Alexandru Alice

431G

Logarithmic amplifier

1. Introduction
The logarithmic amplifier (logarithmic convertor) creates a logarithmic dependence
between the input and output. Usually, the output is in voltage; the input can be current or
voltage.
The symbol used for convertors and their transfer functions are:

Fig 1.
The logarithmic convertor has a large scale of applications. It is used in analogic
computations (multiplexing, dividing, exponential with higher/lower than one exponent,
effective value) and in dynamic compression circuits (given the property of the logarithmic
function to increase slower than its argument)
In this paper we study a logarithmic convertor in which the logarithmic conversion element is
a bipolar transistor connected in a negative feedback of an operation amplifier.
Used in a basic circuit the connection topology of the transistor is called trans-diode. This
circuit is found in the majority of logarithmic convertors found on sale.

Fig. 2

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The collector current (ic) depends on emitter-base voltage (VBE) and on the collector-base
voltage (VCB) and is given by the Ebers Moll equation:

Is = saturation current
R = 0.3 0.8 is the ratio between ie and Ic when the transistor is working in the inverse
active region
Q operates in active normal region at VCB = 0 (ideal OA). Substituting VCB=0 in the first
equation we obtain for the output voltage Vo :

For the case of current control:

And for the case of voltage control:

Due to the OA, the value of the current passing through the collector of transistor Q is forced
to equal Ii (vi/Ri); given this conditions, the output voltage (which equals the emitter-base
voltage) is proportional with ln vi.
The exponential dependence between the collector current and the base-emitter voltage is
maintained with good precision up to 6 8 decades of current variation. In fig 3, Ic(VBE)
characteristic is shown.
The deviations from the exponential characteristic given by the first equation take place at
higher collector currents due to the voltage drop on the series resistance of the emitter and due
to high level injection. At lower currents the deviations are given by the recombination
phenomena in the spatial charge region and at the surface of emitter-base junction.
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For a small power transistor, at

T=25C, the saturation current Is has
a

14
typical value of 10
A
15

10

A.

The logarithmic convertor shown in

Fig.2 has a few major disadvantages
which makes it useless in practice.
These disadvantages will be shown
below.
(a) It is observed that at high
currents the AO load output
becomes excessive, which
leads to the decrease of the
gain in open loop. This fact
determines a big deviation
from the ideal model
described earlier, the transfer
characteristic being non-logarithmical.
(b) An important effect of the trans-diode connection is that the feedback loop is not
passive. The transfer function of the circuit is given by the equality:

having a value according to the level of input signal. Observing the very large
bandwidth in which the logarithmic transistor amplifies and the fact that the value of
the gmRi gain can get higher than one we notice that the circuit might oscillate.
Modifying the circuit in fig. 2 according to fig. 4 offers the solution for the 2
problems. The group Cc, Rc does the frequency compensation of the converter,
providing the reduction for the loop gain at high frequencies. The load resistance at
output AO is Rc+re.

Fig. 4 Frequency compensation

(c) Equality (4) which gives the transfer characteristic shows that the influence of
temperature is present due to Is and T.

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431G

Equality (5) shows the major gain which is obtained through this altered circuit; the
saturation current of the logarithmic transistor is replaced with a reference current
IR=VR/RR. The imperfect bonding of the two transistors is reflected by the ratio Isi/ISR,
defined by unity but independent of temperature.

The error introduced by the non-unitary ratio Isi/ISR is compensated by the adjustment of
reference current; for this reason, equation (6) is usually written as:

The compensation of the temperature effect can be done by using a thermostat for the
transistor pair which executes the conversion, or by choosing R1 dependent on
temperature.
The transfer characteristic of a logarithmic converter is defined by the conversion slope:

And the value of the input voltage Vio, for which the output voltage is 0

As example, a convertor with a conversion slope of 2 V/decade and a voltage Vio=10 mV

has the transfer characteristic

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431G

(d) For small values of the input signal, the AO bottlenecks become significant. These
bottlenecks are determined by the offset voltage, the input polarization currents (offset
current) and by the thermic derivatives of these parameters.

2. Laboratory Work

The circuit for the logarithmic converter is given below:

Compensating the temperature variation effect is done by using a pair of thermostat

resistors (BA726X). For a value of 150K of RADJ we get a constant temperature of
80C for the Si chip, independent of environment temperature.
2.1 We make the correspondence between the laboratory paper and the circuit above.
2.2 Considering ideal OA, ISi/ISR=1, T=353 K (80 C) and VR=10 V we will
determine the ideal (theoretical) relations for the transfer characteristic Vo(Vi) and
Vo(Ii). We will detail the values of the conversion slopes and of the input
voltage/current, Vio/Iio, for which the output voltage is zero. kT/q has the value
25.9 mV at T=300K.
Note: The values obtained for the estimation of the theoretical characteristic will
be used also for the setup of the module in which we will graphically represent the
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experimental characteristics. The graphic representation will be done on an A4

sheet of paper. On the abscissa for Vi and Ii we will have a scale of 5dB/decade
and on the ordinate a scale of 2.5cm/V for Vo and 2.5cm/100 mV for VBE.
slope=

