Experiment 1: Student’s Manual

American International University- Bangladesh

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
EEE2210: Analog Electronics Laboratory

Title: Familiarize with engineering software as a modern simulation tool to investigate the fundamentals of signal and
analog circuits. (Multisim Tutorial)

Abstract:
This experiment involves with simulation based laboratory work where NI Multisim software will be introduced as a modern
engineering tool for simulation. Basic Analog circuits will be constructed to investigate the fundamentals of signals and
analog circuits.

Introduction:
National Instruments’ Multisim software is a circuit teaching application software for analog, digital, and power electronics
courses and laboratories. User can visualize circuits and reinforce theory with simulated instruments, advanced analyses, and
thousands of interactive components through this platform. This software package is easy to use and achieve real time
simulation of analog circuits. This software can be used in laboratory while exercising the simulations, measurements, and
designs of real life systems. Furthermore Multisim can be used as an excellent replacement for many other laboratory
devices, such as digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, function generators, and etc. The objective of this experiment is to use
the NI (National Instruments) Multisim for analog circuit simulations to facilitate the analysis which enhances the
understanding of various analog electric circuits and their mode of operation. This experiment is mostly about learning
Multisim software for analyzing analog circuits and its frequency response. Furthermore, students are meant to notice that a
software simulations are sufficient compared to actual hardware implementation to facilitate the study and
understanding of the theoretical concepts of these circuits.

Theory and Methodology:

Analog signal contains information about a variety of activities and things of this physical world. Analog values are typically
represented as a voltage, electric current or electric charge around components in the electronic devices. As an example, the
voice of a radio announcer reading the news into a microphone provides an acoustic signal that contains information about
world affairs. To extract required information the signal must first be converted into an electrical signal, that is, a voltage or a
current. However electric signal can be represented by one of the two equivalent forms shown in Fig. 1

(a) (b)
Figure: 1 Two alternative representations of a signal source: (a) Th´evenin form; (b) the Norton form.

These two representations in Fig. 1 are equivalent, their parameters are related by
𝑣𝑠 (𝑡) = 𝑅𝑆 𝑖𝑆 (𝑡)

An analog signal is a time-varying quantity that can be represented by a graph such as that shown in Fig. 3. In fact, the
information content of the signal is represented by the changes in its magnitude as time progresses. Electronic circuits that
process such signals are known as analog circuits. Common analog processing elements include capacitors, resistors and
inductors (as the passive elements) and transistors or opamps (as the active elements).

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 Experiment 1: Student’s Manual

Figure: 2 An arbitrary analog voltage signal 𝑣𝑆 (𝑡).

Analog Amplifiers
The most fundamental signal-processing function is signal amplification. An amplifier that preserves the details of the signal
waveform is characterized by the relationship

𝑣𝑜 (𝑡) = 𝐴𝑣 𝑣𝑖 (𝑡) …………… [2]

Where 𝑣𝑖 and 𝑣𝑜 are the input and output signals, respectively, and 𝐴𝑣 is a constant representing the magnitude of
amplification, known as amplifier gain. Equation (2) is a linear relationship; hence the amplifier it describes is a linear
amplifier.

(a) (b)
Figure: 3 (a) A voltage amplifier fed with a signal vI(t) and connected to a load resistance RL. (b) Transfer
characteristic of a linear voltage amplifier with voltage gain Av.

The power gain of the amplifier in Fig. 3 is defined as

𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 (𝑃𝐿) 𝑣 𝑖
𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛 (𝐴𝑃 ) = = 𝑜 𝑜 ………………… [3]
𝑖𝑛𝑝𝑢𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟(𝑃𝐼 ) 𝑣𝑖 𝑖𝑖

The current gain of the amplifier is defined as

𝑖𝑜
𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛(𝐴𝑖 ) = ……………….[4]
𝑖𝑖

From Eqs. [2] to [4] we note that

𝐴𝑃 = 𝐴𝑣 𝐴𝑖 …………[5]

