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EE B1-2A: Electronics 1
Stability
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 2
9. Opamp internals
8. Feedback (positive): oscillators
6,7. Feedback (negative)
5. Amplifier circuits
4. Small signal equivalent circuits
3. Bias circuits
2. PN junction, BJT, MOS
0,1. Models & Circuit analysis
Electronics where are we?
11. Digital Circuits
10. RF
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 3
In this lecture:
The scary -1 point
Nyquist plot
Phase and gain margin
Bode plot
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 4
Feedback

What if it
becomes
small?
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 5

When do you
have a
problem?
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 6
Stability
-1 A
S
c
a
r
y
!
!
!
!
!

A|=-1 means:
|A||=1
arg(A|)=180
Close to that is
also scary!
S
c
a
r
y
!
!
!
!
!

Scary!!!!!
S c a r y ! ! ! ! !
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 7
A(je)|(je)
is the loop gain or
Nyquist factor.
A u
IN
u
UIT
+
-
|
"If the open-loop transfer function A(je)|(je) is
stable, then the closed-loop system is unstable
for any encirclement of the point -1
Nyquist stability theorem
(we assume open-loop stable minimum phase systems,
etc, theres is far more to it, were not a control
theory course, just google if youre interested!)
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Im [A(e)|(e)]
1
e=0
e=
-1
Re [A(e)|(e)]
Nyquist plot
Stable
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Im [A(e)|(e)]
1
e=0
e=
-1
Re [A(e)|(e)]
Nyquist plot
Unstable
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 10
Im [A(e)|(e)]
1
e=0
e=
-1
Re [A(e)|(e)]
Nyquist plot
Unstable
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 11
Nyquist plot
e=0
e=
Im [A(e)|(e)]
Re [A(e)|(e)]
-1
Stable
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 12
How far does A(e)|(e) stay from the -1 point?
How stable is a system?
1. Gain margin
e=0
e=
Im [A(e)|(e)]
Re [A(e)|(e)]
-1
G.M. (factor)
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2. Phase margin
e=0
e=
Im [A(e)|(e)]
Re [A(e)|(e)]
-1
How stable is a system?
How far does A(e)|(e) stay from the -1 point?
PM
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 14
Phase margin & gain margin
|A||
[dB]
0
log e
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
arg (A|)
[
o
]
-90
0
-180
Phase margin
Gain margin
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How much?
How much phase margin and gain margin do you
need?
Depends on required peaking in (closed loop)
frequency response or ringing of (closed loop)
transient step response.
Often used: phase margin = 4570 (modest to
almost no ringing).
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[dB]
e
-3dB
=1/t
|(
o
)
0
-90
-180
e(log)
1
st
order LPF-like A: Bode plot
-20 dB/dec
1
A
1 j
| =
+
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 17
[dB]
|(
o
)
0
-90
-180
e(log)
e
1
=1/t
1
e
2
=1/t
2
-20 dB/dec
-40 dB/dec
0
2
1 2 1 2
A
A
1 j( ) ( )
|
| ~
+ +
A
0
2
nd
order LPF-like A: Bode plot
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EE B1-2A: Electronics 18
[dB]
3
rd
order LPF-like A: Bode plot
|(
o
)
0
-90
-180
e(log)
-270
e=1/t
2
e=1/t
3
e=1/t
1
-20 dB/dec
-40 dB/dec
-60 dB/dec
A
0
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0 5 10 15 20
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
1 e
t

uuit t p1 , ( )
uuit t p2 , ( )
uuit t p3 , ( )
t

So....
A 1
st
order open loop gain is always closed loop
stable. Phase margin >90
o
.

A 2
nd
order open loop gain is always closed loop
stable (theoretically). Closed loop responds might
be too undamped.



3
rd
and higher order systems can be unstable
(oscillate).
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Frequency compensated opamps
have dominant 1
st
order behaviour.
And are always stable with resistive (negative) feedback.
Practical opamps
A [dB]
e(log)
0 dB
Unity gain stable (UGS)
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Datasheet
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Datasheet
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Summary
Stability: look at the OPEN LOOP GAIN A(e)|(e)

Nyquist plot: A(e)|(e) should not encircle -1

Bode plot: A(e)|(e) needs sufficient phase margin
and gain margin.

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EE B1-2A: Electronics 24
Next:
Exercises O6.1, O7.3f,g,h, O7.4, O6.2c,d

Next time: make a circuit instable ON PURPOSE
(oscillators)