PHYSC 3322

Experiment 1.4

1 October, 2016

Analog Devices (Operational Amplifiers)

Purpose

This experiment will introduce you to the operational amplifier, or op amp,

an important building block used in many electronic circuits. Using the op
amp, you will construct two useful circuits, a non-inverting amplifier and a
sine-wave oscillator.

Background

The op amp is a differential amplifier having very high voltage gain

(on the order of 104 107 ). There are two inputs: a non-inverting input,
denoted by (+), and an inverting input, denoted by (). The output voltage
is equal to the gain multiplied by the difference between the two inputs:

vo A v v ,

(1)

where v and v are the voltages at the non-inverting and inverting

inputs, respectively, A is the voltage gain, and vo is the output voltage.
For this experiment, you will consider the op amp to be a black boxyou
will not need to know what goes on inside the op amp, and will only be
concerned with the fact that the input and output voltages obey the above
equation.

Procedure You will use the LT1013 integrated circuit in this experiment. The LT1013

contains two complete op amps in one package, as shown in Figure 1. Pin 1

of the integrated circuit is marked with a dot on the package. Pins 4 and 8,
labeled with +V and -V in the figure, are the power supply connections. In
the following circuits, pin 4 should be connected to the 12V terminal of
the power supply, pin 8 should be connected to the 12V terminal of the
power supply, and the points marked with the ground symbol should be
connected to the 0V terminal of the power supply.
Non-inverting amplifier: Using the LT1013 integrated circuit and two
1.0k resistors, construct the non-inverting amplifier circuit shown in
Figure 2.

Figure
circuit.

1.

LT1013

integrated

Figure 2. Non-inverting amplifier.

Connect a function generator to the input of the amplifier. Using an

oscilloscope, adjust the function generator so that its output is a 1kH z
sine wave, having an amplitude of approximately 1V peak-to-peak. With

PHYSC 3322

Experiment 1.4

1 October, 2016

the oscilloscope, measure the output of the amplifier. You should find that
the output amplitude is twice the input amplitude. Verify that this
relationship holds true as you vary the input voltage and frequency.
The overall gain of the non-inverting amplifier is controlled by the two
resistors, a result which can easily be derived from Eq. 1 in the previous
section. In addition to that equation, we need one other equation, which
relates the voltages across the two resistors. To a very good approximation,
the current flow into the input terminals of an op amp is zero. Thus, the
current through R1 is equal to the current through R2 , and so we have a
simple voltage divider:

v / R1 vo v / R2 .

(2)

Rearranging the terms give us

R1
.
R1 R 2

v vo

(3)

Combining this with Eq. 1 gives

R1
vo 1 A

R1 R2

Av .

Finally, noting that v vi , and using the fact that

obtain

R1 R 2
.
R1

vo vi

(4)

A 1 to simplify, we

(5)

Wien bridge oscillator: The Wien bridge is a convenient means of

generating high-quality (i.e., low distortion) sine waves at audio
frequencies. Without disturbing the non-inverting amplifier, construct the
Wien bridge oscillator shown in Figure 3. Note that R 4 is a potentiometer,
not a resistor. The combination of R3 and R 4 provide negative feedback,
as in the amplifier circuit. The two RC networks provide positive feedback
at a frequency determined by the RC time constants. When the positive
and negative feedback are precisely in balance, the circuit will oscillate.
After assembling and checking the circuit, connect the oscilloscope to the
output of the oscillator (pin 1 of the op amp) and apply power.

PHYSC 3322

Experiment 1.4

1 October, 2016

Figure 3. Wien bridge oscillator.

On the first try, the signal will probably be either a square wave or zero.
Adjust the negative feedback loop by varying the setting of the
potentiometer R 4 until you obtain a sine wave output. At this time, the
output will be unstable and the adjustment will be very sensitive.
You can stabilize the output by replacing R3 with a small incandescent
lamp. The lamp acts as a nonlinear resistance: If the amplitude of
oscillation increases, the voltage across the lamp increases, causing it to
get hotter; this causes its resistance to increase as well, thus increasing the
negative feedback and reducing the gain of the amplifier. Conversely, if the
amplitude of oscillation decreases, the voltage across the lamp decreases,
its resistance decreases, and the gain of the amplifier is increased.
Next, connect the output of the oscillator to the input of your non-inverting
amplifier. Use the oscilloscope to measure the output of the amplifier.
Describe and sketch the output waveform.
Finally, replace R2 in the non-inverting amplifier with a 10k resistor
(what is the gain now?). Again, describe and sketch the output waveform.

Questions

In a Wien bridge oscillator, when the two RC networks have the same time
constant, the output voltage is three times the voltage at the non-inverting
input of the op amp. Verify that this is the case.
The frequency of oscillation of the Wien bridge oscillator is given by

1
.
2RC

(6)

Verify that this is the case in your circuit, and discuss any discrepancies
between the calculated and measured frequencies.
Explain the shape of the waveforms you measured at the output of the
amplifier + oscillator combination.

PHYSC 3322

Experiment 1.4

1 October, 2016

The nonlinear resistance of an incandescent lamp depends on the filament

temperature, which changes relatively slowly. Would a nonlinear resistor
having a faster response improve the regulations of the circuit, or make it
worse?
When you build an amplifier having a gain of 2, using an op amp with a
gain of ~106 , it seems like you're "throwing away" most of the gain. Can
you speculate on why this is often a good idea?