EXPERIMENT 5
Operational Amplifier Applications
The integrated circuit operational amplifier (op-amp) is an extremely versatile
electronic device, which is encountered in a wide variety of applications ranging from
consumer electronics (stereos, VCR’s) to complex commercial applications and
industrial controls. This versatility stems from the very high voltage gain (100,000
and higher for the 741) together with high input resistance (typically >1 MOhm and
low output resistance (typically 50 Ohm). These characteristics allow the use of large
amounts of feedback from the output to the input. The resulting output signal is
dependent only on the external components. Op-amps are direct-coupled devices such
that the input signal may be either AC or DC, or a combination of the two. The
industrial standard op-amp, the 741, requires two power supplies, one positive and
one negative. For most applications the magnitude of these two voltages is the same.
All op-amps have two inputs connected in a differential mode, so that output voltage
is Vo= A (V+ - V-) where V+ is the voltage at the non-inverting input and V- is the
voltage at the inverting input. A is the open loop gain of the op-amp. The circuit
symbol for an op-amp is shown in Fig.8.1.and the pin out diagram of 741 is shown in
Fig.5.2.
Fig.5.1 The circuit symbol for an op-amp
Fig5.2. The pin out diagram of an op amp 741
EXPERIMENT 8.a +
Inverting Amplifier
Concept
Fig.5.3 shows an op-amp in the inverting configuration biased by the power supply
connections Vcc and - Vcc.. To analyze this circuit, we will use Kirchhoff's Current
Law (KCL) to determine the output node voltage V o and the circuit voltage gain given
by the formula
Where Vs is the input voltage.
Fig.5.3 the inverting amplifier
It is important to distinguish between the voltage gain of the circuit and the open-loop
voltage gain of the op-amp. The op-amp is only part of the amplifier circuit. The
open-loop voltage gain A of the op-amp is the voltage gain from the two op-amp
inputs to the op-amp output. While the output node of the whole amplifier circuit may
be the output node of the op-amp, the input to the amplifier circuit will not be, in
general, the same as voltage applied across the input terminals of the op-amp.
Analyzing the above circuit, one gets that:
Procedure
1) Get the following components: op amp 741, 10-kΩ resistor and 20-kΩ
resistor.
2) Connect them as shown in Fig.5.4.
3) Connect the positive supply voltage to 15 V DC supply, and the negative
supply voltage to –15 V DC supply.
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+ Simulate/Build
4) Connect an AC signal source 1 V, 1 kHz to the negative input terminal.
5) Get an oscilloscope, connect channel ‘A’ to the function generator output and
channel ‘B’ to the output.
6) Turn on the oscilloscope and observe the output.
Fig.5.4 the inverting op amp configuration
Results
The gain of the above amplifier will be –2 V/V. The negative sign indicates that the
output is phase shifted 180 degree with respect to the input. The output waveform is
shown in Fig.5.5.
Fig.5.5 the input and output waveforms of the circuit Fig.8.4
Summary
The inverting amplifier is used to produce an output, which is larger than the input, by
a factor of R1/R2. The output waveform of this amplifier configuration will be shifted
180o from the input waveform.
Practical work
1) Modify the circuit of Fig.5.4 to obtain a gain of -3 V/V? sketch the new
circuit diagram below.
2) Modify the circuit to produce a non-inverting amplifier (i.e. apply the input
voltage through a resistor to the positive input terminal and ground the
negative input terminal), calculate the gain in this case. Sketch the output
waveform. Is the output signal phase shifted with respect to the input?
3) Define the DC offset voltage and slew rate of the op amp.
4) Review the attached 741 data sheet. What are the Dc offset and the slew rate
specified?
5) Simulate the circuit in Fig.5.4. Sketch the input and output waveforms, for 1
MHz and 10 MHz, 1 V square wave input signal.
EXPERIMENT 5.b +
Weighted Summer
Concept
One of the interesting applications of the inverting configuration is the weighted
summer circuit. Here we have a resistance R2 in the negative feedback path, but we
have number of input signals V1 V2 ….Vn, each applied to a corresponding resistor R 1
R2 ….Rn. which are connected to the inverting terminal of the op amp.
