Addis Ababa Science and Technology University

College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Applied Electronics II
ECEg3102
Lecture I
Feedback Amplifiers
Contents
• Basic Feedback Amplifier
• Properties of Negative Feedback
• Feedback Topologies
• Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
 Basic concepts of Feedback…
• In a feedback system, a signal that is proportional to the output
is fed back to the input and combined with the input signal to
produce a desired system response.
• Most physical systems incorporate some form of feedback.

• Fig 1.1. Closed loop configuration

Basic concepts of Feedback…
• Feedback can be broadly classified as:
• Positive Feedback
• A portion of the output signal is added to the input. Positive feedback is
used in the design of oscillator, signal generators and a number of other
applications (will be discussed in later chapters).
• Negative Feedback
• A portion of the output signal is subtracted from the input signal. The
basic idea of negative feedback is to trade off gain for other desirable
properties. It is used for amplifiers
Basic concepts of Feedback…
Mathematical Relationship for open and closed loop gain
For open loop configuration
 Voltage gain , =
For closed loop configuration (with feedback network)
 Voltage gain , =
= for negative feed back.
But = and = , substituting these expression in above equation
= and =
 =
Basic concepts of Feedback…
Rearranging the above expression , we have
= closed loop gain (negative feedback amplifier gain)
 As increases the overall gain() decreases ,
 Negative feedback leads to reducing the gain of the amplifier .
Example : For ideal closed loop case
Calculate the feedback transfer function , given and .
 CASE A. Assume that the open-loop gain of a system is A = and the closed-loop gain is
= 50.

 CASE B. Assume that the open-loop gain is A = and the closed-loop gain is = 50.

`
Negative Feedback…
Advantages of Negative feedback
Gain Sensitivity
 Variations in the circuit transfer function (gain) as a result of changes in transistor parameter
are reduced by feedback.
If the output voltage Varies in open loop configuration the gain factor may
vary , this variation leads very small change (negative feedback) configuration
. This is important that even if there is a reduction in open loop gain there
will not be much change in overall gain . This is called desensistivity of gain

KEY:  percent change in the closed-loop gain

 percent change in the open-loop gain
The above shows that the percent change in the closed-loop gain is less than the corresponding percent
change in the open-loop gain A by the factor of ().
The term () is called desensitivity factor.
 Negative Feedback
Advantages of Negative feedback
Bandwidth Extension
The bandwidth of a circuit that incorporates negative feedback is larger than the
basic amplifier.
 Since,,the gain bandwidth product is given by .
Now, when negative feedback is applied , the amplifier gain is
reduced .since the gain Bandwidth product has to remain the
same in both cases , the bandwidth has to be increased to
compensate the reduction in gain. Hence, the lower frequency
decrease by and the higher frequency increase by . i.e

Rearranging the expression we have = and

=

Example: An RC-coupled amplifier has a mid-frequency gain of 200 for frequency response of
100Hz to 20kHz.If the negative feedback amplifier has β=0.02 what are the new parameters .
Negative Feedback
Advantages of Negative feedback
Noise Sensitivity
Negative feedback may increase the Signal-to-noise ratio if noise
generated within the feedback loop.
Negative feedback may reduce the noise level in amplifiers; more accurately,
it may increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
i.e.
The input SNR is defined as
•=
The output SNR is
• =
Negative Feedback
Advantages of Negative feedback
 Reduction of nonlinear and harmonic distortion
Let the harmonic distortion voltage generated within the amplifier change from D to when negative
feedback is applied to the amplifier
The fraction of the output distortion voltage which is feedback to the input voltage is
After amplification it becomes and it is anti-phase with original distortion voltage (D)
The new distortion voltage becomes
Rearranging the expression we
This shows that negative feedback reduces the amplifier distortion by closed loop gain,
this true when distortion is created by amplifier itself .
Example : An amplifier has a gain of 100 and 5 percent distortion with input
signal of 1V. Calculate
a)Output signal voltage b)distortion voltage C) Output voltage
Reduction of Nonlinear Distortion

• Distortion in an output signal is caused by a change in the basic

amplifier gain or a change in the slope of the basic amplifier transfer
function.

• The change in gain is a function of the nonlinear properties of bipolar

and MOS transistors used in the basic amplifier.

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Reduction of Nonlinear Distortion - Example

Given β=0.099

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Negative Feedback
Advantages of Negative feedback

Control of impedance levels

• Input and output impedance
The output and input impedance will also improved by the factor
of ,based on feedback connection type. The different types of feedback
connection is called circuit topology which we will discusses next slides
 Negative Feedback
Disadvantages of Negative feedback
• Circuit Gain
• The overall amplifier gain, with the negative feedback, is reduced
compared to the basic amplifier used in the circuit.

