Chapter 3: Feedback amplifiers and oscillators

3.1 Feedback
Negative feedback: the feedback signal is of opposite polarity to the input signal (Fig.3.1). While
negative feedback results in reduced overall voltage gain, a number of improvements are obtained,
among them being

1) Better stabilized voltage gain:

As long as A >> 1, the overall gain is approximately 1/.

Fig.3.1: Negative feedback. Fig.3.2: Effect of negative feedback on gain and bandwidth

2) Improved frequency response:

Let A(j) be the gain of the amplifier without feedback and Ao be its midband gain (Fig.3.2). The
gain of the feedback amplifier is
A
Af(j) =
1  A
Let CH be the high cut-off frequency of A(j)
Ao
A(j) =

1 j
CH
Ao
A Ao 1  A o
Af(j) = = =
1  A  
1 j  A o 1 j
CH CH (1  A o )
Ao
The midband gain and the high cut-off frequency of Af(j) are and CH(1+Ao),
1  A o
respectively.
Let CL be the low cut-off frequency of A(j)
Ao
A(j) =

1  j CL

 Ao
A Ao 1  A o
Af(j) = = =
1  A  CL
1  j CL  A o  1 j
 (1  A o )
Ao CL
The midband gain and the low cut-off frequency of Af(j) are and , respectively.
1  A o 1  A o
The bandwidth of the amplifier without feedback is B  CH. The midband gain x bandwidth
product is AoCH.
The bandwidth of the feedback amplifier is
CL
Bf = CH(1+Ao) -  CH(1+Ao)
1  A o
Ao
The midband gain x bandwidth product is CH(1+Ao) = AoCH.
1  A o
3) Higher input impedance.
4) Lower output impedance.
5) Reduced noise.
6) More linear operation.

Fig.3.2: Feedback amplifier types: (a) voltage-series feedback, Af = Vo /Vs; (b) voltage-shunt
feedback, Af = Vo/Is; (c) current-series feedback, Af = Io/Vs; (d) current-shunt feedback, Af = Io/Is.

3.2 Feedback amplifiers

1) Current feedback-voltage subtraction (series-series)

(+1)RE) >> hie.  >> 1

V R Cβ
AV = o = 
Vi h ie  (β  1)R E
R
- C
RE
Zin = RB||(hie+(+1)RE)
RB = R1||R2 Zout = RC
 RD
AV  -
RS
Zin = RG
Zout  RD

2) Voltage feedback-current subtraction (shunt-shunt)

Vo
AV = =
Vi

3) Two-stage amplifier with voltage series feedback

3) Current shunt feedback

3.3 Oscillators
Oscillators generate periodic signals in the time domain. Oscillator resorts to either a positive-
feedback or negative-resistance principle to operate. On the other hand, very complex waveforms
can be generated mixing analog and digital techniques.
Barkhausen criterion for oscillation: A = 1

1) RC sine wave oscillator: Low-frequency sine wave oscillator (from a few Hz to about 100 kHz)
a) Phase shift oscillator:

R’ + R1//R2//hie = R
1
 1 1
4R C  
RC 6  RC 6 RC 6
R
29 RF
R R gm > > 29
hfe > 23 + 29 +4 C rds // R D R
RC R
Fig.
Ex: It is desired to design a phase-shift oscillator using an FET having gm = 5mS, rds = 40k, and
feedback circuit value of R = 10k. Select the value of C for oscillator operation at 1 kHz and RD
for A > 29 to ensure oscillator action.
Ex: Design the RC elements of a phase shift oscillator using OpAmp for operation at f = 10kHz.

b) Wien bridge oscillator

1

RC
RF
>2
R3
 Ex: Design the RC elements of a Wien bridge oscillator for operation at f = 10kHz.

2) LC sine wave oscillator:

a) Colpitts oscillator

1
 ,
LC eq
C1C 2
C eq 
C1  C 2

b) Hartley Oscillator

1
 , Leq = L1 + L2 + 2M
L eq C
 c) Crystal Oscillators:

The crystal appears to the rest of the circuit as a resonant circuit which has two resonant
frequencies:
- Series resonant: RLC determine the resonant frequency. The crystal has a low impedance.
- Parallel resonant: RL and CM determine the resonant frequency. The crystal has a high
impedance.
The series and parallel resonant frequencies are very close, within 1% of each other.

