Chapter 3

Differential Amplifier

Mohd Riduwan bin Ghazali (Grad.IEM)

 Content

 TheDifferential Amplifier
 Characteristics with differential
amplifier
Introduction

 Op-amp is:
– a very high gain differential amplifier
– high input impedance
– low output impedance
 Typical usage of op-amp:
– to provide voltage amplitude changes
– oscillators
– filters
– instrumentation circuits
5.1

BASIC CONCEPT OF OP-AMP

Introduction

 A basic op-amp:
Introduction

 There are many types of operation that an

op-amp can do depending on its input and
output. Some are:
– Single-ended input
– Double-ended input
– Double-ended output
– Common-mode operation
 The results of each operation is different
from the others mostly depending on the
polarity of the input signal
Single-Ended Input

 Single-ended input means that an input

signal is connected to either one of the input
terminal of the op-amp while the other is
connected to the ground
 If the input signal is connected to the +ve
terminal, the output will be amplified and
have the same phase (polarity) with the input
 If the input signal is connected to the -ve
terminal, the output will be amplified and
have the opposite polarity with the input
Single-Ended Input
Double-Ended Input

 When both of the input are inserted with signals (not connected
to ground), its results in double-ended input
 Also called differential input
 Vd can be calculated by Vi1 – Vi2
Double-Ended Output

 The output can also has a double-ended where each output is

opposite to each other
 Also called differential output
 Vd can be calculated by Vo1 – Vo2
Double-Ended Output

 The difference output voltage Vd will twice as large as either Vo1

or Vo2
 Since one of the output produce the same amplified signal with
the other output but in opposite polarity, the difference will
always results in twice their amplitude
Common-Mode Operation

 When the same input signals are applied at the input terminals,
the output will
results in 0
 This is due to
both of the input
having the
same signal
and polarity
Common-Mode Operation

 A significant feature to this common-mode

operation is to eliminate noise
 Since noise is generally common to both
inputs, the differential operation will results in
attenuation of this unwanted input
 This operating feature called common-mode
rejection is used to reject input signals
common to both input terminal
Differential and Common-Mode
Operation

 As explained before, the op-amp can be

operated as differential and common-mode
operation
 Differential-mode operates when both inputs
are different to each other while common-
mode operates when both inputs are
common (same signal)
 With both these modes, a common-mode
rejection ratio (CMRR) can be calculated
Differential and Common-Mode
Operation

 Differential inputs (difference): Vd = Vi1 − Vi2

 Common inputs (average): Vi1 + Vi2
Vc =
2
 Output voltage (in differential and common-
mode operation): Vo = AdVd + AcVc
Vd - difference voltage
Vc - common voltage
Ad - differential gain
Ac - common gain
Differential and Common-Mode
Operation (Example)

 Differential-mode operation:  Common-mode operation:

Opposite-Polarity Inputs

 If the inputs applied to the op-amp is ideally

opposite-polarity:
Vi1 = Vs
Vi2 = −Vs
Vd = Vi1 − Vi2 = Vs − ( −Vs ) = 2Vs
Vi1 + Vi2 Vs + ( −Vs )
=Vc = = 0
2 2
∴Vo= AdVd + AcV= c Ad ( 2Vs ) + Ac ( 0=
) 2 AdVs
 The output will be twice larger for ideally opposite-
polarity inputs (no common element)
Same-Polarity Inputs

 If the inputs applied to the op-amp is ideally same-

polarity:
Vi1 = Vs
Vi2 = Vs
Vd = Vi1 − Vi2 = Vs − Vs = 0
Vi1 + Vi2 Vs + Vs
= Vc = = Vs
2 2
∴Vo= AdVd + AcVc= Ad ( 0 ) + Ac (Vs =
) AcVs
 The output will only has common-mode gain for
ideally same-polarity inputs (no difference signal)
Common-Mode Rejection

 The solution from opposite-polarity and same-

polarity inputs can be manipulated to determine the
values of Ad and Ac
 By setting Vi1 = -Vi2 = 1/2:
Vi1 = 0.5
Vi2 = −0.5
Vd = Vi1 − Vi2 = 0.5 + 0.5 = 1
Vi1 + Vi2 0.5 − ( 0.5 )
=Vc = = 0
2 2
∴Vo= AdVd + AcVc= Ad (1) + Ac ( 0=
) Ad
Common-Mode Rejection

 By setting Vi1 = Vi2 = 1:

Vi1 = Vi2 = 1
Vd = Vi1 − Vi2 = 1 − 1 = 0
Vi1 + Vi21+1
Vc = = =1
2 2
∴Vo = AdVd + AcVc = Ad (0 ) + Ac (1) = Ac
Common-Mode Rejection Ratio

 The Common-Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR)

can be defined as:
Ad
CMRR =
Ac
 In decibels (dB):

CMRR(log ) = 20 log
Ad
Ac
Common-Mode Rejection Ratio

 The value of Ad will be very large while the value of Ac will be

very small which results in Ad having the big impact on Vo
 Hence, it is more convenient to write Ac in terms of CMRR
Ad
Ac = ...[1] Vo = AdVd + AcVc ...[2]
CMRR

[2] → [1] :
Ad  1 Vc 
Vo = AdVd + Vc = AdVd 1 + 
CMRR  CMRR Vd 
Example

 Calculate
the
CMRR
Solution to Example

 The configuration (a) given is almost similar to the solution in

determining Ad from common-mode rejection
Vi1 = 0.5m
Vi2 = −0.5m
Vd = Vi1 − Vi2 = 0.5m + 0.5m = 1m
Vi1 + Vi2 0.5m − ( 0.5m )
=Vc = = 0
2 2
∴Vo= AdVd + AcV= c Ad (1m ) + Ac ( 0=
) 1mAd
Vo 8
∴ Ad = = = 8000
1m 1m
Solution to Example

 The configuration (b) given is almost similar to the solution in

determining Ac from common-mode rejection
Vi1 = Vi2 = 1m
Vd = Vi1 − Vi2 = 1m − 1m = 0
Vi1 + Vi2
1m + 1m
Vc = = = 1m
2 2
∴Vo = AdVd + AcVc = Ad (0 ) + Ac (1m ) = 1mAc
Vo 12m
∴ Ac = = = 12
1m 1m
Solution to Example

 Hence, the CMRR is:

Ad 8000
CMRR = = = 666.67
Ac 12

 In decibels:
Ad
CMRR = 20 log = 20 log 666.67 = −56.48 dB
Ac
Example

 Given: Vi1 = 150 µV

Vi2 = 140 µV
Ad = 4000
 Determine:
a) Vo for CMRR = 100
b) Vo for CMRR = 105
Solution to Example

 The differential voltage:

Vd = Vi1 − Vi2 = 150 µ − 140 µ = 10 µV

 The common-mode voltage:

Vi1 + Vi2 150 µ + 140 µ
Vc = = = 145 µV
2 2
Solution to Example

a) Entering the values for CMRR = 100:

   1 145µ 
 = 4000(10 µ )1 +
1 Vc
Vo = AdVd 1 +  = 45.8 mV
 CMRR Vd   100 10 µ 

b) Entering the values for CMRR = 105:

   1 145µ 
 = 4000(10 µ )1 + 5
1 Vc
Vo = AdVd 1 +  = 40.01 mV
 CMRR Vd   10 10 µ 