Instrumentation Amplifier

To study instrumentation amplifier and its use in Instrumentation engineering.

Differential amplifier

The circuit shown is used for finding the difference of two voltages each multiplied by some constant
(determined by the resistors).

(R f  R 1) R g R
V  V  f V
out (R g R ) R 2 R 1
2 1 1

 Differential Zin (between the two input pins) = R1 + R2 (Note: this is approximate)

For common-mode rejection, anything done to one input must be done to the other. The addition of
a compensation capacitor in parallel with Rf, for instance, must be balanced by an equivalent
capacitor in parallel with Rg.
Whenever R1 =R2 and Rf =Rg , the differential gain is V  A (V  V )
out 2 1

and A  Rf / R1

When R1 =Rf and R2 =Rg the differential gain is A = 1 and the circuit acts as a differential follower:

V  (V  V )
out 2 1

Excercise:

1. Construct the differential amplifier above with R1 = R2 = 4k and Rf = Rg, such that the difference
of V1 and V2 amplified by about 30. Build it in the center of your proto board to leave plenty of room
for later additions.

Connect V1 to ground and V2 to the signal generator, and check that the gain is about 30. With the
difference signal set to zero test that the circuit attenuates or rejects a common-mode input signal
Vcm , and measure the `gain' of the amplifier for a common mode signal. Use a common mode input
Vcm = 10 V p-p at 100 Hz. See what happens.

2. Improve the common mode rejection by replacing part of Rg in the non-inverting leg with a
potentiometer (with the pot set to the middle of its range, the total resistance replacing Rg should be
equal to Rg). Adjust to maximize the common mode rejection; compute the new common mode gain.
Sketch the circuit. Why has the common mode rejection been improved?

3. The `Common Mode Rejection Ratio' (CMRR) is defined as the ratio of the differential signal gain
to the common mode gain. Compute the CMRR of the above circuit.

Voltage follower

Used as a buffer amplifier to eliminate loading effects (e.g., connecting a device with a high source
impedance to a device with a low input impedance).

V  V ;Z   (realistically, the differential input impedance of the op-amp itself, 1

out in in
MΩ to 1 TΩ)

Due to the strong (i.e., unity gain) feedback and certain non-ideal characteristics of real operational
amplifiers, this feedback system is prone to have poor stability margins. Consequently, the system
may be unstable when connected to sufficiently capacitive loads. In these cases, a lag compensation
network (e.g., connecting the load to the voltage follower through a resistor) can be used to restore
stability.
Instrumentation amplifier

Combines very high input impedance, high common-mode rejection, low DC offset, and other
properties used in making very accurate, low-noise measurements. It is made by adding a non-
inverting buffer to each input of the differential amplifier to increase the input impedance.

This intimidating circuit is constructed from a buffered differential amplifier stage with three new
resistors linking the two buffer circuits together. Consider all resistors to be of equal value except for
Rgain . The negative feedback of the upper-left op-amp causes the voltage at point 1 (top of Rgain ) to be
equal to V1 . Likewise, the voltage at point 2 (bottom of Rgain ) is held to a value equal to V2 . This
establishes a voltage drop across Rgain equal to the voltage difference between V1 and V2 . That
voltage drop causes a current through Rgain , and since the feedback loops of the two input op-amps
draw no current, that same amount of current through Rgain must be going through the two "R"
resistors above and below it. This produces a voltage drop between points 3 and 4 equal to:

2R
V  ( V  V ) (1  )
34 2 1 R
gain

The regular differential amplifier on the right-hand side of the circuit then takes this voltage drop
between points 3 and 4, and amplifies it by a gain of 1 (assuming again that all "R" resistors are of
equal value). Though this looks like a cumbersome way to build a differential amplifier, it has the
distinct advantages of possessing extremely high input impedances on the V1 and V2 inputs (because
they connect straight into the non inverting inputs of their respective op-amps), and adjustable gain
that can be set by a single resistor. Manipulating the above formula a bit, we have a general
expression for overall voltage gain in the instrumentation amplifier:

2R
A  (1  )
V R
gain

Though it may not be obvious by looking at the schematic, we can change the differential gain of the
instrumentation amplifier simply by changing the value of one resistor Rgain . Yes, we could still
change the overall gain by changing the values of some of the other resistors, but this would
necessitate balanced resistor value changes for the circuit to remain symmetrical. Please note that the
lowest gain possible with the above circuit is obtained with Rgain completely open (infinite
resistance), and that gain value is 1.

Now convert your previously connected differential amplifier to the classical `instrumentation
amplifier' shown above by adding a non-inverting amplifier to each input. Use 741 op amps for each
of the non-inverting stages. Lay the circuit neatly. Select the resistance values to give the amplifier
an overall gain of about 600 to a differential input signal. Sketch circuit and test its operation by
checking that all levels are zero when the inputs are grounded (adjust Rgain so the output is less than a
volt). Check to see that a common mode input is rejected. Check to see that the gain is near 600.
Choose R=10k Rgain = 100ohm.

Remarks:

Conclusion: