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Rin and Rout of the

Inverting Amplifier
Recall that the input resistance of an amplifier is:

Rin

vin
iin

For the inverting amplifier, it is evident that the input current iin is equal to i1 :

R2
i2
vin

R1

v-

iin i1

oc
vout

v+

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

9/21/2016

330493870.doc

2/11

Its input resistance

From Ohms Law, we know that this current is:

iin i1
The non-inverting terminal is
connected to virtual ground:

vin v1
R1
R2

v 0

i2

and thus the input current is:

iin i1

vin

vin
R1

We now can determine the input

resistance:

Rin

vin
vin
iin

R1

v-

iin i1

oc
vout

v+

R1
R1
vin

The input resistance of this inverting amplifier is therefore Rin R1 !

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

9/21/2016

330493870.doc

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Output resistance is harder

Now, lets attempt to determine the output resistance Rout.
Recall that we need to determine two values: the short-circuit output current
sc
oc
iout
and the open-circuit output voltage vout .

To accomplish this, we must replace the op-amp in the circuit with its linear
circuit model:

R2
i2
vin

R1

ii i1

v-

+ v
+

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

op
Rout

op
i
+
out
Aop (v v )

vout 0
sc
iout

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First, the short circuit output current

R2

From KCL, we find that:

i2

op
sc
iout
i2 iout

where:

op
out

and:

vin

oc
Aop v vout

Roop

Aop v

R1

ii i1

Roop

v-

+ v
+

op
Rout

op
i
+
out
Aop (v v )

oc
v vout
v
i2

R2
R2

Therefore, the short-circuit output current is:

sc
out

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

op
Aop
v Aop v Rout R2 Aop

op
v

op
op

R2
Rout
R
R
R
2 out
out

Dept. of EECS

vout 0
sc
iout

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Now, the open circuit output voltage

The open-circuit output voltage can
likewise be determined in terms of Aop
and v- .

R2
i2

R1

vin

ii i1

v-

+ v
+
Here, it is evident that since iout = 0:
op
i2 iout

where we find from Ohms Law:

i2

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

v ( Aopv )
op
R2 Rout

Dept. of EECS

1 Aop

op
R2 Rout

op
Rout

op
iout
+
Aop (v v )

iout =0
+
-

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The open-circuit output voltage

R2

Now from KVL:

i2

oc
vout
v R2 i2

vin
Inserting the expression for i2 :

R1

ii i1

op
R2 Rout

R R op R2 1 Aop
out
2

op
op
R2 Rout
R2 Rout

Roop R2 Aop

v
op
R2 Rout

R2 Aop

v
op
R2 Rout

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

v-

+ v
+

1 Aop

oc
vout
v R2

Dept. of EECS

op
Rout

op
i
+
out
Aop (v v )

iout =0
+
-

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Now we find the output resistance

Now, we can find the output resistance of this amplifier:

Rout

oc
vout
sc
iout

R2 Aop Aop

op
op
R

R
R
o
2
o
op
R R
2 o op
R2 Ro

R2 Roop
In other words, the inverting amplifier output resistance is simply equal to the
op
value of the feedback resistor R2 in parallel with op-amp output resistance Rout .

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

9/21/2016

330493870.doc

8/11

This is zero if the op-amp is ideal

Ideally, of course, the op-amp output resistance is zero, so that the output
resistance of the inverting amplifier is likewise zero:
op
Rout R2 Rout

R2 0
0

Note for this casewhere the output resistance is zerothe output voltage will
be the same, regardless of what load is attached at the output (e.g., regardless
of iout )!
R
2

i2
vin

R1

ii i1

+ v
+

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

iout 0

vop
i
+
out
Aop (v v )

+
-

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For real op-amps the

output resistance is small
Thus, if Rout 0 , then the output voltage is equal to the open-circuit output
voltageeven when the output is not open circuited:

vout

R2
v
R1 in

for all iout !!

Recall that it is this property that made Rout 0 an ideal amplifier

characteristic.
We will find that real (i.e., non-ideal!) op-amps typically have an output
op
resistance that is very small ( Rout = R2 ), so that the inverting amplifier output
resistance is approximately equal to the op-amp output resistance:
op
Rout R2 Rout
op
Rout

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

9/21/2016

330493870.doc

10/11

A summary
Summarizing, we have found that for the inverting amplifier:

Rin R1
op
Rout Rout

(ideally zero)

Thus, this inverting amplifier

iin t

vin t

R2
R1

iout t

vout t

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS

9/21/2016

330493870.doc

11/11

The inverting amp equivalent circuit

has the equivalent circuit:

iin t

vin t

op
out

R2
R1

iout t

vout t

vin t

Note the input resistance and open-circuit voltage gain of the inverting
amplifier is VERY different from that of the op-amp itself!

Jim Stiles

The Univ. of Kansas

Dept. of EECS