The amplifier is unstable if the Nyquist curve
encloses (encircles) the –1 point, and it is stable
otherwise.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 4. Nyquist Criterion:
The Nyquist plot in Fig. 14.16a is stable as it does not
encircle the -1 point, while Fig. 14.16b is unstable as it
does. Encircling the -1 point indicates that at a 180°
phase shift, the loop gain (βA) exceeds 1, causing
positive feedback and resulting in oscillations.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 4. Nyquist Criterion:

From the Nyquist criterion, a feedback amplifier

is stable if the loop gain (βA) is less than 1 (0 dB)
at a 180° phase shift. Stability margins help assess
proximity to instability; for instance, an amplifier
with βA = 0.95 is less stable than one with
βA = 0.7 at 180°.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 4. Nyquist Criterion:
Gain Margin (GM) : Defined
as the negative value of |βA|
in dB at 180° phase shift. A 0
dB value (βA = 1) is on the
stability border, while
negative dB values indicate
stability.
Phase Margin (PM) : Defined
as 180° minus the phase angle
where |βA| = 1 (0 dB). Both
GM and PM can be
determined from Fig. 14.17.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 5. OSCILLATOR OPERATION:
A positive feedback amplifier with a closed-loop gain, if
∣𝐴𝑓∣ > 1 and proper phase conditions then the circuit
functions as an oscillator, producing a varying output.

If the output is sinusoidal, it is a sinusoidal oscillator; if it

switches rapidly between two levels, it is a pulse or
square-wave oscillator.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 5. OSCILLATOR OPERATION:
In Fig. 14.18, with an open switch, no oscillation occurs.
Assuming an initial input 𝑉𝑖 , the output becomes
𝑉𝑜 =𝐴𝑉𝑖 , and the feedback voltage is 𝑉𝑓 = 𝛽 (𝐴𝑉𝑖 ). If
(𝛽𝐴) has the correct magnitude and phase, (𝑉𝑓) can
sustain the loop operation. Once the switch closes and 𝑉𝑖
is removed, oscillation continues due to sufficient
feedback voltage maintaining the circuit’s operation.

𝛽A = 1 is met.
This is known as the
Barkhausen criterion
for oscillation.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 5. OSCILLATOR OPERATION:
Oscillators require no input signal; self-sustained oscillations
occur if (𝛽𝐴=1). In practice, 𝛽𝐴 is set above 1, and
oscillations start by amplifying inherent noise voltage. Circuit
saturation adjusts 𝛽𝐴 to an average of 1. The output waveform
is not perfectly sinusoidal, but the closer 𝛽𝐴 is to 1, the more
sinusoidal it becomes. Fig. 14.19 illustrates noise-driven
oscillation buildup
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 5. OSCILLATOR OPERATION:
Another way to understand oscillator operation is through the
𝐴
feedback equation 𝐴𝑓 = . When 𝛽𝐴= −1 (magnitude
1+𝛽𝐴
1 at 180° phase), the denominator becomes zero, making 𝐴𝑓
infinite. Thus, even a tiny noise voltage can generate a
measurable output, enabling oscillation without an input
signal.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 6. PHASE-SHIFT OSCILLATOR:
The phase-shift oscillator is an example of an oscillator
circuit based on the feedback principle. For oscillation to
occur, the loop gain must be greater than unity, and the
phase shift in the feedback network must be 180° to
ensure positive feedback. In the ideal case, the network is
assumed to be driven by a perfect source (zero source
impedance) and connected to a perfect load (infinite load
impedance). This idealization helps develop the theory
behind the oscillator’s operation before considering
practical implementations.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 6. PHASE-SHIFT OSCILLATOR:

The phase shift is 180°. For the loop gain 𝛽𝐴 to be

greater than unity, the gain of the amplifier stage must be
greater than 1/ 𝛽 or 29: then
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 6. PHASE-SHIFT OSCILLATOR:
In designing the feedback network, one might assume
that each RC section should provide a 60° phase shift to
achieve a total of 180° across three sections.
The critical factor is that the total phase shift reaches 180°
1
at the frequency given by Eq (𝑓 = ). To achieve
2𝜋𝑅𝐶 6
a precise 60° shift per section, emitter-follower stages
would be required to isolate each RC stage and prevent
loading effects.
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 6. PHASE-SHIFT OSCILLATOR:
❖Transistor Phase-Shift Oscillator:
❖ In this connection, the feedback signal is coupled through the
feedback resistor 𝑅ሖ in series with the amplifier stage input
resistance (Ri).
 Chapter 1
Feedback and Oscillator Circuits
❖ 6. PHASE-SHIFT OSCILLATOR:
❖IC Phase-Shift Oscillator:
❖ The op-amp output passes through a three-stage RC network,
producing a 180° phase shift with an attenuation of 1/29.
If the op-amp gain (set by 𝑅𝑖 and 𝑅𝑓) exceeds 29, the loop
gain becomes greater than unity, enabling oscillation at the
1
frequency given by Eq . (𝑓 = 2𝜋𝑅𝐶 6).
The
End