Basics of OP Amp

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan

Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

–Sri Krishna College of Technology, Coimbatore
[email protected] , [email protected] & [email protected]
www.rajasekarkpronline.blogspot.com

July 10, 2025

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 Table of Contents

1 Problem 5

2 Current Mirror

3 Current Mirror

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 Example 1: Inverting Amplifier Design

Problem
Design an amplifier with a gain of –10 and input resistance equal to
10 kΩ.

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 3 / 41

 Example 1: Inverting Amplifier Design

Problem
Design an amplifier with a gain of –10 and input resistance equal to
10 kΩ.

Solution:
Since the gain is negative, an inverting amplifier is used.
Choose input resistor:
R1 = 10 kΩ
Using the gain formula for inverting amplifier:

Rf = −ACL · R1 = −(−10) · 10 kΩ = 100 kΩ

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 3 / 41

 Example 2 Current and Voltage Calculations

Problem
In the circuit with R1 = 10 kΩ, Rf = 100 kΩ, vi = 1 V, and load
RL = 25 kΩ at the output, calculate:
(i) i1 (ii) vo (iii) iL (iv) Total current io into the output pin.

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 4 / 41

 solution I

Solution:
vi 1V
(a) i1 = = = 0.1 mA
R1 10 kΩ
Rf 100 kΩ
(b) vo = − · vi = − · 1 = −10 V
R1 10 kΩ
vo 10 V
(c) iL = = = 0.4 mA
RL 25 kΩ
(d) io = i1 + iL = 0.1 + 0.4 = 0.5 mA
Note: In an inverting amplifier, a positive input gives a negative output.
Hence, current direction io is into the output pin.

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 5 / 41

 Example 3: Design of Non-Inverting Amplifier

Problem:

Problem
Design an amplifier with a gain of +5 using one op-amp.

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 6 / 41

 Solution I

Solution:
Since the gain is positive, we choose a non-inverting amplifier
configuration.
Assume:
R1 = 10 kΩ
Use the gain formula for non-inverting amplifier:
Rf
ACL = 1 +
R1
Substitute values:
Rf Rf
5=1+ ⇒ =4
10 kΩ 10 kΩ

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 7 / 41

 Solution II

Therefore:
Rf = 4 × 10 kΩ = 40 kΩ

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 8 / 41

 Example 4: Non-Inverting Amplifier with Load

Given:
R1 = 5 kΩ, Rf = 20 kΩ, vi = 1 V , Load resistor RL = 5 kΩ

To Find:
1 Output voltage v
o
2 Closed-loop gain A
CL
3 Load current i
L
4 Output current i
o
Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 9 / 41
 Solution

Closed-loop gain:
Rf 20 kΩ
ACL = 1 + =1+ =5
R1 5 kΩ
Output voltage:
vo = ACL · vi = 5 · 1 V = 5 V
Load current:
vo 5V
iL = = = 1 mA
RL 5 kΩ
Output current:

io = iL = 1 mA (from op-amp output to load)

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 10 / 41

 Problem 5

Example 5 – Question Statement I

In the noninverting amplifier of Fig. a, let

R1 = 100 kΩ, R2 = 200 kΩ.

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 11 / 41

 Problem 5

Example 5 – Question Statement II

(a)
What is its closed-loop gain? How does its gain change if a third resistance

R3 = 100 kΩ

is connected in:
series with R1 ?
parallel with R1 ?
series with R2 ?
parallel with R2 ?

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 12 / 41

 Problem 5

Example 5 – Question Statement III

(b)
Repeat (a) for the inverting amplifier of following Fig.

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 13 / 41

 Problem 5

Example 5 – Part (a): Non-inverting Amplifier

Given: R1 = 100 kΩ, R2 = 200 kΩ

Closed-loop gain formula:
R2
ACL = 1 +
R1
Nominal gain:
200
ACL = 1 + =3
100

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 14 / 41

 Problem 5

Part (a): Non-inverting Amplifier – Effect of R3 = 100 kΩ

(i) R3 in series with R1 :

