Chapter: 1

Feedback Amplifiers
Contents
● Introduction
● Types of feedback basic representation and
topologies
● Effect of feedback on different parameters
● Analysis of feedback amplifiers
 Introduction
● Small-signal voltage gain and other characteristics
of transistors are function of transistor
parameters.
● Transistors parameters vary with temperature
and they have range of values for a given type of
transistor.
The Q-point, voltage gain, and other circuit properties can
vary from one circuit to another, and function of
temperature.
Transistor circuit characteristics can be made
essentially independent of the individual
transistor parameters by using feedback.
 Introduction
● Feedback is the process where by a portion of the
output is returned to the input to form part of the
system excitation.
● There are two basic types of feedback:
➢ Negative feedback &
➢ Positive feedback.

+/-
 Positive feedback
● Feedback signal is in phase with the amplifier input signal.
Both the amplifier and the feedback signal introduce a 1800 phase
shift.
The result is a 3600 phase shift around the loop, causing the
feedback signal to be in phase with the original signal.
● The positive feedback is used in oscillator circuits.
● Positive feedback increases gain of the amplifier also
increases distortion, noise and instability.

+
 Negative feedback
● In this case the feedback signal is out of phase with the
input signal.
The amplifier introduces a 1800 phase shift into the circuit, while the
feedback network does not.
 Classification of Basic Amplifiers
Amplifiers can be classified broadly
as,
Voltage amplifiers
Current amplifiers
Transconductance amplifiers
Transresistance amplifiers
 Voltage amplifiers
● An electronic circuit whose function is to accept an
input voltage and produce a magnified replica of
this voltage as an output voltage.
If Ri is large compared with Rs then Vi ≈ Vs.
If RL is large compared with Ro, then Vo≈AvVi ≈ AvVs.
Anideal voltage amplifier must haveinfinite input resistance and
zero output resistance.
 Current amplifiers
● A current amplifier is an amplifier which provides an output
current proportional to the signal current, and the
proportionality factor is independent of Rs and RL
If Ri is low/ zero compared with Rs then Ii ≈Is and
If Ro > > RL, I L ≈Ai Ii ≈Ai Is.
An ideal current amplifier must have zero input resistance and
infinite output resistance.
 Transconductance amplifiers
● This amplifier supplies an output current which is
proportional to the signal voltage, independently of the
magnitude of Rs and RL.
It has an infinite input resistance Ri and infinite output resistance Ro.
Vi ≈Vs for Ri >> Rs and
Io ≈ GMVi ≈ GMVs , if Ro>>RL where GM =Io / Vi
 Transresistance amplifiers
● This amplifier provides an output voltage Voin proportion
to the signal current Is independently of Rs and RL.
● In this case Ri < < Rs and Ro < < RL. Hence the input and output
resistances are low relative to the source and load resistance.
● If Rs >> Ri , Ii ≈ Is, and
● if Ro << RL,Vo ≈ Rm Ii, where Rm=Vo / Ii
Basic representation of feedback amplifiers
● In feedback representation we may sample the output voltage
or current by means of a suitable sampling network and
apply this signal to the input through the feedback two
port networks as shown below.
Basic representation of feedback amplifiers cont..
● Signal source of the feedback amplifier is either a signal

voltage or a signal current.

● At the input the feedback signal is combined with the signal

through the mixer network and is feed into the amplifier.

Basic representation of feedback amplifiers cont..
● Feedback network is usually a passive two port network

which may contain resistors, capacitors, and inductors.

● It produce reduced portion of the output from amplifier

● VF = ß Vo

● ß , feedback factor between 0 ad 1

Basic representation of feedback amplifiers cont..
● feedback sampling network
● shunt across the output for
voltage sampling and