• Stability
• There is a possibility that the feedback circuit may become unstable
(oscillate) at high frequencies.
Ideal Feedback Topologies
Input terminal Output terminal Circuit name
Current Current Current amplifier (A/A)
Parallel (shunt) series Shunt-series (if the name of the
circuit start with the connection
of input terminal )

Voltage Voltage Voltage amplify (V/V)

series Parallel Series-shunt
Current Voltage Trans-resistance (V/A)
shunt Shunt Shunt-shunt
Voltage Current Trans-conductance (A/V)
Series series Series-series
Ideal Feedback Topologies
• There are four basic feedback topologies, based on the parameter to be amplified
(voltage or current) and the output parameter (voltage or current).

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Fundamental Assumptions
• Some fundamental assumptions are
taken in order to analyze the four
feedback configurations.
• Input is transmitted through the
amplifier only, not through the
feedback.
• The feedback signal transmitted
feedback network only, not through
the amplifier.
• ß is independent of the load and
source impedance.
Ideal structure of a Voltage-Series feedback amplifier
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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Voltage-Series (Voltage Amplifier) Feedback

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Voltage-Series (Voltage Amplifier) Feedback

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Voltage-Series (Voltage Amplifier) Feedback

From equation ..(1)

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Voltage-Series (Voltage Amplifier) Feedback

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Voltage-Series (Voltage Amplifier) Feedback

Practical case
• In practical case, feedback network will not be ideal.
• Actually, it is resistive and will load the amplifier.
• Source and load resistances will affect A, Ri, and Ro.
• Source and load resistances should be lumped with basic amplifier.
• Expressed as two-port network.

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Method of Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Steps
1. Identify if the mixing or comparison is series or shunt
a) Series mixing : If the feedback signal subtracts from the externally applied
signal as a voltage
b) Shunt mixing : If the feedback signal subtracts from the applied excitation
signal as a current.
2. Identify the sampled signal as series or shunt
a) Voltage sampling : Set Vo = 0 (RL= 0). If Xf becomes zero, we have voltage
sampling.
b) Current sampling : Set Io = 0(RL = 1). If Xf becomes zero, we have current
sampling.
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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
3. The amplifier without feedback but taking the feedback network
loading into account
1. Find the input circuit.
a) Set Vo = 0 for voltage sampling.
b) Set Io = 0 for current sampling.
2. Find the output circuit.
a) Set Vi = 0 for shunt comparison so that no feedback current enters the amplifier input.
b) Set Io = 0 for series comparison so that no feedback voltage reaches the amplifier
input.
4. Find the feedback network.
5. Calculate ß, A, Ri and Ro.
6. Calculate the closed loop Af, Rif, Rof.
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 Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Voltage-Series Feedback
The feedback voltage Vf is
connected in series with the source
signal Vs, their difference being the
input signal Vi.
Without feedback the amplifier gain
is

Vo
A   g m RL (3-7)
Vi
where,
Fig. 3-7: FET amplifier with voltage-series feedback. gm = transconductance
factor
Whereas RL is combination of resistors:
Ro RD
RL  RD Ro ( R1  R2 ) 
Ro  RD
The feedback network provides a feedback factor of
Vf  R2
  
Vo R1  R2
Using the values of A and β, we find the gain with negative feedback to be

A  g m RL
Af  
1   A 1  R2 RL g m
R1  R2
If βA >>1, we have 1R1  R2
Af   (3-7)
 R2
Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Current-Shunt (Current Amplifier) Feedback

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Current-Shunt (Current Amplifier) Feedback

Note: The effect of current-shunt

Feedback in an amplifier is to decrease
the Input resistance and increase the
output resistance.

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Current-Series (Transconductance Amplifier) Feedback

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Current-Series (Transconductance Amplifier) Feedback

Since Ix= I0
Note: The effect of current-series
Feedback in an amplifier is to 
increase both the output and
input resistance .

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Current-Series (Transconductance Amplifier) Feedback

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Current-Series (Transconductance Amplifier) Feedback

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Current-Series (Transconductance Amplifier) Feedback

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Current-Series (Transconductance Amplifier) Feedback

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Current-Series (Transconductance Amplifier) Feedback

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Voltage-Shunt (Transresistance Amplifier) Feedback

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Analysis of Feedback Amplifiers
Voltage-Shunt (Transresistance Amplifier) Feedback

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Summary

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