R 2+ R 1 kT
ln 10=1.17 V /decade
R1 q

V io =V R

Ri
=100V , for Ri=10 M
RR

V o=1.17 lg
I io =

Vi
100

V io
I
=105 A V o=1.17 lg i5
Ri
10

2.3 The switch K2 is set on the AMBIENT position.

2.4 The circuit is connected to a 15V source.
Observations:
(1) All voltages will be measured with E302 digital multimeter.
(2) The value of the input current is set by fixing the potentiometer P1, by
choosing the right position for K3 and by choosing the right value for the input
resistance. Setting the right values will be done using the equality:

2.5 We compensate the offset voltage of AO2. We must switch K1 on position O and
pin 2 is short-circuited to ground. P2 is used such that the output voltage Vo is set
to zero.
2.6 The switch K1 is set to L
2.7 We fix Ii=Ii0, computed at point 2.2, VR=10V and we read Vo. From equality (5)
we determine the value of the ratio ISi/ISR=1.
We fix Ii=Iio=0.01mA, VR=10V and we read Vo:
V o=508,425,9(ln

105 mV =13.6ln

3
I
0.0110 1 M
ln SI )
10
I SR

I SI
I
I
ln SI =7.72103 SI 1.002
I SR
I SR
I SR

2.8 We fix Ii=Iio computed at point 2.2 and we adjust the voltage VR from P3 until
Vo=0.
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Vo=0 V for VR=12.58 V

2.9 We determine and plot the characteristic Vo(Vi) for Ri=1k and Vi= 5 V, 2 V, 1
V,...2 mV, 1 mV, 0,5 mV in the following situations:
(1) The offset voltage of AO2 is compensated
(2) The cursor of P2 is at the higher end (the value of the input voltage on the noninverting input AO1 is also measured)
(3) The cursor of P2 is at the lower end (the value of the input voltage on the noninverting input AO1 is also measured)
Vi[V]
1.Vo(offset 0)
2.Vo(offset )
3.Vo(offset )
Vi[V]
1.Vo(offset 0)
2.Vo(offset )
3.Vo(offset )

5
-3,25
-3,26
-3,34
0,01
-0,23
-0,33
-0,17

2
-2,96
-2,98
-2,78
0,005
-0,2
-0,19
-0,05

1
-2,42
-2,44
-2,36
0,002
-0,18
-0,15
0,14

0,5
-1,93
-1,87
-1,89

0,2
-1,32
-1,37
-1,24

0,1
-1,01
-1,07
-0,93
0,001
-0,16
-0,04
0,05

0,05
-0,7
-0,78
-0,67

0,02
-0,2
-0,48
-0,36

0.5
0
0

0.01

0.1

-0.5

10

-1
Vo(offset 0)

-1.5
-2

Vo(offset

Vo(offset

-2.5
-3
-3.5
-4

2.10 We repeat the voltage compensation procedure of the OA2 (points 2.5 and 2.6).
2.11 We determine and plot the characteristics Vo(Ii) and IC(VBE) of transistor
Q1 for the values of the collector current indicated in table T.1.
Note: For simplicity:
(1) We set the value for the input current and measure Vo, VBE;
(2) We pass to the next value of the input current and measure Vo, VBE;
Current
value

Connecte
d
pins

Room
temperature
R

Vi[V]

Vo[V]

Warm
Vbe[mV
]

Vo[V]

Vbe[mV]
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1k
5 mA
1 - 2.
5
-3,54
-0,69
-3,36
-0,71
1k
2 mA
1 - 2.
2
-3,06
-0,62
-2,83
-0,66
1k
1 mA
1 - 2.
1
-2,42
-0,55
-2,37
-0,65
500 A
1k
1 - 2.
0,5
-1,83
-0,56
-1,77
-0,59
200 A
1k
1 - 2.
0,2
-1,3
-0,46
-1,25
-0,54
100 A
1k
1 - 2.
0,1
-0,91
-0,4
-0,83
-0,45
50 A
100k
1 - 3.
5
-0,62
-0,47
-0,34
-0,4
20 A
100k
1 - 3.
2
-0,1
-0,31
0,11
-0,34
10 A
100k
1 - 3.
1
0,45
-0,28
0,5
-0,28
5 A
100k
1 - 3.
0,5
0,76
-0,24
0,85
-0,29
2 A
100k
1 - 3.
0,2
1,2
-0,2
1,2
-0,15
1 A
100k
1 - 3.
0,1
1,5
-0,23
1,52
-0,27
500 nA
10M
1 - 4.
5
2
-0,09
1,77
-0,28
200 nA
10M
1 - 4.
2
2,37
-0,08
2,2
-0,26
100 nA
10M
1 - 4.
1
2,75
-0,05
2,53
-0,24
50 nA
10M
1 - 4.
0,5
3,12
-0,04
2,92
-0,22
20 nA
10M
1 - 4.
0,2
3,38
-0,1
3,2
-0,23
10 nA
10M
1 - 4.
0,1
3,64
-0,05
3,5
-0,18
5 nA
10M
1 - 4.
0,05
3,83
-0,01
3,6
-0,12
2 nA
10M
1 - 4.
0,01
3,88
0,02
3,8
-0,06
2.12 From the value experimental value of the conversion plot we compute the
value of the environment temperature.
2.13 We set K2 to HOT (the electroluminescent diode lights)
2.14 Step 2.11 is repeated, the characteristics are plotted on the same graphic.
2.15 We fix Vo=0. The switch K2 is placed on AMBIENT; this way the chip
(including Qi and QR ) start to cool down. We verify that Vo is zero, such that
ISi/ISR=1 is temperature independent.