200
R1′ = 100 + 100 = 200 kΩ ⇒ ACL = 1 + =2
200
(ii) R3 in parallel with R1 :
100 · 100 200
R1′ = = 50 kΩ ⇒ ACL = 1 + =5
100 + 100 50
(iii) R3 in series with R2 :
300
R2′ = 200 + 100 = 300 kΩ ⇒ ACL = 1 + =4
100
(iv) R3 in parallel with R2 :
200 · 100 66.67
R2′ = = 66.67 kΩ ⇒ ACL = 1 + = 1.667
200 + 100 100
Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 15 / 41
 Problem 5

Example 1.7 – Part (b): Inverting Amplifier

Formula:
R2
ACL = −
R1
Nominal gain:
200
ACL = − = −2
100

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 16 / 41

 Problem 5

Part (b): Inverting Amplifier – Effect of R3 = 100 kΩ

(i) R3 in series with R1 :

200
R1′ = 200 kΩ ⇒ ACL = − = −1
200
(ii) R3 in parallel with R1 :
200
R1′ = 50 kΩ ⇒ ACL = − = −4
50
(iii) R3 in series with R2 :
300
R2′ = 300 kΩ ⇒ ACL = − = −3
100
(iv) R3 in parallel with R2 :
66.67
R2′ = 66.67 kΩ ⇒ ACL = − = −0.667
100
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 Current Mirror

Problem Statement I

Given:

Figure: Current Mirror

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 Current Mirror

Problem Statement II

A current mirror as shown in Fig. is to provide a collector current

IC = 1.0 mA
VCC = 10 V
VBE = 0.7 V
Current gain β = 125
Determine:
(a) The value of R1 for IC = 1.0 mA
(b) The value of R1 for IC = 10 µA

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 19 / 41

 Current Mirror

Solution: Part (a) — For IC = 1.0 mA

Step 1: Use Current Mirror Approximation:

   
2 2
Iref = IC 1 + = 1.0 mA · 1 + = 1.016 mA
β 125

Step 2: Use Ohm’s Law to compute R1 :

VCC − VBE 10 − 0.7 9.3
R1 = = −3
= ≈ 9.15 kΩ
Iref 1.016 × 10 1.016 × 10−3

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 20 / 41

 Current Mirror

Solution: Part (b) — For IC = 10 µA

Step 1: Compute Iref :

 
2
Iref = 10 µA · 1 + = 10.16 µA
125

Step 2: Compute R1 :
VCC − VBE 9.3
R1 = = ≈ 915.35 kΩ
Iref 10.16 × 10−6

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 21 / 41

 Current Mirror

Final Answer Summary

For IC = 1.0 mA, R1 ≈ 9.15 kΩ

For IC = 10 µA, R1 ≈ 915.35 kΩ

Note: This assumes ideal transistor operation and neglects base current
error beyond the derived correction term.

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 Current Mirror

Problem Statement I

Given:

Figure

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 Current Mirror

Problem Statement II

BJT current mirror circuit (see Fig. 2.21)

Current gain β = 125
R = 30 kΩ, VCC = 9 V
To Find: IC 1 , IC 2 , IC 3

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 24 / 41

 Current Mirror

Step 1: Calculate Reference Current Iref

9 V − 0.7 V
Iref =
30 kΩ
8.3 V
=
30 × 103 Ω
= 0.277 mA

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 Current Mirror

Step 2: Apply KCL at Node ’a’

Iref = IC + 3IB
 
3
= IC 1 +
β
 
Iref β
IC = = Iref
1 + β3 β+3

Substituting β = 125, Iref = 0.277 mA:

125
IC = 0.277 × ≈ 0.271 mA
128
⇒ IC 1 = IC 2 = 0.271 mA

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 Current Mirror

Step 3: Calculate IC 3

Using the equation:

 
0.025 0.271
1.94 =   ln
IC 3 1 + β1 IC 3

Substitute β = 125:
 
0.025 0.271
1.94 = 126

ln
IC 3 · 125 IC 3

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 27 / 41

 Current Mirror

Step 4: Trial and Error Solution

Trying IC 3 = 0.0287 mA:

0.025
≈ 0.864
0.0287 · 126
125
 
0.271
ln ≈ ln(9.44) ≈ 2.244
0.0287
⇒ 0.864 × 2.244 ≈ 1.94

∴ IC 3 = 0.0287 mA

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 28 / 41

 Current Mirror

Problem Statement: Widlar Current Source Design

Design a Widlar current source for generating a constant current

IO = 10 µA.
Assumptions/Given Parameters:
Supply Voltage, VCC = 10 V
Base-Emitter Voltage, VBE = 0.7 V
Current Gain, β = 125
Thermal Voltage, VT = 25 mV

