Lab 4 Report

Operational Amplifiers Part 2

Kevin Bradshaw & Yuan Tian
ECEN 325-503
Instructor: Sebastian Hoyos
September 30, 2015
Items
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Pre-lab
Title Page
Intro /Theory / Procedure
Summary
Experimental Results /
Analysis / Discussion
Problems Encountered
Conclusion
Questions
Total

Grade Assigned
20%
5%
10%
40%
5%
5%
15%
100%

Student's Grade

Objectives

Understand the advanced ways to manipulate the use of an

operational amplifier.
Evaluate the outputs of a summing amplifier, differential amplifier, and
an instrumentation amplifier.
Analyze some complex configurations of operational amplifiers and
understand how they could be essential in the use of microelectronics.

Procedure
Part A: Summing Amplifier
In the first part of this lab, the summing amplifier from the pre-lab was
constructed with the values listed in Table 1. Two inputs were connected to
this op-amp, a 1kHz, 2 Vpp sine wave to Vin1 and a 2V DC to Vin2. The inputs
and outputs for the voltages on this amplifier are also recorded in Table 1.
The waveforms were measured using the bench oscilloscope and can be
seen in Figure 1. After obtaining a successful signal, the input voltage to Vin2
was increased until clipping at the output was observed. This waveform can
be seen in Figure 2.
Figure 1: Summing Amplifier
Input and Output Waveforms

Figure 1: Summing Amplifier

Output Waveform at Clipping
Voltage

Part B: Differential Amplifier

In the second part of this lab, the differential amplifier from the pre-lab was
constructed with the values listed in Table 2. Two inputs were connected to
this op-amp, a 1kHz, 2 Vpp sine wave to Vin1 and a 2V DC to Vin2. The inputs
and outputs for the voltages on this amplifier are also recorded in Table 2.

The waveforms were measured using the bench oscilloscope and can be
seen in Figure 3. After obtaining a successful signal, the input voltage to Vin2
was grounded. This was done so that the Differential Mode Gain (DM) could
be measured by using AD = Vout/Vin. This waveform can be seen in Figure 4.
After observing this, the input voltage to Vin2 was connected to the 1kHz, 2
Vpp sin wave. This waveform can be seen in Figure 5. This was done so that
the Common Mode Gain (CM) could be measured by using ACM = Vout/Vin.
Using both the DM and CM gains, the Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR)
was calculated. The measurements for DM, CM, and CMRR are also recorded
in Table 2.
Figure 3: Differential Amplifier
Input and Output Waveforms

Figure 4: Differential Amplifier

with a Grounded Vin2

Figure 5: Differential Amplifier

with a Sinusoidal Vin2

Part C: Instrumentation Amplifier

In the last part of this lab, the instrumentation amplifier from the pre-lab was
constructed with the values listed in Table 3. Two inputs were connected to
this op-amp, a 1kHz, 1 Vpp sine wave to Vin1 and a 1V DC to Vin2. The inputs
and outputs for the voltages on this amplifier are also recorded in Table 3.
The waveforms were measured using the bench oscilloscope and can be
seen in Figure 6. After this, the second input voltage was again grounded
(Figure 7) and then also connected to the 1kHz, 1 Vpp sin wave (Figure 8).
After observing that the output voltage was again a linear combination of the
input signals, the purpose of these different amplifiers were very clear and
are explained in the discussion.
Figure 6: Instrumentation
Amplifier Input and Output
Waveforms

Figure 7: Instrumentation
Amplifier with a Grounded
Vin2

Figure 8: Instrumentation
Amplifier with a Sinusoidal
Vin2

Data Tables
Table 1: Summing Amplifier
Observations
Measurement
Value
R1
10 k
R2
5 k
R3
10 k
Vin1
2.16 V pk-pk, 710 mV
RMS
Vin2
1.97 V RMS
Vout
2.08 V pk-pk, 4.10 V
RMS
DC offset at Clipping
0.9 V
Table 2: Differential Amplifier
Observations
Measurement
Value
R1
10 k
R2
10 k
R3
10 k
R4
10 k
Vin1
2.08 V pk-pk, 708 mV
RMS
Vin2
2.01 V RMS
Vout
2.08 V pk-pk, 2.13 V
RMS
Common Mode Gain
0.04698
Differential Mode Gain
0.98597
Common Mode
20.987
Rejection Ratio

