CHAPTER 9 FEEDBACK

Chapter Outline
9.1 The General Feedback Structure
9.2 Some Properties of Negative Feedback
9.3 The Four Basic Feedback Topologies
9.10 The Stability Problem
9.11 Effect of Feedback on the Amplifier Poles
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9.1 The General Feedback Structure
Feedback amplifier
Signal-flow diagram of a feedback amplifier
Open-loop gain: A
Feedback factor: |
Loopgain: A|
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Loop gain: A|
Amount of feedback: 1 +A|
Gain of the feedback amplifier (closed-loop gain):
Negative feedback:
The feedback signal x
f
is subtracted from the source signal x
s
Negative feedback reduces the signal that appears at the input of the basic amplifier
The gain of the feedback amplifier A
f
is smaller than open-loop gain A by a factor of (1+A|)
The loop gain A| is typically large (A| >>1):
The gain of the feedback amplifier (closed-loop gain) A
f
~ 1/ |
The closed-loop gain is almost entirely determined by the feedback network better accuracy of A
f
x
f
=x
s
(A|)/(1+A|) ~ x
s
error signal x
i
=x
s
x
f
| A
A
x
x
A
s
o
f
+
=
1
Example
The feedback amplifier is based on an opampwith infinite input resistance and zero output resistance
(a) Find an expression for the feedback factor.
(b) Find the condition under which the closed-loop gain A
f
is almost entirely determined by the feedback network.
(c) If the open-loop gain A =10000 V/V, find R
2
/R
1
to obtain a closed-loop gain A
f
of 10 V/V.
(d) What is the amount of feedback in decibel?
(e) If V
s
=1 V, find V
o
, V
f
and V
i
.
(f) If A decreases by 20%, what is the corresponding decrease in A
f
?
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9.2 Some Properties of Negative Feedback
Gain desensitivity
The negative reduces the change in the closed-loop gain due to open-loop gain variation
Desensitivityfactor: 1+A|
Bandwidth extension
High-frequency response of a single-pole amplifier:
Lowfrequencyresponseof anamplifier withadominantlowfrequencypole:
A
dA
A A
dA
A
dA
dA
f
f
f
| | +
=
+
=
1
1
) 1 (
2
) 1 ( / 1
) 1 /(
) (
/ 1
) (
| e
|
e
M H
M M
f
H
M
A s
A A
s A
s
A
s A
+ +
+
=
+
=
Low-frequency response of an amplifier with a dominant low-frequency pole:
Negative feedback:
Reduces the gain by a factor of (1+A
M
|)
Extends the bandwidth by a factor of (1+A
M
|)
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) 1 /(
) 1 /(
) ( ) (
| e
|
e
M L
M M
f
L
M
A s
A A
s A
s
s A
s A
+ +
+
=
+
=
Interference reduction
The signal-to-noise ratio:
The amplifier suffers from interference introduced at the input of the amplifier
Signal-to-noise ratio: S/I =V
s
/V
n
Enhancement of the signal-to-noise ratio:
Precede the original amplifier A
1
by a clean amplifier A
2
Use negative feedback to keep the overall gain constant
2
2 1
1
2 1
2 1
0
1 1
A
V
V
I
S
A A
A
V
A A
A A
V V
n
s
n s
=
+
+
+
=
| |
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Reduction in nonlinear distortion
The amplifier transfer characteristic is linearizedthrough the application of negative feedback
| =0.01
A changes from 1000 to 100
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50
01 . 0 100 1
100
9 . 90
01 . 0 1000 1
1000
1
1
=
+
=
=
+
=
f
f
A
A
9.3 The Four Basic Feedback Topologies
Voltage amplifiers
The most suitable feedback topologies is voltage-mixing and voltage-sampling one
Known as series-shunt feedback
Example:
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Current amplifiers
The most suitable feedback topologies is current-mixing and current-sampling one
Known as shunt-series feedback
Example:
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Transconductance amplifiers
The most suitable feedback topologies is voltage-mixing and current-sampling one
Known as series-series feedback
Example:
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Transresistance amplifiers
The most suitable feedback topologies is current-mixing and voltage-sampling one
Known as shunt-shunt feedback
Example:
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9.10 The Stability Problem
Transfer function of the feedback amplifier
Transfer functions:
Open-loop transfer function: A(s)
Feedback transfer function: | (s)
Closed-loop transfer function: A
f
(s)
For physical frequencies s =je
) ( ) ( 1
) (
) (
s s A
s A
s A
f
| +
=
) ( ) ( 1
) (
) (
e | e
e
e
j j A
j A
j A
f
+
=
Loop gain:
Stability of the closed-loop transfer function:
For loop gain smaller than unity at e
180
:
Becomes positive feedback
Closed-loop gain becomes larger than open-loop gain
The feedback amplifier is still stable
For loop gain equal to unity at e
180
:
The amplifier will have an output for zero input (oscillation)
For loop gain larger than unity at e
180
:
Oscillation with a growing amplitude at the output
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) ( ) ( | j j
) (
| ) ( ) ( | ) ( ) ( ) (
e |
e | e e | e e
j
e j j A j j A j L =
The Nyquist plot
A plot used to evaluate the stability of a feedback amplifier
Plot the loop gain versus frequency on the complex plane
Stability:
The plot does not encircle the point (-1, 0)
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9.11 Effect of Feedback on the Amplifier Poles
Stability and pole location
Consider an amplifier with a pole pair at
The transient response contains the terms of the form
) cos( 2 ] [ ) (
0 0
t e e e e t v
n
t t j t j t
n n
e
o e e o
= + =

n
j s e o =
0
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Poles of the feedback amplifier
Characteristic equation: 1+A(s)|(s) =0
The feedback amplifier poles are obtained by solving the characteristic equation
Amplifier with single-pole response
The feedback amplifier is still a single-pole system
Thepolemovesawayfromorigininthes planeasfeedback(| ) increases
) 1 ( / 1
) 1 /(
) (
/ 1
) (
0
0 0 0
| e
|
e A s
A A
s A
s
A
s A
P
f
P
+ +
+
=
+
=
) 1 (
0
| e e A
P Pf
+ =
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The pole moves away from origin in the s-plane as feedback (| ) increases
The bandwidth is extended by feedback at the cost of a reduction in gain
Unconditionally stable system (the pole never enters the right-half plane)
Amplifier with two-pole response
Feedback amplifier
Still a two-pole system
Characteristic equation
The closed-loop poles are given by
| e e ) ( 1
) (
) (
) / 1 )( / 1 (
) (
1 1
0
s A
s A
s A
s s
A
s A
f
P P
+
=
+ +
=
0 ) 1 ( ) (
2 1 0 2 1
2
= + + + +
P P P P
A s s e e | e e
2 1 0
2
2 1 2 1
) 1 ( 4 ) (
2
1
) (
2
1
P P P P P P
A s e e | e e e e + + + =
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The plot of poles versus | is called a root-locus diagram
Unconditionally stable system (the pole never enters the right-half plane)
Amplifier with three or more poles
Root-locus diagram
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The feedback amplifier is stable only if | does not exceed a maximum value