Fig.5.6. The weighted summer configuration
By analyzing the circuit shown in Fig.5.6, we find that the output voltage will be
weighted sum of the inputs V1 V2 ….Vn that is the output voltage is:
Note that each summing coefficient can be adjusted independently.
Procedure
1) Get the following components: op amp 741, three resistors 1 kΩ.
2) Connect 1 kΩ resistor in the negative feedback path.
3) Connect an AC source with 1 kHz frequency and 1V amplitude to the negative
input through a 1 kΩ resistor.
4) Connect a DC source of 2 V amplitude to the negative input through a 10
KOhm resistor.
5) Connect the positive supply input to a 15 V supply, and the negative supply
input to a -15 V supply.
6) Connect the positive input to the ground.
7) Get an oscilloscope, connect channel ‘A’ to the ac signal source output and
channel ‘B’ to the output of the op amp.
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8) Turn on the function generator and the oscilloscope and observe the output.
This circuit is supposed to add an offset voltage to the input sinusoidal , the circuit
configuration is shown in Fig.5.7.
Fig.5.7 The weighted summer
Results
A 2-volt offset will be added to the input sinusoid causing it to be shifted
downwards in the negative region as it is in the inverting configuration.
Summary
The summing amplifier is used to produce a weighted sum of different inputs.
Practical work
1) Replace R3 with a 5 kΩ resistor then sketch the output waveform, what is the
DC shift observed on the output signal?
2) Replace the DC source with another AC source with 50 mV amplitude, and
1KHz frequency, sketch the output waveform versus time showing the
amplitude of the resulting output signal.
EXPERIMENT 5.c +
Integrator
Concept
The function of an integrator is to perform mathematical integration of the input. A
square wave, when integrated, will become triangular. A triangular wave, when
integrated, will become a parabolic waveform, which is close to a sine wave.
The standard integrator using an ideal op-amp shown on Figure 5.8. A practical op-
amp at low frequencies has small DC offset voltages and currents, which can create
havoc with the output of an integrator circuit. The integrator may saturate due to
offsets and the output voltage becomes pegged at either the positive or negative
saturation level. To overcome this difficulty a bleeder resistance R2 is added in the
feedback in parallel with the capacitor C1. This resistor closes the feedback loop at dc
and provides the integrator with a finite dc gain of –R2/R1. Unfortunately, though, the
resulting integrator is no longer ideal. To minimize the imperfection in integrator
function introduced by the feedback resistor, we select as large an R2 as possible. The
frequency range of the integrator will now be limited, because at low frequencies the
circuit will act as an amplifier.
Fig 5.8 the ideal integrator circuit
Procedure
1) Get an op-amp 741.
2) Connect the positive supply input to a 15 V supply, and the negative supply
input to a -15 V supply.
3) Get the following components: 47 nF Capacitor and two resistors 10-kΩ.
4) Connect the 47 nF capacitor and 10 kΩ resistor in the feedback loop of the op-
amp.
5) Get a function generator and adjust it to a square wave output 50mV
amplitude and 1000 Hz frequency.
6) Connect the output of the generator to the negative input of the op-amp
through 10-kΩ resistor.
7) Get an oscilloscope, connect channel ‘A’ to the function generator output and
channel ‘B’ to the output of the op-amp.
8) Turn on the function generator and the oscilloscope and observe the output.
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The circuit configuration is shown on the simulator in Fig.5.9
Fig.5.9 circuit diagram of the integrator
Results
The square wave input will be integrated as shown in Fig.5.10
Fig.5.10 The input and output waveforms of the integrator.
Summary
The operational amplifier can be used to perform the mathematical integration
function with any input signal.
Practical work
1) Sketch the output waveform if you Replace C with a 10 nF capacitor. Explain
the results.
2) Replace R1 with a 1 kΩ resistor, does the gain increase or decrease.
3) Modify the circuit in Fig.5.9 to produce an output of 10 V triangular wave at
an input of 2.5 V square wave.
