BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

3.0

TOPIC 4

FEEDBACK

The output of the amplifier is fedback to the input so that correcting action can be taken.
It consists of two basic sections:
1). Amplifier; which is an active element
2). Feedback with passive elements

Signal
source

Mixer
network

Basic
amplifier

Sampling
network

Feedback
network

Figure : 3.1
1). Signal Source
Either a signal voltage, Vs in series with Rs or a signal current Is parallel with Rs.
2). Amplifier
4 types of amplifier:
1). Voltage amplifier
2). Current amplifier
3). Transresistance amplifier
4). Transconductance amplifier
3). Feedback network ()
Usually a passive two-port network which may consist of resistors,
capacitor and inductors.
Electronics

45

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

TOPIC 4

There are two types of feedback:

i) negative feedback
ii) positive feedback

Xs

Xi

Xo

Xf

Figure : 3.2
Xs = Source signal
Xo = Output signal
Xf = Feedback signal
Xi = Input signal
4). Mixer network
i). Series mixer
ii). Shunt mixer
5). Sampling network
i). Voltage or Node sampling
ii). Current or Loop sampling

Electronics

46

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

TOPIC 4

Negative feedback gain, Av

1). Open loop gain,
Av

Xo
, Xi Xs
Xi

2). Closed loop gain,

Avf

Xo
Xs

Xo
, open loop
Xs

Xf
, feedback
Xo

Xo = Axi
Xi = Xs - Xf
Xo = A(Xs - Xf)
Xf = Xo
Xo = A(Xs - Xf)
Xo = AXs - AXo
Xo + AXo = AXs
Xo(1 + A) = AXs

Avf

Xo
A

Xs 1 A

Electronics

47

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

TOPIC 4

Positive feedback gain, Av

1). Open loop gain,
Av

Xo
, Xi Xs
Xi

2). Closed loop gain,

Avf

Xo
Xs

Xo
, open loop
Xs

Xf
, feedback
Xo

Xo = Axi
Xi = Xs + Xf
Xo = A(Xs + Xf)
Xf = Xo
Xo = A(Xs + Xf)
Xo = AXs + AXo
Xo - AXo = AXs
Xo(1 - A) = AXs
(3.1)
Avf

Xo
A

Xs 1 A

Electronics

48

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

3.1

TOPIC 4

EFFECT OF NEGATIVE FDBK

1) GAIN
a) Make the high gain amplifier independent
of open loop gain.
Avf = Av / (1 + Av)

High gain,

Av 1
1 can be neglected

Avf = Av / (1 + Av) Av / Av
Avf = 1 /

(3.2)

It can be concluded that the closed loop

gain of a high gain amplifier is independent of
the open loop gain.

b) Reduce gain
- Gain without feedback
Av = Vo / Vs
= Vo / Vin
- Gain with feedback
Electronics

49

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

TOPIC 4

Avf = Av / (1 + Av)

(3.3)

By applying negative feedback, gain is reduced by a factor of 1 + Av

c) Improve the gain stability
% reduction of gain for a system with a negative feedback applied is much less
than % reduction of gain for an open loop gain.
Gain is much more stable.
2) BANDWIDTH
Gain is reduced by a factor of 1 + A
Bandwidth is increased by a factor of 1 + A
Lower cutoff frequency is reduced by 1 + A
Upper cutoff frequency is increased by 1 + A
or
Bwf = Bw (1 + Av)
fHf = fH (1 + Av)
fLf = fL / (1 + Av)

(3.4)

3) DISTORTION
Consider an amplifier with added distortion

Electronics

50

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

TOPIC 4

Figure : 3.3

Without feedback
Vo = AvVin + D
With feedback
Vin = Vs - Vo
Vo = AvVin + D
Vo = [(AvVs) / (1 + Av)] + [D / (1 + Av)]

Dfdbk = D / (1 + Av)

(3.5)

Distortion is reduced by a factor of

(1 + Av) by adding the negative feedback
4) NOISE
Consider an amplifier with an internal noise
added.
N1