● series with the output for

current sampling
Basic Topologies of feedback amplifiers
● There are four basic ways of connecting the feedback
signal.
● Both voltage and current can be feedback to the input
either in series or parallel. Specifically, there can be:
1. Voltage-series feedback
2. Current-series feedback
3. Current-shunt feedback
4. Voltage-shunt feedback
 Voltage-series feedback
● a fraction of the output voltage is applied in series with
the input voltage through the feedback circuit
● feedback circuit is placed in shunt with the output but in series with
the input
● Feedback is connected in shunt with the output output
impedance decreased and
● Feedback is connected in series with the input input
impedance increased.
 Current-series feedback
● a fraction of the output voltage is applied in series with the
input voltage through the feedback circuit.
● known as series-driven series-fed feedback i.e., a series-series
circuit.
● the feedback circuit is placed in series with the output and also with
the input.
● Feedback circuit is connected in series with the output and the
input as well, both the output impedance and the input
impedance are increased.
 Current-shunt feedback
● a fraction of the output voltage is applied in series with the input
voltage through the feedback circuit.
● This is also known as series-driven shunt-fed feedback i.e., a
series-parallel circuit.
● feedback circuit is placed in series with the output but in parallel with
the input.
● As the feedback circuit is connected in series with the output, the
output impedance is increased and
● due to the parallel connection with the input, the input
impedance is decreased.
 Voltage-shunt feedback
● a fraction of the output voltage is applied in parallel with the input
voltage through the feedback network.
● shunt-driven shunt-fed feedback i.e., a parallel-parallel proto type.
● feedback circuit is placed in shunt with the output and also with the
input.
● feedback circuit is connected in shunt with the output and the input
as well output impedance and the input impedance
decreased
 EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
The effect of negative feedback on an
amplifier is considered in relation to
Gain
Gain stability
Distortion
Noise
Input/ output impedance and
Bandwidth and gain-bandwidth product
 EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
● Consider given bellow feedback amplifier model

● Ss is any input signal (voltage or current)

● out of the amplifier
● Sfis a sample of the output feedback to the input through the mixer.
● Si is the net input (error) signal given to the amplifier.
● How gain, impedance, distortion, stability and bandwidth will be
affected?
 EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK cont..
Gain reduction

● Gain without feedback is given as,

So
Si
● portion of the output feed to the input is
ƒ o
● the net signal given to the amplifier is therefore,
i s ƒ
● the gain of the feedback circuit is given by
S0 So A
ƒ Ss So 1+βA
+βS o
A
● Where ( is the feedback factor
 EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK cont..
Change in Input and output impedance
● Consider the voltage-series feedback circuit shown in the figure
● input impedance of the feedback circuit

●The input impedance with

series feedback is seen to be
the value of the input impedance
without feedback multiplied
by the factor (1+ ßA)

6
 EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK cont..
Change in Input and output impedance
● Consider the voltage-series feedback circuit shown in the figure
● The output impedance is determined by Appling a voltage V,resulting
a current I, and shorting the input terminal,Vs=0
𝑓

●With voltage-series feedback

the output impedance is reduced
from that without feedback
by the factor (1+ ßA)

7
 EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK cont..
Change in Input and output impedance
● Similar approach can be followed to determine the input and
output impedance of the remaining feedback circuits.

❖ The derivation is left for the students as exercise

8
 EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK cont..
Gain Stability
● how stable the feedback amplifier as compared to an amplifier without
feedback
ƒ

● Differentiating

ƒ
ƒ

● magnitude of the relative change in gain is reduced by the factor ßA

compared to that without feedback
 EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK cont..
Example: Gain Stability
If an amplifier with gain of -1000 and feedback of ß =- 0.1 has a gain
change of 20% due to temperature, calculate the change in gain of the
feedback amplifier.
▪ Solution

ƒ
ƒ
▪ The improvement is 100 times.Thus, whereas the amplifier gain changes
from | A | = 1000 by 20%, the gain with feedback changes from |Af| =
100 by only 0.2%.
 EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK cont..
Reduction in frequency distortion
● For a negative-feedback amplifier having ,
.
● It follows that if the feedback network is purely resistive, the
gain with feedback is not dependent on frequency even though
the basic amplifier gain is frequency dependent.
● Practically, the frequency distortion arising because of varying
amplifier gain with frequency and it is considerably reduced in a
negative-voltage feedback amplifier circuit.
 EFFECTS OF NEGATIVE FEEDBACK cont..
Bandwidth extension
● the product of gain and frequency remains the same so that the
gain bandwidth product of the basic amplifier is the
same value for the feedback amplifier.
● Since the feedback amplifier has lower gain, the net operation was
to trade gain for bandwidth so that it increases for any
decrease in gain.
 Questions

