Electronics II: EEEN 3422

Feedback Amplifiers

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya

EE Dept, PMU Apr 5, 2016

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 1

OUTLINE
 Feedback Applications
 Architecture
 Properties
 Configurations
 Examples
 Stability

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 2

 Feedback Applications

Communications: PLL for Signal Detection,

clock and data recovery: Feedback used to
lock to incoming signal by detecting the
correct clock through varying VCO freq until
a match occurs.
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 3
 Feedback Applications

Power: Battery Charge Control

Battery charge level is monitored its voltage
feedback to the charge controller.
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 4
 Feedback Applications
Power: Battery Charge Control

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 5

 Feedback Applications
Power: Battery Charge Control

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 6

Feedback Applications
LASER: Output Power Control

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 7

Feedback Applications
LASER: Output Power Control

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 8

 Feedback Architecture

 Feedback: Negative or positive.

 Negative feedback used in Amplifiers
and Filters.
 Positive feedback used in oscillators
and trigger circuits.
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 9
 Negative Feedback

Open loop Gain (no feedback) Ao  xo xi

Closed Loop Gain (w/ Feedback) Af  xo xs

Feedback Coefficient   x f xo

Loop Gain A
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 10
Negative Feedback: Advantages
 If we have a low performance amplifier, feedback
can be added to improve its performance. If the
loop Gain: Aβ >> 1, the closed loop system will
be mainly controlled by the feedback.
xo xo xo A
Af     ,
xs xi  x f xi   xo 1  A

If Aβ >> 1, then the closed loop gain

becomes:
Af  1 /  .

Thus, adding feedback resulted in a more stable

Amp that is nearly independent of changes of open-
loop gain (A).

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 11

Negative Feedback: Advantages
 The signal fed back (If Aβ >> 1 ):

𝜷𝑨
𝒙𝒇 = 𝜷𝒙𝒐 = 𝜷 𝑨𝒇 𝒙𝒔 = 𝒙𝒔 ≈ 𝒙𝒔
𝜷𝑨+𝟏
𝒙𝒇 ≈ 𝒙𝒔 𝒙𝒊 ≈ 𝒙𝒔 − 𝒙𝒇 ≈ 𝟎

 Thus, in a negative feedback amplifier, the output

takes the value to drive the amplifier input to
almost zero.

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 12

 Feedback Properties
 Reduces nonlinear Distortion (+)
 Reduces Noise (+)
 Increases bandwidth (BW) (+)
 Improves input and output
impedances (+)
 Reduces gain sensitivity (+)
 Stabilizes gain (+)
 Reduces gain of the amplifier (-)

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 13

 Distortion Reduction
 If a pre-amplifier is
added (Fig. 2) and
negative feedback is
applied to the two-stage
amplifier then the gain
becomes:
A f  9.99 for 0  xo  10
Fig. 1. Nonlinear Gain
A f  9.98 for - 10  xo  0
 which greatly reduces
the nonlinear distortion.

Fig. 2 . Feedback.
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 14
 Noise Reduction
xo (t )  x s (t ) A1  x noise (t ) A1
( xs ) 2
SNR 
( x noise ) 2

x2 (t )  xs (t )  xo (t )
Noise free Noisy
 x1 (t )  A2 x2 (t )  xnoise(t )
xo (t )  A1 x1 (t )
A1 A2 A1
 xs (t )  xnoise(t )
1  A1 A2 1  A1 A2
( xs ) 2
 SNR  2
( A2 ) 2
( xnoise)

The Signal-to-Noise (SNR) ratio is greatly

enhanced (by a factor equal to the preceding
amplifier gain).
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 15
 Bandwidth Extension
Feedback increases BW and reduces Gain

A( )
A f ( ) 
1  A( )
Assuming opamp with
dominant pole wH the BW
increases and gain
decreases by the same
factor:
1  A

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 16

 Feedback Configurations (1)
Feedback involves sampling the output signal (Xo)by the beta network
and mixing with the result (Xf) at the input side.

Sample
Mix Vf or If
Vo or Io

Configurations are classified according to how sampling and mixing

are accomplished. Voltage is sampled in shunt (parallel, voltmeter)
and mixed in series (loop, KVL). Current is sampled in series
(ammeter) and mixed in shunt (Node, KCL).

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 17

 Feedback Configurations (2)
Sample Vo Sample Io

Mix
Mix I
V
Sample Io Sample Vo

Neaman Textbook
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 18
 Amplifier Feedback Types
Sample at Mix at Configuration
Output Input or Name
V in Shunt Series-Shunt or
V in Series
(parallel): Direct Series Voltage-
(Loop, KVL)
Connection Feedback

V in Shunt I in Shunt (Node, Shunt-Shunt or

(parallel): Direct KCL), Direct Shunt Voltage-
Connection Connection Feedback
I in Shunt (Node, Shunt Series or
I in Series KCL) Direct Shunt Current-
Connection Feedback
Series Series or
V in Series
I in Series Series Current-
(Loop, KVL)
Feedback
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 19
Input and Output Resistances (1)
Input Output
Feedback
Impedance Impedance
Sample Vo
Ri (1  A ) Ro (1  A ) Mix with Vs

Ri (1  A ) Ro (1  A ) Sample Vo
Mix with Is

Ri (1  A ) Ro (1  A ) Sample Io
Mix with Vs

Ri (1  A ) Ro (1  A ) Sample Io
Mix with Is
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 20
Input and Output Resistances (2)
Mix with Vs Mix with Is