Vo[V]-room temperature
5
4
3
2

Vo[V]

1
0
0

0.01

0.1

-1

10

-2
-3
-4

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431G

Vo[V]-warm
5
4
3
2

Vo[V]

1
0
0

0.01

0.1

-1

10

-2
-3
-4

v BE
vT

I c I S (e 1)
room
warm
Vbe[mV]
Ic/Is
Vbe[mV] Ic/Is
-0,69 -0,02619
-0,71
-0,0269
-0,62 -0,02356
-0,66
-0,0251
-0,55 -0,02093
-0,65
-0,0247
-0,56 -0,02131
-0,59
-0,0224
-0,46 -0,01754
-0,54
-0,0206
-0,4 -0,01527
-0,45
-0,0172
-0,47 -0,01791
-0,4
-0,0153
-0,31 -0,01185
-0,34
-0,013
-0,28 -0,01071
-0,28
-0,0107
-0,24 -0,00919
-0,29
-0,0111
-0,2 -0,00766
-0,15
-0,0058
-0,23 -0,00881
-0,27
-0,0103
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-0,09
-0,08
-0,05
-0,04
-0,1
-0,05
-0,01
0,02

-0,00346
-0,00307
-0,00192
-0,00154
-0,00384
-0,00192
-0,00038
0,00077

-0,28
-0,26
-0,24
-0,22
-0,23
-0,18
-0,12
-0,06

-0,0107
-0,01
-0,0092
-0,0084
-0,0088
-0,0069
-0,0046
-0,0023

Ic/Is-room temperature
0.01
0
-0.8

-0.7

-0.6

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0.1
Ic/Is

-0.01
-0.02
-0.02
-0.03
-0.03

Ic/Is-warm
0
-0.8

-0.7

-0.6

-0.5

-0.4

-0.3

-0.2

-0.1

0
0

-0.01

Ic/Is

-0.02
-0.02
-0.03
-0.03

3. Questions
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3.2. Which are the factors that determine de deviation of the transfer characteristic of the
logarithmic convertor at high input currents (voltages) ?
The deviation is given by the voltage drop on the series resistance of the emittor, by
the offset currents and the offset voltage. Therefore, the characteristic wont be logarithmic
anymore.
3.4. For the studied logarithmic convertor, the Vo(Ii) characteristic has more decades than
the characteristic Vo(Vi). Why? Is this a general situation or is it specific for this convertor?
The Vo(Ii) characteristic is larger the the Vo(Vi) characteristic because, in the case of
voltage attack, the effects of the offset currents and the offset voltage is greater than in the
case of current attack.
3.5. Which are the criteria for determining Rg?
Rg and C3 form a supplementary compensation in frequency of AO3 amplifier. Rg is
computed from the following relations:
U V BE U Rg
I g I C1 I R
3.7.

Explain why the frequency compensations of AO1 and AO3 are different.
The compensations are different because the feedback loops are different. Therefore,
AO1 has a smaller feedback loop and a better stability in time. AO2 has an active feedback
loop, high frequency compensation, but the risk of oscillations appears.
3.8. If the transistor QI and QR are not kept at constant temperature, the compensation of
the temperature variation can be made by making the R1, R2 divider temperature dependent.
Which resistor would be chosen as temperature dependent?
If R2>>R1 is temperature dependent, the temperature effect kT/q would be
compensated.
3.9. What is the role of AO1? Can the potentiometer P1 be connected directly at the
convertors input?
AO1 has the role to maintain constant the output impedance, role which cannot be
fulfilled if we connect P1 directly to AO2s input.
3.11. The described convertor is an inverter. How can a non-inverting behavior be obtained?
To obtain a non-inverting behavior, the two inputs must be switched.

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