C H A P T E R 01

Signals and Amplifiers

Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 Analog vs. Digital

Figure 1.8 continuous-time analog signal

Figure 1.9 Variation of a particular binary digital signal with time.

Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 Signals and Noise
(Thoughts about Voyager 1, launched 1977)

https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status/
 Signals and Noise
(Thoughts about Voyager 1)

● Total power ~ 450W (Now ~250W) Deep Space Network (DSN)

● Transmitter ~ 19W
Signal power received from
Voyager 1: ~ 10E-16 W
Transmitter ~ 0.25 W → Absolutely weak!
But we can still hear it !!!
 Source Representations

Figure 1.1 Two alternative representations of a signal source: (a) the

Thévenin form; (b) the Norton form.

Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 Amplifiers

Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 Where does the extra energy comes from?

Figure 1.13 An amplifier that requires two dc supplies

(shown as batteries) for operation.
Figure 1.14 An amplifier transfer characteristic
that is linear except for output saturation.
Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition
 Basic Amplifier Model

How do we get Ri, Avo, Ro?

Figure 1.16 (a) Circuit model for the voltage amplifier. (b) The
voltage amplifier with input signal source and load.

Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 Exercise

Figure 1.17 Three-stage amplifier for Example 1.3.

Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 The Four Amplifier Types

Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 Amplifiers with sinusoids

Measuring the frequency response of a linear amplifier :

At the test frequency ω, the amplifier gain is characterized by
its magnitude (Vo /Vi) and phase ø .
Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 Bandwidth limitation

Typical magnitude response of an amplifier: |T(ω)| is the magnitude of its

transfer function, that is, the ratio Vo /Vi
Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 Bandwidth limitation for high frequencies

Model of gain loss

at high frequencies
DC-coupled
amplifier

Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 Bandwidth limitation for low frequencies:
Capacitive coupling

AC-coupled
amplifier

Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 Book's convention on notation

Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
 Next:

Operational Amplifiers

Microelectronic Circuits, Sixth Edition Sedra/Smith Copyright © 2010 by Oxford University Press, Inc.