Feedback Increases Feedback Decreases

Rin as desired Rin as desired

Sample Vo Sample Io

Feedback Decreases Feedback Increases

Ro as desired Ro as desired

Feedback makes Values of Rin or Ro closer

to desired level.
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 21
 Feedback Amplifier: Example 1
a. What is the
feedback Type?
b. Find the closed
loop gain
c. Find the feedback
coefficient
d. Find the voltage
gain.

a. Feedback Type:
sampling Vo and
mix Vf  Series c. Feedback Coefficient:
Shunt (Voltage
R2 f R2
Feedback)  f  o   
R1  R2 o R1  R2
b. Closed loop gain:
c. Voltage Gain = closed loop gain:
o 1 o 1
Af   Af    1
R1
Noninverting !
s  s  R2
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 22
 Feedback Amplifier: Example 2
a. What is the
feedback Type?
b. Find the closed
loop gain
c. Find the
feedback
coefficient
d. Find the voltage
gain.

a. Feedback Type:
sampling Vo and c. Feedback Coefficient:
mix If  Shunt
Shunt (Voltage o 1
if
if     
Feedback) Rf o R f
b. Closed loop gain:
c. Voltage Gain = closed loop gain:
o 1 o o Af  Rf
Af      Inverting !
is   s is Rs Rs Rs
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 23
 Feedback Amplifier: Example 3
a. What is the
feedback Type?
b. Find the closed
loop gain
c. Find the feedback
coefficient
d. Find the voltage
gain.

a. Feedback Type:
sampling Io and
mix Vf  Series c. Feedback Coefficient:
Series (Voltage
vf
Feedback)
v f  io R f     Rf
b. Closed loop gain:
io
c. Voltage Gain = closed loop gain:
io 1 o io RL
Af     A f RL 
RL
vs  s vs Rf
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 24
 Feedback Amplifier: Example 4
a. What is the
feedback Type?
b. Find the closed
loop gain
c. Find the feedback
coefficient
d. Find the voltage
gain.

a. Feedback Type:
sampling Io and mix
If  Shunt Series c. Feedback Coefficient:
(Current Feedback)
R1 if  R1
i f  io   
b. Closed loop gain: R2  R1 io R2  R1
io 1 c. Voltage Gain = closed loop gain:
Af   o io RL  R2  RL
is    Af
RL

 1  
 s is Rs Rs  R1  Rs
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 25
 STABILITY
1. What’s the meaning of
stability?
2. How can we tell if an amplifier
is stable or not?
3. How does it relate to poles,
zeros?
4. How does relate to frequency
response?
5. How can we stabilize an
unstable amplifier?
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 26
 STABILITY
T ( s)  K
s  z1 s  z2 ...s  zn 
s  p1 s  p2 ...s  pn 
K is a constant
Z1, Z2, … Zn are the transfer function “Zeros”
P1, P2, … PN are the transfer function “Poles”
T (Zi )  0 , T ( Pi )  
T(jw) is a complex number with magnitude and
phase:
T (s)  T ( j )  T ( j ) 
27
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU
 Amp Stability: Poles, Zeros

j j j

  
Poles on the RHP Poles on the jω axis Poles on the LHP
Unstable Oscillatory Decaying, stable
(not good) (good only for osc) (good)
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 28
 Amp Stability Using Feedback
What happens if the
output is suddenly
increased? Will the
feedback make any
adjustment?

1. If Vo increases:

2. the input to
beta network
increases 
5. Output decreases:
3. Vf increases
𝑉𝑜 = 𝐴𝑉𝑖
𝑉𝑓 = 𝛽𝑉𝑜
4. Vi decreases
𝑉𝑖 = 𝑉𝑠 − 𝑉𝑓 System stabilized

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 29

 Feedback Application: Voltage
Regulation (1)

Feedback is used to stabilize (regulate, keep

constant) the output voltage. Sampled output is
compared to a fixed Vref. Practical circuits will be
shown next.
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 30
 Feedback Application: Voltage
Regulation (2)

Can you
show that:

𝑅2
𝑉𝑜 = 𝑉𝑅𝐸𝐹 1 +
𝑅3

Feedback samples Vo in shunt and scales it down

and mixes it in series with VREF . Any change in Vo
will produce an Opamp output that controls the
BJT in a way to reverse the Vo change and stabilize
it and that is V regulation !
Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 31
 Feedback Application: Current
Regulation (3)
Io

Feedback samples Io through R4 and applies the

voltage IoR4 to Q2 VBE . If the current Io exceeds a
set limit Q2 will turn on and control Q1 to reduce
Io.

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 32

Test Your Understanding
1. Identify the feedback configuration
2. Find Af (ratio)
3. Find the feedback coefficient (β)


vo


Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 33

 Test Your Understanding
1. Identify the feedback configuration
2. Find Af (ratio)
3. Find the feedback coefficient (β)

BJT : iC  iE

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 34

 Design of Feedback Amplifiers
Steps to design negative feedback amplifiers:

1. Select the feedback type and determine

feedback ratio β.

2. Select an appropriate circuit configuration for

the feedback network (adjustable resistor can be
used so that feedback ratio can be set tuned)
3. Select appropriate values for resistance in the
feedback network (this could be a difficult step
due to various tradeoffs)
4. Verify the design using Computer Simulations
(real circuits could be very different from the
ideal case).

Dr. Chedly B. Yahya, EE Dept, PMU 35