Feedback Concepts

The effects of negative feedback on an amplifier:

Disadvantage
• Lower gain

Advantages
• Higher input impedance
• More stable gain
• Improved frequency response
• Lower output impedance
• Reduced noise
• More linear operation

1
 Feedback Connection Types
• Voltage-series feedback
• Voltage-shunt feedback
• Current-series feedback
• Current-shunt feedback

2
 Voltage-Series Feedback

For voltage-series feedback, the

output voltage is fed back in series
to the input.

The feedback gain is given by:

1 R1  R 2
Af  
β R2

4
 Voltage-Shunt Feedback
For a voltage-shunt feedback amplifier, the output voltage is fed back in
parallel with the input.

The feedback gain is given by

Ro
Af  
Ri

5
 Current-Series Feedback
For a current-series feedback
amplifier, a portion of the
output current is fed back in
series with the input.

To determine the feedback gain:

I A  h fe h ie  h fe
Af  o   
Vs 1  βA   h fe  h ie  h fe R E
1  (  R E ) 
 h ie  R E 

6
 Current-Shunt Feedback
For a current-shunt feedback amplifier, a portion of the output
current is directed back in parallel with the input.

The feedback gain is

given by:
I
Af  o
Is

7
Summary of Feedback Effects

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 Frequency Distortion with Feedback
• If the feedback network is purely resistive, then the gain with
feedback will be less dependent on frequency variations. In some
cases the resistive feedback removes all dependence on frequency
variations.

• If the feedback includes frequency dependent components

(capacitors and inductors), then the frequency response of the
amplifier will be affected.

15
 Noise and Nonlinear Distortion
• The feedback network reduces noise by cancellation. The phase
of the feedback signal is often opposite the phase of the input
signal.

• Nonlinear distortion is also reduced simply because the gain is

reduced. The amplifier is operating in midrange and not at the
extremes.

16
 Bandwidth with Feedback
Feedback increases the bandwidth of an amplifier.

17
 Gain Stability with Feedback

Gain calculations with feedback are often based on external

resistive elements in the circuit. By removing gain calculations
from internal variations of  and gm, the gain becomes more
stable.

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Phase and Frequency Considerations
At higher frequencies the feedback signal may no longer
be out of phase with the input. The feedback is thus
positive and the amplifier, itself, becomes unstable and
begins to

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 Oscillator Operation

The feedback signal must be positive. The overall gain must equal one (unity
gain).
If the feedback signal is not
positive or the gain is less than If the overall gain is greater than
one, the oscillations dampens out. one, the oscillator eventually
saturates.

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Types of Oscillator Circuits

Phase-shift oscillator
Wien bridge oscillator
Tuned oscillator circuits
Crystal oscillators
Unijunction oscillator

21
 Phase-Shift Oscillator
The amplifier must supply enough
gain to compensate for losses. The
overall gain must be unity.

The RC networks provide the

necessary phase shift for a positive
feedback.

The values of the RC components

also determine the frequency of
oscillation:
1
f
2 πRC 6

more…

22
 Phase-Shift Oscillator
The amplifier must supply enough
gain to compensate for losses. The
overall gain must be unity.

The RC networks provide the

necessary phase shift for a positive
feedback.

The values of the RC components

also determine the frequency of
oscillation:
1
f
2π 6RC

more…

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 Wien Bridge Oscillator
The amplifier must supply
enough gain to compensate
for losses. The overall gain
must be unity.

• The feedback resistors

are R3 and R4.

• The phase-shift
components are R1, C1
and R2, C2.

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 Tuned Oscillator Circuits
Tuned oscillators use a parallel LC resonant circuit (LC tank) to
provide the oscillations.

There are two common types:

Colpitts—The resonant circuit is an inductor and two capacitors.

Hartley—The resonant circuit is a tapped inductor or two

inductors and one capacitor.

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 Colpitts Oscillator Circuit
The frequency of oscillation is
determined by:

1
fo 
2π LCeq

where:
C1C 2
C eq 
C1  C 2

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 Hartley Oscillator Circuit

The frequency of oscillation is

determined by:

1
fo 
2 π L eq C

where:

L eq  L 1  L 2  2M

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 Crystal Oscillators
The crystal appears as a resonant circuit.

The crystal has two resonant frequencies:

Series resonant condition

• RLC determine the resonant frequency
• The crystal has a low impedance

Parallel resonant condition

• 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.

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 Series Resonant Crystal Oscillator
• RLC determine the resonant frequency

• The crystal has a low impedance

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 Parallel Resonant Crystal Oscillator
• RL and CM determine
the resonant frequency

• The crystal has a high

impedance

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 Unijunction Oscillator
The output frequency is
determined by:

1
fo 
R T C T ln  1 (1  η)

Where  is a rating of
the unijunction
transistor with values
between 0.4 and 0.6.

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 Unijunction Oscillator Waveforms
The unijunction oscillator (or
relaxation oscillator) produces a
sawtooth waveform.

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