Amplifiers with

Feedback

Electronic Engineering

© University of Wales Newport 2009 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License.
The following presentation is a part of the level 5 module -- Electronic Engineering. This resources is a part of the
2009/2010 Engineering (foundation degree, BEng and HN) courses from University of Wales Newport (course codes
H101, H691, H620, HH37 and 001H). This resource is a part of the core modules for the full time 1 st year
undergraduate programme.

The BEng & Foundation Degrees and HNC/D in Engineering are designed to meet the needs of employers by placing
the emphasis on the theoretical, practical and vocational aspects of engineering within the workplace and beyond.
Engineering is becoming more high profile, and therefore more in demand as a skill set, in today’s high-tech world.
This course has been designed to provide you with knowledge, skills and practical experience encountered in
everyday engineering environments.

Contents
 Generalised Feedback Configuration
 Voltage Series Feedback
 Current Series Feedback
 Current Shunt Feedback
 Voltage Shunt Feedback
 Summary
 Credits

In addition to the resource below, there are supporting documents which should be used in combination with this
resource. Please see:
Clayton G, 2000, Operational Amplifiers 4th Ed, Newnes 
James M, 2004, Higher Electronics, Newnes

Amplifier Compensation
Generalised feedback configuration

A Vout
Vin Va

Amplifier Forward Gain A

Feedback Network ß
Loop Gain Axß
Close Loop Gain A
1  A
Amplifiers with Feedback
Advantages
Gain Sensitivity
Bandwidth

Disadvantages
Gain Reduction
Possible Instability

Today we will look at the way that the feedback is

applied. There are four possible configurations
(topologies):

Voltage-Series Feedback (voltage amplifier)

Current-Series Feedback (transconductance amplifier)
Current Shunt Feedback (current amplifier)
There are two parts

First part - voltage or current - this tells us how the

output is sampled and hence the output of the amplifier.
Voltage is sampled in parallel and Current is sampled in
series.

Second part – series or shunt – this tells us how the

feedback is applied to the input. Series is feeding back
voltage to be subtracted and Shunt is feeding back
current which is subtracted.

Amplifiers with Feedback

Voltage Series Feedback

Voltage
+ + +
Amplifier Rout
Vin Va Vout
- - Rin AVa -

+ Feedback
Vf ß
-

Amplifiers with Feedback

Input Resistance

Resistance looking into the input is RIN, the input current

is Iin.
Vin
RIN 
Iin
Vin  Iin  Rin  Vf  Iin  Rin    Vout  Iin  Rin    A  Va
Vin  Iin  Rin    A  Iin  Rin  Iin  Rin   1  A   
Vin
Finally RIN   Rin  (1  A   )
Iin
Series connection on the input, increases input
resistance.

Amplifiers with Feedback

Output Resistance

Resistance looking in on the output is ROUT. Iout is the

current flowing in on the output. No input applied.

Vout  A  Va Va     Vout
Iout 
Rout
Vout  A    Vout
Iout 
Rout
Vout Rout
ROUT  
Iout 1  A  

Voltage (parallel) sampling on the output decreases the

output resistance.

Amplifiers with Feedback

Current Series Feedback
Transconductance
Amplifier

+ +
Va Rin Iout
Vin
- -
AVa
Rout

+ Feedback
Vf ß
-

Amplifiers with Feedback

Input Resistance

As the feedback is applied in the same way as the

previous topology the effect is the same i.e.
resistance increases.

Amplifiers with Feedback

Output Resistance

Resistance looking in on the output is ROUT. Vout is the

voltage across the output. No input applied.
Vout Va     Iout
Iout  A  Va 
Rout
Vout Vout
Iout   A    Iout   Iout  1  A   
Rout Rout
Vout
ROUT   Rout   1  A   
Iout

Current (series) sampling on the output increases

the output resistance.
Amplifiers with Feedback
Current Shunt Feedback
Current
Amplifier

Iin Ia
Rin Iout
AIa
Rout

If Feedback
ß

Amplifiers with Feedback

Input Resistance

Resistance looking into the input is RIN, the input voltage

is Vin.
Vin
R IN 
Iin
Vin Vin Vin Vin   A  Vin
Iin   If     Iout     A  Ia  
Rin Rin Rin Rin Rin
Vin
Iin   1  A   
Rin
Vin Rin
Finally RIN  
Iin (1  A   )
Shunt (parallel) connection on the input, decreases input
resistance. Amplifiers with Feedback
Output Resistance

As the sample is derived in the same way as the previous

topology the effect is the same i.e. resistance increases.

Amplifiers with Feedback

Voltage Shunt Feedback
Transresistance
Amplifier

Iin Ia Rout +
Rin
Vout
AIa -

If
Feedback
ß

Amplifiers with Feedback

Input Resistance

As the feedback is applied in the same way as the

previous topology the effect is the same i.e. resistance
decreases.

Output Resistance

As the sample is derived in the same way as the first

topology the effect is the same i.e. resistance
decreases.

Amplifiers with Feedback

 Summary
Topology Voltage Current Current Voltage
Parameter series series shunt shunt

Gain decrease decrease decrease decrease

Bandwidth increase increase increase increase

Input Resistance increase increase decrease decrease

Output Resistance decrease increase increase decrease

In each case when feedback is applied the input and

output resistance become more ideal for that particular
amplifier.

Amplifiers with Feedback

This resource was created by the University of Wales Newport and released as an open educational resource
through the Open Engineering Resources project of the HE Academy Engineering Subject Centre. The Open
Engineering Resources project was funded by HEFCE and part of the JISC/HE Academy UKOER programme.

© 2009 University of Wales Newport

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Amplifiers with Feedback