OPERATIONAL

AMPLIFIERS

Operational Amplifiers with Linear Integrated Circuits, William D. Stanley

OP- AMP DC
EFFECTS AND
LIMITATIONS

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

1. Ideal op-amp model (Review)
2. Practical analysis of the non -inverting amplifier: closed-loop
gain, input impedance and output impedance
3. Practical analysis of the inverting amplifier: closed-loop
gain, input impedance and output impedance
4. Noise gain
5. Of fset Voltages and Currents
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Offset circuit model

Input offset voltage
Input bias currents
Input offset current
Output offset voltage

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ideal op-amp model

where,
= dif ferential input resistance
= output resistance
= open-loop gain
= dif ferential input voltage
= 2 1

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Non-inverting amplifier
a. Closed-loop Gain

Assuming is very small,

.
+

Classical Feedback System Representation

of a Non-inverting Amplifier

=
where is actually

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

= =
=

From Eq. 3 and 4,

=
=
+ 0 =
1 + =

=
=
1 +
.
.

From Eq. 1,

=
=
+

=
.
+

or alternately,

1
1+ 1

and therefore,

1
1

1+

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

For a non-inverting amplifier (Eq. 5)

=
+
such that,

=
+
1 +

As in an ideal situation,
+
=

which is the ideal closed-loop gain of a

non-inverting amplifier.

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Non-inverting amplifier
b. Input Impedance,

From Eq. 3 and 8,

=
=

From Eq. 9 and 10,

=

.
=

Assuming is very small,

.
=

=
+ =
1 + =

= 1 + =

As in an ideal situation,
=
which is the ideal input impedance of a
non-inverting amplifier.

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Non-inverting amplifier
c. Output Impedance,

1
+

By KVL,

2 = 0
2 = 0
but = 0,

2 + = 0

From Eq. 4, =
De-energize and consider an
imaginary voltage at the
output.

2 + = 0
2 = +
(1 + )
2 =

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Non-inverting amplifier
c. Output Impedance,
By KCL,
= 1 + 2 ,

1 2

De-energize and consider an

imaginary voltage at the
output.

(1+)

1+

As in an ideal situation,
= 0
which is the ideal output impedance of
a non-inverting amplifier.

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Inverting amplifier
a. Closed-loop Gain

Assuming 1 2 ,

2

=

= +

=
= +
= 0
=

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Inverting amplifier
a. Closed-loop Gain

From Eq. 15 and 16,

=
=

+ +

+ +

1
+ + 1

1+

As in an ideal situation,

which is the ideal closed-loop gain of an

inverting amplifier.

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Inverting amplifier
b. Input Impedance,

By KCL,
= 1 + 2 ,

1 2

2
=

(1+)

= 1+ =

= +

1 =
2 =
2 =
2 =

(1+)

.
where =

= + 1+

As in an ideal situation,
=

which is the ideal input impedance of

an inverting amplifier.

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Inverting amplifier
c. Output Impedance,
The analysis of output impedance for an
inverting amplifier is the same with a
non-inverting amplifier, therefore,

De-energize and consider an

imaginary voltage at the
output.

=
1 +

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Noise Gain
In general,

=
1
1+

where,
= actual closed-loop gain
= ideal closed-loop gain
= open-loop gain
= feedback factor

As the loop gain, , increases,

approaches the ideal closed-loop gain,
. Correspondingly, as decreases,
the difference between the actual and
ideal gains increases. This is known as
imperfection gain, or noise gain.
1
=

where, = noise gain

= feedback factor
=

= 1 +
=

1+

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 1] Determine the noise gain for the given non -inverting
amplifier circuit.

= 1 +
= 1
=

10
+
2

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 2] Determine the noise gain for the given inverting amplifier
circuit below.

= 1 +
= 1
=

4
+
2

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 3] Consider the linear combination circuit below.
(a) Determine an ideal expression for in terms of the three
input voltages assuming infinite open -loop gain.
(b) Determine the value of the noise gain.
(c) Given that the open-loop gain is = , calculate the
actual values of the DC gains for the three signals.