A1

N2

A2

Figure : 3.4
Without feedback
Electronics

51

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

TOPIC 4

Vo = (Av1Vin + N)Av2
Av1Av2 = Av
Vo = Av1Av2Vin + N
Vo = AvVin + N

With feedback
Vin = Vs - Vo
Vo = (Av1Vin + N)Av2

Vo = [(AvVs)/(1 + Av)] + [(NAv2)/( 1 + Av)]

(3.6)

The noise portion is reduced by a factor of

1 + Av

Electronics

52

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

TOPIC 4

3.2

TYPES OF FEEDBACK CONNECTIONS

3.2.1

VOLTAGE SERIES

Vs

VOLTAGE
AMPLIFIER

Vf

RL

Figure : 3. 5
a)

Basic Amplifier Voltage Amplifier

b)

Sampling - Voltage

c)

Mixer Series

d)

Gain Voltage gain

Vf = Vo
A = Av

Vf
Vo

Af = Avf

Electronics

53

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

3.2.1.1

TOPIC 4

Effect of Negative Feedback on input resistance, Ri

Without fdbk:
Ri

Vi
Ii

With feedback:
Rif

Vs
Ii

But Vi = Vs - Vf
Vs = Vi + Vf
Rif

(3.7)

Vi V f
Ii

Vf = Vo
Rif

(3.8)

Vi Vo
Ii

Vo = AvVi

Rif

(3.9)

Vi AvVi
Ii

Rif = Ri (1 + Av)

(3.10)

Electronics

54

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

3.2.1.2

TOPIC 4

Effect of negative feedback onOutput resistance, Ro:

Rof is determined by looking into the output terminal with
RL disconnected.
and RL =

i) Let Vs = 0,
ii) Ratio of Vo/I = Rof

Ro

AvVi

Vo

Figure : 3. 6

From Figure : 3.6

I

Vo AvVi
Ro

Vs = 0
Vi = Vs Vf = -Vf = -Vo
I

Vo Av ( Vo )
Ro

Vo (1 Av )
Ro

Thus,

Electronics

55

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

Rof =

TOPIC 4

Ro
( 1 + Av)

(3.11)

3.2.2 CURRENT SHUNT

Ii

Io
Current
amplifier

I
s

If

RL

= If / Io

Figure : 3.13

Ri

I
s

AIIi

Ro

RL

Figure : 3.14
The Gain
Without Feedback
AI

Io Io

I s Ii

With feedback:
Io
AIf Electronics
Is

56

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

TOPIC 4

AI
1 AI
Effect of Negative feedback on Input resistance, Ri
AIf

3.2.2.1

(3.21)

V
V
Ri i Vi i
Rif I s
I
I i I if

Rif

Vi
I i I o

Rif

Ri
1 AI

(3.22)

Vi
Rif
I i AI I I

3.2.2.2

Effect of Negative feedback on Output resistance, Ro

I
I1
Ri

AiIi

Ro

Vo

Figure : 3.15
From diagram:
I1 = I + AiIi
I

Vo
AI I i
Ro

Electronics

57

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

TOPIC 4

Vo
AI ( I f )
Ro

Vo
AI I
Ro

I AI I

Vo
Ro

Rof = Ro(1 + AI)

Electronics

(3.23)

58

BRITISH MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE

TOPIC 4

Exercise
1. Draw and label the block diagram for a system with feedback connected in
current shunt
2. The gain of an operational amplifier is 2000 before 2 % of it's output is
applied with negative feedback. Calculate the percentage of reduction in the
feedback gain of the op amp if the open circuit loop gain reduces by 50%
due to aging.
3. An amplifier has a gain of 60 dB. It is required to reduce this gain to 15 dB
by application of negative feedback. Calculate the required feedback factor.
4. Explain the effect of negative feedback on noise and distortion in an
amplifier.
5. A transistor has a current gain of 150, a collector load resistor of 3000 and
input resistance of 1000. Calculate the voltage gain of the circuit.
Calculate also the voltage gain when the negative feedback is applied with a
feedback factor of 0.05.

Electronics

59