Specifically the voltage, current and power gains 𝐴𝑣 , 𝐴𝑖 and 𝐴𝑃 respectively can be expressed as

Voltage gain in decibels = 20 log|𝐴𝑣 | dB ………………………[6]

Current gain in decibels = 20 log|𝐴𝑖 | dB ……………………….[7]

Power gain in decibels = 10 log|𝐴𝑃 | dB ………………………[8]

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 Experiment 1: Student’s Manual
20 log|𝐴𝑣 |

Figure 4: Typical magnitude response of an amplifier

In analyzing frequency response of an amplifier circuit, single-time-constant (STC) networks will be investigated. An STC
network is one that is composed of, or can be reduced to, one reactive component (inductance or capacitance) and one
resistance.

Figure 5: Two examples of STC networks: (a) a low-pass network and (b) a high-pass network.

An STC network formed of an inductance L and a resistance R has a time constant τ = L/R. The time constant τ of an STC
network composed of a capacitance C and a resistance R is given by τ = CR.

Experimental Procedure:

Experimental procedure is divided into three parts which are -----(i) Multisim tutorial for generating drain and transfer
characteristic curve of a MOSFET and also their dependency on the resistors, (ii) Multisim tutorial for DC analysis of a
MOSFET based analog amplifier and (iii) Multisim tutorial for AC analysis of an analog amplifiers.

PART A

Multisim tutorial for generating drain and transfer characteristic curve of a MOSFET and also their dependency on
the resistors.

Step 1: The circuit of Fig. 6 well be drawn in Multisim following steps below.

RD=470Ω
ID

VDS VDD
VGS

Figure 6: Basic NMOS circuit.

(i) Open Multisim and select the components. (see Fig.7).

Selecting transistor: Place Basic Transistor 2N7000
Selecting resistor: Place Basic Basic Resistor Take any value
Selecting DC sources: Place Basic Sources Power_Sources DC_POWER
Selecting ground: Place Basic Sources Power_Sources GROUND

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 Experiment 1: Student’s Manual
Selection of transistor is shown in Fig. 7. Do same for selecting resistor, DC source and ground.

After launching Multisim click on
Place and from the drop down list
click on Component.
‘Select a Component’ window
will appear and from their
click on Basic and click on
Transistor.
A list will appear containing
different real life model of
transistor. Click on 2N7000
model. The symbol will appear.
Click Ok.

Figure 7: Selection of transistor model in Multisim.

(ii) Connect components with wire. (see Fig.8).

Arrange components just
by clicking and dragging.
To rotate component right
click on it and select
‘Rotate 90˚ Clockwise’.
Take the cursor to end of
any component and click. A
solid black circle will
appear now drag that circle
to the end of other
component to complete the
connection.
Complete the circuit. Few
nodes appear. To change
the name of the nodes and
components click on the
wire beside.
Net Properties window will
appear. Write the preferred
name in the box ‘VD’ and
click OK.

Figure 8: Complete the circuit wiring.

(iii) Assign the name and values to the sources and resistor. (see Fig. 9)

Click on value and write

Double click on component. components value in
A new window will appear. Voltage(V) box.
Click on Label and write
component name in ‘RefDes’
box.

Figure 9: Assign source and resistors values.

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 Experiment 1: Student’s Manual
Step 2: Generation of drain characteristic curve.

(i) For drawing drain characteristic curve we need to analyze circuit for obtaining IDS and VDS values for different values of
VGS.

Click on Simulate and click New window will appear. Click on DC Click on output. Select circuit current.
on Analyses and Simulation sweep. Assign the values for VGS and
VDS as given

Figure 10: Selecting variables for drain characteristic.

(ii) How to write an expression in Multisim.

Add expression Analysis Expression window will appear ‘-‘ under Function list Copy function to expression
Click on I(VDS) Copy variable to expression OK

Click on output. Click Add expression to generate a new variable ‘ –I(VDS)’. Follow the steps above. Every
change will appear in Expression box. Then click Run.