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 3] Consider the linear combination circuit below.
(a) Determine an ideal expression for in terms of the three
input voltages assuming infinite open -loop gain.
= 1 1 2 2 3 3
=

240

12 1

240
2
6

240
3
4

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 3] Consider the linear combination circuit below.
(b) Determine the value of the noise gain.

= 1 +
= 1 +
=

240
1
1
1
+
+
12 6 4

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 3] Consider the linear combination circuit below.
(c) Given that the open-loop gain is = , calculate the
actual values of the DC gains for the three signals.
1()
20
1 =
=
= .

121
1+
1+
2 104
2()
40
2 =
=
= .

121
1+
1+
2 104
3()
60
3 =
=
= .

121
1+
1+
2 104

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Offset Voltages and Currents
In an ideal op-amp, the DC output voltage is zero when
the DC input is also zero. However, a DC of fset voltage may be
measured at the output when the input is zero. The total of fset
voltage can be considered to be a function of:
a. Input of fset voltage, ( ) a phenomenon arising from the
DC balance of the two inputs.
b. Input bias currents, ( + and ) the actual currents that
must flow into or out of the input terminals to ensure proper
operation of the solid -state circuitry.

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Offset Circuit Model
where,
= input of fset voltage
+ = input of fset current at
the non-inverting input
= input of fset current at
the inverting input

The ef fect of at the output can be either positive or negative, so the

direction of is arbitrar y.

The actual directions of + and actually depend on the polarity of the

transistor circuitr y in the input stage. Thus, the directions of the current
sources are arbitrar y as long as both have the same directions.

To analyze the ef fects of , + and , the principle of Superpositi on

should be used.

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Input Of fset Voltage

= +

where,
1 = magnitude of the output
voltage due to

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Input Bias Currents ( + )

Assuming very little current goes into

the input,
+ = +
=

where,
2 = magnitude of the output
voltage due to +

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Input Bias Currents ( )

is at virtual ground, so = 0,
=
Combining the ef fects of + and ,

= +
+

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Input Offset Current

The input of fset current may be

defined as the magnitude of the
dif ference between the bias currents
at the two inputs.

= +

If the ef fects of + and cancel out,

and assuming that both have
approximatel y equal magnitudes such
that + = =

2 = 1 +
= 0

1 +
=

=
+
= / /
(optimum value of compensating resistance)

= +
when = // , or

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Output Offset Voltage

The wor st-case magnitude of the

output of fset can be expressed as

() = +

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 4] Calculate the output of fset voltage for the given circuit.
The op-amp specifications list = . and negligible input
bias currents.

() = 1 +

() = 1 +

150
2

() = .

1.8

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 5] Calculate the total of fset voltage for the circuit below, for
an op-amp with specified values of input of fset voltage =
and input of fset current = .
1 = 1 +
1 = 1 +

500
5

1 = 404

// ,

2 =

2 = 500 150
2 = 75
() = 1 + 2
() = 404 + 75
() =

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 6] Consider the non -inverting amplifier circuit below. Assume
the typical of fset and bias voltages for the 741 op -amp as
= , = and = .
a. Determine the magnitude of the output voltage .
b. With no compensating resistance, determine the magnitude
of the output voltage .
c. Determine the optimum value of .
d. With set at the optimum value, determine the new value
of .

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 6] Consider the non -inverting amplifier circuit below. Assume
the typical of fset and bias voltages for the 741 op -amp as
= , = and = .
a. Determine the magnitude of the output voltage .

1 = 1 +

1 = 1 +

1
10

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 6] Consider the non -inverting amplifier circuit below. Assume
the typical of fset and bias voltages for the 741 op -amp as
= , = and = .
b. With no compensating resistance, determine the magnitude
of the output voltage .
2 = 1 +

Assume + = =
2 = 1 +
2 = 0 1 +
=

1
10

1 80

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 6] Consider the non -inverting amplifier circuit below. Assume
the typical of fset and bias voltages for the 741 op -amp as
= , = and = .
c. Determine the optimum value of .

=
+
10 1
=
10 + 1
= .

OP-AMP DC EFFECTS AND LIMITATIONS

Ex. 6] Consider the non -inverting amplifier circuit below. Assume
the typical of fset and bias voltages for the 741 op -amp as
= , = and = .
d. With set at the optimum value, determine the new value
of .
2 =

2 = 1 20
=