Feedback amplifiers

The process of sending part of the output signal of an amplifier back to the input of the
amplifier is called FEEDBACK.

Vs Amplifier (A) Vo
Vi

Feedback (B)
Vo
Vf

Feedback amplifiers can be classified in two ways

A. Feedback amplifiers are of two types

1. Negative feedback: It is defined as the feedback in which the feedback signal is out
of phase with the input signal. It is also called as inverse or degenerative feedback.

Advantages of Negative feedback:

 Improves the stability

 Reduces the noise
 Reduces nonlinear distortion.
 Increases the frequency response
 Increases the bandwidth.
 Increases the input impedance
 Decreases the output impedance.
 Reduces the phase distortion.
 Reduces the harmonic distortion.

Disadvantage
 It reduces the gain of the amplifier.

Application
 Used in amplifiers
 Robots

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 2. Positive feedback: It is defined as the feedback in which the feedback signal is in
phase with the input signal. It is also called as regenerative or direct feedback.

Advantages

 It increases the gain of the amplifier.

Disadvantage

 It increases the noise and distortion.

 It reduces the stability of the system.

Application

 Used for design of oscillators.

B. Feedback amplifiers also can be classified as

1. Voltage series feedback / Series – Shunt feedback / Voltage amplifier

Amplifier (A)
Vi RVo
L

VS
~

Feedback (B)
Vf Vo

ZO
+ +
+
Vi AVi Vo
_ Zi
~ R_
_
_ L

Vs
~

Feedback (B)
+ +
Vf Vo
_ _ 2
 Input impedance

Let Zi = input impedance of amplifier. Zi = Vi /Ii

Zif =input impedance of total feedback circuit. Zif = Vs /Ii

A = gain of the amplifier circuit. A=Vo/Vi

B = gain of feedback circuit. B=Vf /Vo .

From input loop

Vs = Vi+¿ Vf

V s Vi+Vf
Z if = =
Ii Ii

Vi+BVo Vi+ AB Vi Vi(1+ AB) Vf

=>Z if = = = { B= =¿ Vf =B Vo∧¿
Ii Ii Ii Vo

Vo
A= =¿Vo= AVi }
¿> Z if =¿Zi (1+AB) Vi

Output impedance

For finding output impedance short circuit the supply voltage VS. and apply an external
voltage “V” at the output terminal , due to which let an “I” amount of current be drawn from it.

Zo I
+ +
Vi
_ Zi ~ AVi R _
_ L

Feedback (B)
+ +
Vf V
_ _ 3
Let ZO=output impedance of amplifier.

ZOf =output impedance of total feedback circuit. ZOf = V /I

A = gain of the amplifier circuit. A=V /Vi

B = gain of feedback circuit. B=Vf /V .

From the input loop

Vi=−Vf

From the output loop

V -IZO -AVi = 0

 V = IZO + AVi
 V= IZO + A(−Vf )
Vf
 V = IZO - AB V { B= =¿ Vf =B Vo }
Vo
 V (1+AB) = IZO

ZOf=
V ZO
=
I 1+ AB

Voltage Gain

A = gain of the amplifier circuit. A=Vo/Vi

B = gain of feedback circuit. B=Vf /Vo .

Af = gain of amplifier circuit with feedback. Af = Vo /V s

Vo Vo
Af = =
V s Vi+Vf

1 1
Af = =
 Vi Vf 1
+ +B
Vo Vo A

A
Af =
1+ AB

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2. Voltage shunt feedback / Shunt– Shunt feedback / Transresistance amplifier

II
Amplifier (A) +
IS

IF

Feedback (B) +
Fig
Block diagram _

II Zo
+ +
Is Zi AII
_
~ _

If

Feedback (B) +

Input impedance
Let Zi = input impedance of amplifier. Zi = Vi /Ii

Zif =input impedance of total feedback circuit. Zif = VI/IS

A = gain of the amplifier circuit. A=Vo/ Ii

B = gain of feedback circuit. B=If /Vo .

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Applying KCL at input loop

Is = I i + I f

Vi Vi Vi If
Zif = = = { B= =¿ If =B Vo∧¿
Is Ii+ If Ii+ BVo Vo

Vi Vi Vo
 Zif = = A= =¿Vo= AIi }
Ii+ ABIi Ii(1+ AB) Ii

Zi
Zif =
1+ AB

Output impedance
Open circuit the input current source. Then applying an external voltage source ‘V’ at
the output terminal and due to which let an ‘I’ amount of current is drawn.

II Zo I
+ +
Zi AII
_ ~ _

If

Feedback (B) +

Let Zof_ =output impedance of

total feedback circuit. Zof = V/I

A = gain of the amplifier circuit. A=V / Ii

B = gain of feedback circuit. B=If /V

From input loop

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 Ii = -If

Applying KVL in the output loop

V −IZo− AIi = 0

 V =IZo + AIi
 V =IZo + A (−If )
 V =IZo− ABV { B=If /V => If = BV }
 V(1+AB) = IZO

V Zo
Zof = =
I 1+ AB

Transresistance Gain
A = gain of the amplifier circuit. A=Vo/ Ii

B = gain of feedback circuit. B=I f /Vo .

Af = gain of amplifier circuit with feedback. Af = Vo /V s

Vo
Af =
Is

Vo 1
Af = =
 Ii+ If Ii If
+
Vo Vo
1
Af =
 1
+B
A


A
Af =
1+ AB

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3.Current series feedback /Series– Series feedback / Transconductance amplifier

Io
+ Amplifier (A)
Vi A=Io / Vi
_

+
+ RL Vo
_
Vs ~
_
+ Feedback (B)
Vf B=Vf / Io
_
FIG: Block diagram

Input
impedance Let
Zi = input impedance of amplifier. Zi = Vi /Ii Io
Zif =input impedance
+ of total feedback circuit. Zif = Vs/Ii
Vi Zi AVI ZO
A = gain of the
_ amplifier circuit. A=Io/Vi
+ B = gain of feedback circuit. B=Vf / Io .
Vs ~ +
_ From the input loop RL Vo
_
Vs = Vi + Vf Feedback (B)
+
Vf B=Vf / Io
 Vs = Vi + IoB { B=Vf / Io => Vf = Io B Io
 Vs = Vi + ABVi _ A=Io/Vi => Io = AVi
 Vs = Vi (1+ AB)

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 Vs Vi
 = ( 1+ AB )
Ii Ii

Zif = Zi ( 1+ AB )

Output impedance

The output impedance can be measured by shorting the source voltage Vs and looking
into the output terminals with RL disconnected.

Then apply an external voltage source ‘V’ at the output terminal and due to which let an
‘I’ amount of current is drawn.

Io I
+
Vi Zi AVI IxZO ~ V
_

+ Feedback (B)
Vf B=Vf / Io
_
Applying KVL at the input

Vi = -Vf

Applying KCL at the output

I + AVi = Ix

V
 I + A(-Vf) =
Zo
V
 I - ABIo = { B=Vf / Io
Zo
V
 I – AB(-I) =
Zo
V
 I (1+AB) =
Zo

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 V
 Zof = =Zo( 1+ AB)
I

Transconductance gain

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