Figure 11: Generate an expression in Multisim.

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 Experiment 1: Student’s Manual
(iii) The drain characteristic curve will be generated.

The output curve for resistor R=1Ω and R=100Ω respectively. Comment on the effect of R on the magnitudes of ID.

Figure 12: Drain characteristic curve and its dependency on drain terminal resistance.

Step 3: Generation of transfer characteristic curve.

(i) For generating transfer curve the value of VDS and VGS should be analyzed for the given circuit.

Go to DC sweep and uncheck the ‘Use Source 2’ Click on Output and select Circuit voltage. Click on V(d) which is the
box. Select VGS as Source 1. VDS for the circuit. and click
Add. Then click Run.

Figure 13: Selecting variables for transfer characteristic.

(ii) The transfer characteristic curve will be generated.

The output curve for resistor R=1Ω and R=100Ω respectively. Comment on the effect of R on the transfer curve.

Figure 14: Transfer characteristic curve and its dependency on drain terminal resistance.

PART B

Multisim tutorial for DC analysis of a MOSFET based analog amplifier

Step 1: (i) A common source MOSFET amplifier of Fig. 8 will be considered for DC analysis.

VDD=20V

RD=4kΩ
R1=2 MΩ
V0
C1=2.2µF C2=2.2µF

100mVp R2=1 MΩ
@ 1kHz RS=3kΩ

Figure 15: MOSFET amplifier.

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 Experiment 1: Student’s Manual

Draw the circuit in Multisim Click DC Operating Point. Select V(vd), V(vg) When all the selected values will appear in the
following previous value and assign and V(vs) and -I(VDS) from the variable in ‘Selected variables for analysis’ list click Run.
values for both source and resistors. circuit list.

Figure 16: Selection of variables for DC analysis.

(ii) Output will come in a new window. From output it can also be calculated whether the MOSFET is in the saturation
region.

To calculate VDS and VGS two expressions can be added in the output variables
as given.

Figure 17: Output for DC analysis.

To Check if the voltage VDS is greater than VGS then the MOSFET is in the saturation region. From the calculation it is seen
that, [V(vd)-V(vs)] is 4 times higher than [V(vg)-V(vs)] and hence the MOSFET is in the saturation region=-

PART C

Multisim tutorial for AC analysis of analog amplifier.

Step 1: (i) Previous common source amplifier will be used to do the AC analysis. An oscilloscope will be connected to
observe input and output waveforms.

Click on the oscilloscope and connect it in the circuit.

Figure 18: Connection of Oscilloscope for AC analysis.

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 Experiment 1: Student’s Manual
(ii) Select ‘Interactive Simulation’ and click Run. Double click on

The output shows the magnitudes of both input and

output. Comment on the magnitude and phase of the
output voltage.

Figure 19: Oscilloscope Output.

(ii) Now select AC Sweep to observe the frequency response of the amplifier.

Give the frequency specification as given.

Develop an expression to observe gain
which is Vin/Vout.

Figure 20: Selection of variables for frequency respose.

(iii) Observe the frequency response.

By moving the cursors determine the cut-off frequency and bandwidth of

the amplifier.

Figure 21: Frequency response curve of the amplifier.

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 Experiment 1: Student’s Manual
Exercise Circuit:

1. Do the simulation for the given network. Here the model of MOSFET can be replaced by ZVN2106G.

Figure 22: MOSFET amplifier for class practice.

Reports:
1. Write down the limitation of the software.
2. What are the classifications of an amplifier based on its frequency response?
3. What are the limitations of analog amplifiers?

Discussion and Conclusion:

Interpret the data/findings and determine the extent to which the experiment was successful in complying with the goal that
was initially set. Discuss any mistake you might have made while conducting the investigation and describe ways the study
could have been improved.

Reference:

1. Sedra, A. S., & Smith, K. C. (2010). Microelectronic circuits. New York: Oxford University Press.

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