1. The voltage gain of an amplifier without feedback is 3000.

Calculate the voltage gain of the amplifier if the negative voltage
feedback is introduced in the circuit. Assume the feedback fraction
(β) is 0.01.
2. When negative voltage feedback is applied to an amplifier of gain
100, the overall gain falls to 50.then calculate the following:
a) The fraction of the output voltage feedback.
b) The value of the amplifier required if the overall stage gain is to be
75 for the same fraction.
3. An amplifier with a negative voltage feedback gives an output of
10 volts for an input of 0.5 volts. When feedback removed, it
requires 0.25 volts input for the same output. Calculate
a) gain without feedback and b) feedback fraction.
4. The gain of an amplifier without feedback is 50 whereas with
negative feedback, it falls to 25. If due to ageing, the amplifier gain
falls to 40, find the percentage reduction in stage gain
(a) without feedback and (b) with negative feedback.
5. An amplifier has a mid band gain of 125 and bandwidth of 250 kHz.
a) If 4% negative feedback is introduced, find the new bandwidth and
gain.
b) If the bandwidth is restricted to 1 MHz. Find the feedback ratio.
 ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER

To analyse feedback amplifiers the following steps are carried out:

Step 1: Identify the topology

● Tests for the type of sampling as following:
● SetVO = 0 (that is, set RL = 0). If Sfbecomes zero, the original system

exhibited voltage sampling.

● Set Io= 0 (that is set RL = ∞). If Sfbecomes zero, current sampling
was present in the original amplifier.
 ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER CONT..

To analysis feedback amplifiers the following steps are carried out:

Step 2: Draw the basic amplifier circuit without feedback.

● To find the input circuit:
● Set VO = 0 for voltage sampling.
● Set IO = 0 for current sampling.
● To find the output circuit:
● Set Vi = 0 for shunt comparison.
● Set Ii= 0 for series comparison.
 ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER CONT..

To analysis feedback amplifiers the following steps are carried out:

Step 3: Use aThevenin’s source if Sfis a voltage and a Norton’s
source if Sf is a current.
Step 4: Indicate Sf and So on the circuit obtained by carrying out steps 2, 3,
and 4. Evaluate
Step 5: EvaluateA by applying KVL and KCL to the equivalent circuit
obtained after step 4

Step 6: FromA and β, Find D, Af, Rif, Rof

 ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER CONT..
Example1 : ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER

For the following emitter-follower amplifier, determine

a. the type of feedback,
b. gain,
c. input and output impedance.
 ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER CONT..

a. Type of feedback

● Set VO = 0 (that is, set RE = 0).

● check the value of Vf =0 (zero) voltage sampling.

● As Vf is subtracted from the source Vs it is a series connection

➔ Topology : voltage-series Amplifier

 ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER CONT..

Equivalent circuit :
● Input circuit: setting o (shorting the output), E terminal appears at the ground.
● Output circuit: setting i (opening the input), C , E and the current source
appears in series with the output circuit.
● Therefore, the equivalent circuit resembles the one shown here.
 ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER CONT..
b. Gain
● The gain of the amplifier without feedback;

ƒ
● The feedback parameter
o
● the gain of the feedback amplifier is
hƒeRE
o hie 𝒇𝒆 𝑬
hƒeRE
s 𝒊𝒆 𝒇𝒆 𝑬
hie
 ANALYSIS OF FEEDBACK AMPLIFIER CONT..

c. input and output impedance.

● Input impedance

● Output impedance
Example 2: For the following amplifier, determine the type of feedback, voltage gain, input
and output impedance.
Example 3:
For the following amplifier, determine
a. the type of feedback,
b. gain,
c. input and output impedance.
 b. gain

A=

Then , A=
● the gain of the feedback amplifier is
159.8 𝑘
1 + (159.8𝑘)

c. input and output impedance

● Input impedance
𝑅𝑖
𝑧𝑖𝑓 =
𝐷

● Output impedance

𝑧𝑜𝑓