University of Bristol

Electronics 1
Technical Note

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Contents
Introduction P.3

Laboratory Exercise 1 P.4-5

Laboratory Exercise 2 P.6

Laboratory Exercise 3 P.7-10

Appendix P.11 -12

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Introduction
In this project, I am going to investigate the application of op-amp based amplifier
circuits. The main function of an amplifier is to amplify the voltage based on the
equation:

A x Vin= Vout

where A is the gain, Vin is the input voltage difference, and Vout is the output voltage.

In the laboratory exercises, the experiments are mainly focus on the frequency
response of a inverting amplifier, DC voltage offset and tone controls. I conducted the
experiments based on the laboratory exercise using the lab equipment.

The present paper will analyse the output of these experiments. Required values will
be measured and calculations will be carried out with steps. The tasks stated in the
laboratory instruction sheet will be answered with explanations, graphs and
comparison with the simulation in AWR_DE.

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Laboratory Exercise 1
Task 1:

In order to allow 98% of the source voltage Vgen to reach the input terminals of the
amplifiers.
𝑅1
98% x Vgen = Vgen 𝑅1+𝑅𝑠, where Rs is 50Ω.
𝑅1
0.98 = 𝑅1+50

49 = 0.02 R1

R1 = 2450 Ω

Task 2:
𝑅2
𝐺=− (1)
𝑅1

The 220k Ω Trimmer pot is selected. Therefore, Rt = 220k.

𝑅1 = 𝑘 𝑥 𝑅𝑡 (2)

𝑅2 = (1 − 𝑘)𝑥 𝑅𝑡 (3)

Substituting (2) and (3) into (1),

𝑅2
𝐺 = 20 log(𝑅1)

k x Rt
20 = 20 log( )
(1 − k) x Rt
k x Rt
20 = 20 log( )
(1 − k) x Rt
k
10 =
1−k
1
𝑘=
11
Therefore,

𝑅1 = 20kΩ
4
 𝑅2 = 200𝑘Ω

R1 is greater than the value calculated in Task 1.

Task 3:
The graph1 of the gain of the inverting amplifier in dB vs frequency is plotted below.
Gain in dB

Frequency (Hz)

The simulation2 with AWR_DE is shown below.

Gain in dB

Both graphs show a similar trend of the gain along the frequency. The gain remains
the same when the frequency is below 10kHz and starts to decrease when the
frequency is above 10kHz, with a negative slope of 20dB/dec.

1
Appendix I
2
Appendix 2

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Laboratory Exercise 2
Task 4:
The graph of Vo vs Vin is plotted below.

Vout(V) / Vin(V)
35

30

25

20
Vout

15

10

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

Vin

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Laboratory Exercise 3
Task 5:
The gain in an inverting amplifier is represented by the equation:
𝑉𝑜 𝑅2
= −
𝑉𝑖𝑛 𝑅1
In this case,
𝑉𝑜
− = 10
𝑉𝑖𝑛
𝑅2 = 𝑅 + 𝑅𝑣 , where Rv = 22kΩ

𝑅1 = 𝑅

Therefore,
𝑅 + 22𝑘
10 =
𝑅
22
𝑅= Ω
9

Task6:
Firstly B is calculated.
𝑅𝑣 22𝑘
𝐵= =
𝑅 2.4𝑘
𝐵 = 9.17

The gain can be expressed by :

The gain in dB is now 3dB and the k is now 0.

𝑉𝑜
3 = 20 𝑙𝑜𝑔
𝑉𝑖𝑛
𝑉𝑜
= 1.41
𝑉𝑖𝑛
𝑉𝑜 √1 + [𝜏𝜔(1 + 9.17)]2
|G| = =
𝑉𝑖𝑛 √1 + 𝜔𝜏 2
1 + (10.17𝜏𝜔)2
1.412 =
1 + (𝜏𝜔)2

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 2 + 2(𝜏𝜔)2 = 1 + (10.17𝜏𝜔)2

1 = 101(𝜏𝜔)2

τω = 98 x10−6

2πfτ = 98 x10−6
τ = 1.576

Therefore,

τ = CR = 1.576

C = 6.56 x 10−9 𝐹

Task 7:
The Rf resistor can prevent the bias current from charging up the capacitor until it
reaches a voltage equal to either the positive or negative power supply, thus stop the
power supply drifting.

Task 8:
When k is 0, the gain increases at a small rate in the beginning. Then, it increases at a
higher rate. Finally, it increases at a small rate again.

When k is 1, the gain decreases at a small rate in the beginning. Then, it decreases at
a higher rate. Finally, it decreases at a small rate again.

The behaviour is due to the sum of terms of the modulus of the gain.

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Task 9:
The graphs of the gain vs frequency with two k values are plotted below.

The following are the graph simulated by AWR_DE with the values k = 0 and k = 1
respectively.

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It can be seen that the graph derives a similar behaviour of the frequency response
from both experimental results and the AWR_DE simulation. However, the absolute
magnitude of the frequency response from the AWR_DE simulation(15dB) is lower
than that from the experiment(20dB). This may be due to the resistance in the wire
causing errors.

Task 10:
Resistor and capacitor values may not be exact.

Internal resistance is not taken into account.

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Appendix 1
frequency vo vin Vo/Vin G (db)
(Hz)
100 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
200 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
300 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
400 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
500 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
600 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
700 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
800 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
900 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
1000 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
2000 3.88 0.45 8.622222 18.71238
3000 3.89 0.45 8.644444 18.73474
4000 3.89 0.45 8.644444 18.73474
5000 3.9 0.45 8.666667 18.75704
6000 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
7000 3.87 0.45 8.6 18.68997
8000 3.85 0.45 8.555556 18.64496
9000 3.83 0.45 8.511111 18.59973
10000 3.83 0.45 8.511111 18.59973
20000 3.71 0.45 8.244444 18.32323
30000 3.5 0.45 7.777778 17.81711
40000 3.2 0.45 7.111111 17.03875
50000 2.9 0.45 6.444444 16.18371
60000 2.6 0.45 5.777778 15.23522
70000 2.3 0.45 5.111111 14.17031
80000 2.11 0.45 4.688889 13.4214
90000 1.9 0.45 4.222222 12.51082
100000 1.77 0.45 3.933333 11.89522
200000 0.96 0.45 2.133333 6.581174
300000 0.68 0.45 1.511111 3.585928
400000 0.53 0.45 1.177778 1.421267
500000 0.43 0.45 0.955556 -0.39488
600000 0.37 0.45 0.822222 -1.70022
700000 0.33 0.45 0.733333 -2.69397
800000 0.29 0.45 0.644444 -3.81629
900000 0.27 0.45 0.6 -4.43697
1000000 0.17 0.45 0.377778 -8.45527

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Appendix 2

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