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 29 / 41

 Current Mirror

Design Objective

To generate a constant current:

IO = 10 µA

with the following parameters:

VCC = 10 V
VBE = 0.7 V
β = 125
VT = 25 mV

Dr.P.Rajasekar & Dr P Jayarajan (SKCT) AIC July 10, 2025 30 / 41

 Current Mirror

Step 1: Choose Reference Current IREF

Choose IREF = 1 mA
This is a standard design practice to ensure proper transistor operation

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 Current Mirror

Step 2: Calculate RC

VCC − VBE 10V − 0.7V 9.3V

RC = = = = 9300 Ω = 9.3 kΩ
IREF 1mA 1mA

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 Current Mirror

Step 3: Calculate RE

 
VT IREF
RE = ln
IO IO
25 × 10−3 1 × 10−3
 
= ln = 2500 × ln(100)
10 × 10−6 10 × 10−6
= 2500 × 4.60517 ≈ 11512.9 Ω ≈ 11.5 kΩ

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 Current Mirror

Final Design Values

RC = 9.3 kΩ
RE = 11.5 kΩ
These resistor values ensure that the output current IO is maintained at
approximately 10 µA.

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 Current Mirror

Problem Statement

For the circuit shown in Fig. 2.24, determine the value of IO for
β = 100. Assume VBE = 0.7 V .

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 Current Mirror

Solution Steps

1 Determine the base voltage (VB ) for Q1 and Q2.

The collector of Q1 is tied to its base and also to VCC = 5V . This
means VB1 = VC 1 = VCC = 5V .
Since the bases of Q1 and Q2 are tied together, VB2 = VB1 = 5V .
2 Determine the emitter voltage (VE ) for Q1 and Q2.
Since VBE = 0.7V for both transistors, and their emitters are tied
together at node E:
VE = VB − VBE = 5V − 0.7V = 4.3V .

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 Current Mirror

Solution Steps (Cont.)

3 Calculate the reference current (Iref ).

The current Iref flows through the 10 kΩ resistor, which is connected
between node E and −5V .
Iref = VE −(−5V
10 kΩ
)
= 4.3V +5V 9.3V
10×103 Ω = 10×103 Ω = 0.93 × 10
−3
A = 0.93 mA.
4 Relate Iref to the collector currents.
Iref is the sum of the emitter currents of Q1 and Q2: Iref = IE 1 + IE 2 .
We know that IE = IC (1 + 1/β).
Assuming matched transistors, and since their bases and emitters are
tied together (thus VBE 1 = VBE 2 ), their collector currents are equal:
IC 1 = IC 2 = IO .
Therefore, IE 1 = IO (1 + 1/β) and IE 2 = IO (1 + 1/β).
So, Iref = IO (1 + 1/β) + IO (1 + 1/β) = 2IO (1 + 1/β).

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 Current Mirror

Solution Steps (Cont.)

5 Solve for IO .
1


0.93 mA = 2 × IO × 1 + 100
0.93 × 10−3 = 2 × IO × (1 + 0.01)
0.93 × 10−3 = 2 × IO × 1.01
0.93 × 10−3 = 2.02 × IO
−3
IO = 0.93×10
2.02
IO ≈ 0.460396 × 10−3 A

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 Current Mirror

Final Answer

The final calculated output current is:

IO ≈ 0.4604 mA

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 Current Mirror

Op-Amp Input Bias Currents I

What are Input Bias Currents?

Small DC currents, Ib+ and Ib− , required to bias the input transistors
of an op-amp.
Typically in the nanoampere (nA) to microampere (µA) range.
Ideally Ib+ = Ib− = Ib ; practical op-amps exhibit slight mismatch.

Effect in Circuits
These currents flow through input resistances, creating unwanted
voltage drops:
Verror = Ib · R
If Rin+ ̸= Rin− , this leads to offset errors in the output.

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 Current Mirror

Op-Amp Input Bias Currents II

Compensation Technique
Add a compensating resistor Rc at the non-inverting input:

Rc ≈ Rf ∥ Rin

Balances DC impedance seen by both inputs.

Minimizes offset voltage caused by unequal bias currents.

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