The bipolar opearation amplier uA741

The 741 is a 3 stage bipolar opamp. The dierential input signal is rst amplied and converted to a single ended output by a pnp dierential amplier. The single ended output is further amplied by a common emitter amplier and then given to the nal push-pull output stage which includes short circuit protection. A bias generator provides bias currents to all stages of the opamp.
V+ Q9 Q12 Q13 13A Q19 Q18 40K Q16 Q7 Q11 5K Q10
R4 R10

Q8

Q14 Q15 27 27 Q21 Q20

R6

13B Q1
R5

Q2 Q4

30pF

39K

Q3

R7

Q17 Q6
R3

Q23 Q24
R11

Q5
R1

50K 1K Q22 VR2

R9

100

R8

1K

50K

50K

This circuit looks quite complicated. It is much easier to understand if we look at various functional blocks of this circuit individually.

Bias Generator

The purpose of the this circuit is to provide a reference current for various current mirrors used by the amplier stages. The circuit is based on a Widlar current mirror circuit.

V+ Q9 Q12 Q8
Idiff

Q13 13A

Iref

13B .75

.25
Drive for Class AB Output

R5

39K

Differential Base Currents Stage I Widlar

Middle Stage

Q11

Q10
R4

5K V-

R5 sets up a reference current Iref which ows through the diode connected transistor Q11. V+ V 2VBE R5 With a nominal supply voltage of 15V, VBE = 0.65V and R5=39K, this gives a value of 736A for Iref . This is mirrored by Q10 which is connected in Widlar conguration with a resistor R4 in its emitter. Equating voltages at the base of Q10 and Q11, Iref = VT ln Iref Is = VT ln IWidlar Is + R4 IWidlar

where Is is the reverse saturation current of identical transistors Q10 and Q11, and VT is the thermal voltage KT /q. Iref VT IWidlar = ln R4 IWidlar This can be solved iteratively to get IWidlar . This gives Suppose we start with a guess value of 500 A for IWidlar , The next few values which are calculated are: (in A) 2, 30.6, 16.5,19.7, 18.7, 19, 18.9 etc. Thus, IWidlar is nearly 19 uA. This current source is connected to another pnp current source, which mirrors the total current of the dierential stage. Suppose the current through each arm of the dierential stage is I. Then a current 2I ows through the reference transistor Q8. This means that Q9 sources a current which is 2I minus the base current of two pnp transistors. The base currents of the pnp transistors in the dierential stage are added to this. The base voltage of the dierential transistors now adjusts till the current through Q9 plus the base current of two pnps equals the current through Q10. Since the base current of pnp transistors is cancelled out, each arm of the diential amplier will get half the current through Q10. Thus, each arm of the dierentila amplier gets 9.5A in our example.

The dierential stage

The dierential stage is the rst gain stage seen by the inputs. Since a high input impedence is required, each arm of the diential amplier uses an npn emitter follower, which feeds a pnp common base amplier.

V+ Q9 Q12
2I 2/(1+2/ p)

Q8

Q1
I R5

Q2
I

39K

Q3
2/ p

Q4

Q7 Q11
R4

Q10

Q5
R1 R3

Q6
R2

5K

1K

50K

1K V-

A common base pnp stage allows us to take out the base current of the two pnp transistors for compensating the mismatch in the current mirror Q8-Q9. The dierential stage is loaded by a current mirror which also does dierential to single ended conversion. The npn current mirror load Q5-Q6 uses the transistor Q7 to supply the base current of Q5,Q6.
V+ Q9 Q12
2I 2/(1+2/ p)

Q8

Q1
I R5

Q2
I

39K

Q3
2/ p

Q4

Q7 Q11
R4

Q10

Q5
R1 R3

Q6
R2

5K

1K

50K

1K V-

V+

Bias Ref

Q13

13A Q19 Q18 40K

R10 Outputs for Class AB output stage

13B 30pF

Input

Q16 Q23 Q17

50K

R9

100 VV+

R8

Bias

Q13

13A Q19 Q18 40K

R10

Q14 27 27
R6

13B 30pF

R7

From Diff. Stage

Q16 Q20 Q17 50K 100

R8 R9

Q23

V-

V+

High Imp. Output From Diff. Stage Driver Stage

Q14 Q15 27 27 Q21 Q20

R6

R7

Q22 Q24
R11

50K VV+ Q9 Q12 Q13 13A Q19 Q18 40K Q16 Q7 Q11 5K Q10
R4 R10

Q8

Q14 Q15 27 27 Q21 Q20

R6

13B Q1
R5

Q2 Q4

30pF

39K

Q3

R7

Q17 Q6
R3

Q23 Q24
R11

Q5
R1

50K 1K Q22 VR2

R9

100

R8

1K

50K

50K