Series Resonant Crystal Parallel Resonant Crystal Crystal Oscillator using Op-amp
Oscillator Oscillator

3) Multivibrator: A multivibrator is used to implement simple two-state systems such as oscillators,

timers and flip-flops. Three types:
- Astable: neither state is stable. Applications: oscillator.
- Monostable: one of the states is stable, but the other is not. Applications: timer.
- Bistable: it remains in either state indefinitely. Applications: flip-flop.
 astable multivibrator
1
f= monostable multivibrator bistable multivibrator
0.69(R B1C2  R B2C1 )
Hz

A) Astable multivibrator consists of two amplifying devices cross-coupled by resistors and

capacitors. Typically, R2 = R3, R1 = R4, C1 = C2 and R2 >> R1. The circuit has two states
- State 1: Q1 ON (saturation) and Q2 OFF  VC1 ≈ 0.2V, VC2 = VCC.
C1 charges up through RB2 from below ground towards VCC. When VB2 reaches VON ≈ 0.7V,
Q2 turns on and pulls VC2 from VCC to VCESAT ≈ 0.2V.
- State 2: Q2 ON (saturation) and Q1 OFF  VC2 ≈ 0.2V, VC1 = VCC.
C2 charges up through RB1 from below ground towards VCC. When VB1 reaches VON ≈ 0.7V,
Q1 turns on and pulls VC1 from VCC to VCESAT ≈ 0.2V.

b) Monostable multivibrator:
- State 1 (stable): Q2 ON (saturation) and Q1 OFF  VC2 ≈ 0.2V, VC1 = VCC. C1 charged up to
VCC.
- State 2 (unstable): When VB2 is momentarily pulled to ground by an external signal, VC2 rises
to VCC, Q1 turns on, VC1 pulled down to 0.2V.
When the external signal goes high, C1 charges up to VCC through RB2. After a certain time
T, V RB2 = 0.7V, Q2 turns on, VC2 pulled to 0.2V, Q1 turns off. The circuit enters state 1 and
remains there.

c) Bistable multivibrator is stable for either state 1 or 2 and can be forced to either state by Set or
Reset signals:
- If Set is low, Q1 turns off, VC1 (Vout) and VB2 rises towards VCC, Q2 turns on, VC2 (/Vout)
pulled to 0V, VB1 is latched to 0V, Circuit remains in state 2 until Reset is low
- If Reset is low: Similar operation. Circuit remains in state 1 until Set is low.
4) Relaxation oscillator
a) Relaxation oscillator

T = 2RCln(1+2Ri/Rf)
When the circuit is first turned on, the capacitor is uncharged, and thus the inverting input is at 0V.
This makes the output a positive maximum VCC, and the capacitor begins to charge toward VCC
through R. When the capacitor voltage reaches a value equal to the feedback voltage on the
noninverting input, the op-amp switches to the maximum negative state -VCC. At this point, the
capacitor begins to discharge toward -VCC. When the capacitor voltage reaches a value equal to
the feedback voltage on the noninverting input, the op-amp switches back to the maximum positive
state VCC.

b) Unijunction Oscillator: The unijunction oscillator (or relaxation oscillator) produces a sawtooth
waveform

1
f=
1
R T C T ln( )
1 

 = 0.4 – 0.6 and is a

rating of the unijunction
transistor
 A voltage is applied across the UJT (VBB) and to the Emitter input (VE). Once VE reaches a peak value
(VP) the UJT begins to conduct. At the point where VE = VP, the current IE is at minimum. This is the
threshold value of VE that puts the UJT into conduction. Once conducting, IE increases and VE
decreases. This phenomenon occurs because the internal resistance labeled RB1 in the equivalent circuit
decreases as the UJT conducts more and more. This is called negative resistance.

c) The 555 timer

Top
view of
metal 8 pin DIP
can (dual
package inline
package)

Astable multivibrator with duty cycle less than

50%
Monostable multivibrator

The time for charging C from 1/3 to 2/3 VCC,

i.e, ON Time Ton = 0.693(RA + RB)C
 The time for discharging C from 2/3 to 1/3 VCC,
i.e. OFF Time Toff = 0.693RBC
The oscillation period: TOSC = Ton + Toff
Duty cycle = RA+RB/ RA + 2RB

- Pin 1: Grounded Terminal.

- Pin 2 (Trigger Terminal): This pin is an inverting input to a comparator that is responsible
for transition of flip-flop from set to reset.
- Pin 3: Output Terminal. There are two ways in which a load can be connected to the output
terminal either between pin 3 and ground pin (normally off load) or between pin 3 and supply
pin (normally on load).
- Pin 4: Reset Terminal. To disable or reset the timer a negative pulse is applied to this pin.
When this pin is not to be used for reset purpose, it should be connected to + VCC to avoid
any possibility of false triggering.
- Pin 5: Control Voltage Terminal. The function of this terminal is to control the threshold
and trigger levels. Thus either the external voltage or a pot connected to this pin determines
the pulse width of the output waveform. The external voltage applied to this pin can also be
used to modulate the output waveform. When this pin is not used, it should be connected to
ground through a 0.01 F capacitor to avoid any noise problem.
- Pin 6: Threshold Terminal. This is the non-inverting input terminal of comparator 1, which
compares the voltage applied to the terminal with a reference voltage of 2/3 VCC. The
amplitude of voltage applied to this terminal is responsible for the set state of flip-flop.
- Pin 7: Discharge Terminal.
- Pin 8: Supply Terminal. A supply voltage of + 5 V to + 18 V is applied to this terminal

Problems
1) Find Av, Zin, Zout of the following feedback amplifiers

R1 = 80 k, R2 = 20 k, RD = 5.1 k, RS = 1 k,

RL = 10 k, RD = 10 k, and gm = 4000 S RF = 20 k, gm = 5mS