Table 3: Instrumentation Amplifier

Observations
Measurement
R
Rgain
Vin1
Vin2
Vout

Value
10 k
20 k
1.04 V pk-pk, 360 mV
RMS
1 V RMS
2 V pk-pk, 2.07 V RMS

Applicable Calculations
R3
V
R1 1
R3
( + V 2)
R2
1. Summing Amplifier Characteristic Function:V out
V 2
R2
( +V 1 )
R1
2. Differential Amplifier Characteristic Function:V out

V
2R
)
RGAIN
3. Instrumentation Amplifier Characteristic Function:V out
( 2V 1 )(1+

4. Differential ModeGain : A DM =

5.Common Mode Gain : A CM =

V out
V

V out
V

6.Common Mode Rejection Ratio:CMRR =

A DM
ACM

Discussion
1. Data Observations:
Part A: According to Table 1 in part A, it can be observed that the
experimental data matches the results derived from the transfer
characteristic function. The most important feature of the summing opamp is summing the inputs with a factor dependent on the resistances.
The voltage of the sinusoidal AC input supplied is 2 Vpp and the DC
input is 2 V, which results in a output voltage that is around 4 V.

Part B: Differential amplifier are designed to amplify the difference of inputs.

If an AC sinusoidal signal and a DC signal are fed into inputs of differential
amplifier, the differential amplifier will shift the AC sinusoidal signal. In this
case, it's shifted by 90 degrees and shifted up 2 Volts. Although, the plots
show the same peak-to-peak and RMS measurements for these signals. When
the non-inverting input is grounded, the signal shifts to the same voltage
measurements but still has it's appropriate phase shift. When the noninverting input has an AC sinusoidal signal that is the same as the inverting
input signal, the output voltage is driven to zero. Using the calculated CM
gain and DM gain, the CMRR was found. This ratio shows how well the
amplifier performs under noise. The higher the value for this ratio, the better
the circuit would be.
Part C: An instrumentation amplifier is a differential amplifier that has two
buffers and a resistor that controls the gain. The two buffers keep the current
from effecting the input values for the differential amplifier. This is done by
raising the impedance at both terminals of the amplifier. This is widely used
in measurement tools so that close to exact values can be achieved. Since all
the resistors in the rest of the circuit are the same and the gain resistor
connects the two inverting inputs for the buffers, it's possible to adjust the
overall closed loop gain by varying this resistance.

2. Simulated, Theoretical, and Calculated Comparisons:

The simulated and theoretical gains from the pre-lab were very similar
to each other. The simulated outputs were only off by a few
thousandths of a volt. The ratios using the waveform amplitudes were
less accurate because of impedance matching. The resistor values
could not be exactly matched when measured using the Digital
Multimeter and this drives the overall gain to be different.
Problems Encountered
The CMRR we measured did not have a very high value, which means that
the validity of the output was comprised of excess noise. This can be solved
by better impedance matching, possibly using higher values of resistors so
that differences in them would be comparatively small.

Conclusion
The purpose of this lab was to understand different types of complex
configurations of operational amplifiers. In this lab we learned about three
very important op-amp circuits which included a summing amplifier,
differential amplifier, and an instrumentation amplifier. By observing how the
inputs of these amplifiers effect the outputs, we learned how to manipulate

the gain of these circuits. We also learned a very important parameter which
is the Common Mode Rejection Ratio. This ratio helps engineers to design
circuits that are effected by a minimal amount of noise. Manipulating the
closed loop gain of op-amps and the Common Mode Rejection Ratio is key
when designing microelectronic circuits.