Operational Amplifiers:

The operational amplifier is a direct-coupled high gain amplifier usable from 0 to over 1MH Z to
which feedback is added to control its overall response characteristic i.e. gain and bandwidth. The op-amp
exhibits the gain down to zero frequency.
Such direct coupled (dc) amplifiers do not use blocking (coupling and by pass) capacitors since these
would reduce the amplification to zero at zero frequency. Large by pass capacitors may be used but it is not
possible to fabricate large capacitors on a IC chip. The capacitors fabricated are usually less than 20 pf.
Transistor, diodes and resistors are also fabricated on the same chip.
Differential Amplifiers:
Differential amplifier is a basic building block of an op-amp. The function of a differential amplifier is
to amplify the difference between two input signals.
How the differential amplifier is developed? Let us consider two emitter-biased circuits as shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 1
The two transistors Q1 and Q2 have identical characteristics. The resistances of the circuits are equal,
i.e. RE1 = R E2, RC1 = R C2 and the magnitude of +VCC is equal to the magnitude of –VEE. These voltages are
measured with respect to ground.
To make a differential amplifier, the two circuits are connected as shown in fig. 1. The two +VCC and
–VEE supply terminals are made common because they are same. The two emitters are also connected and
the parallel combination of RE1 and RE2 is replaced by a resistance RE. The two input signals v1 & v2 are
applied at the base of Q1 and at the base of Q2. The output voltage is taken between two collectors. The
collector resistances are equal and therefore denoted by RC = RC1 = RC2.

Op-Amp – Differential Amplifier 1

 Ideally, the output voltage is zero when the two inputs are equal. When v 1 is greater then v2 the
output voltage with the polarity shown appears. When v 1 is less than v2, the output voltage has the
opposite polarity.
The differential amplifiers are of different configurations. The four differential amplifier
configurations are following:
1. Dual input, balanced output differential amplifier.
2. Dual input, unbalanced output differential amplifier.
3. Single input balanced output differential amplifier.
4. Single input unbalanced output differential amplifier.

Fig. 2
These configurations are shown in fig. 2, and are defined by number of input signals used and the
way an output voltage is measured. If use two input signals, the configuration is said to be dual input,
otherwise it is a single input configuration. On the other hand, if the output voltage is measured between

Op-Amp – Differential Amplifier 2

two collectors, it is referred to as a balanced output because both the collectors are at the same dc
potential w.r.t. ground. If the output is measured at one of the collectors w.r.t. ground, the configuration is
called an unbalanced output.
A multistage amplifier with a desired gain can be obtained using direct connection between
successive stages of differential amplifiers. The advantage of direct coupling is that it removes the lower cut
off frequency imposed by the coupling capacitors, and they are therefore, capable of amplifying dc as well
as ac input signals.
Dual Input, Balanced Output Differential Amplifier:
The circuit is shown in fig. 1, v1 and v2 are the two inputs, applied to the bases of Q1 and
Q2 transistors. The output voltage is measured between the two collectors C1 and C2 , which are at same dc
potentials.
D.C. Analysis:
To obtain the operating point (ICC and VCEQ) for differential amplifier dc equivalent circuit is drawn by
reducing the input voltages v1 and v2 to zero as shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 3
The internal resistances of the input signals are denoted by R S because RS1= RS2. Since both emitter
biased sections of the different amplifier are symmetrical in all respects, therefore, the operating point for
only one section need to be determined. The same values of I CQ and VCEQ can be used for second transistor
Q 2.
Applying KVL to the base emitter loop of the transistor Q 1.

Op-Amp – Differential Amplifier 3

 The value of RE sets up the emitter current in transistors Q 1 and Q2 for a given value of VEE. The
emitter current in Q1 and Q2 are independent of collector resistance RC.
The voltage at the emitter of Q1 is approximately equal to -VBE if the voltage drop across R is
negligible. Knowing the value of IC the voltage at the collector VC is given by
VC =VCC – IC RC
And VCE = VC – VE
= VCC – IC RC + VBE
VCE = VCC + VBE – ICRC -----(2)
From the two equations VCEQ and ICQ can be determined. This dc analysis is applicable for all types of
differential amplifier.
Example - 1
The following specifications are given for the dual input, balanced-output differential amplifier of fig.1:
RC = 2.2 kΩ, RE = 4.7 kΩ, Rin 1 = Rin 2 = 50 Ω , +VCC = 10V, -VEE = -10 V, βdc =100 and VBE = 0.715V.
Determine the operating points (ICQ and VCEQ) of the two transistors.
Solution:
The value of ICQ can be obtained from equation (E-1).

The voltage VCEQ can be obtained from equation (E-2).

The values of ICQ and VCEQ are same for both the transistors.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Op-Amp – Differential Amplifier 4

A.C. Analysis of Differential Amplifier using h-Parameters
In the a.c. analysis, we will calculate the differential gain A d, common mode gain A C, input resistance Ri and
the output resistance R 0 of the differential amplifier circuit, using the h-parameters.
1. Differential Gain (A d)
For the differential gain calculation, the two input signals must be different from each other. Let the two
a.c. input signals be equal in magnitude but having 180" phase difference in between them. The magnitude
of each a.c. input voltage V S1 and V S2beVs /2. The two a.c. emitter currents I e1 and I e2 are equal in
magnitude and 180' out of phase. Hence they cancel each other to get resultant a.c. current through the
emitter as zero. For the a.c. purposes emitter terminal can be grounded. The a.c. small signal differential
amplifier circuit with grounded emitter terminal is shown in the Fig1 As the two transistors are matched,
the a.c. equivalent circuit for the other transistor is identical to the one shown in the Fig..1. Thus the circuit
can be analyzed by considering only one transistor. This is called as half circuit concept of analysis.

The approximate hybrid model for the above circuit can be shown as in the Fig.2.

Op-Amp – Differential Amplifier 5

The negative sign indicates the phase difference between input and output. Now two input signal
magnitudes are VS /2 but they are opposite in polarity, as 180" out of phase.

The expression for A d with balanced output changes as

This is the differential gain for balanced output dual input differential amplifier circuit.

Op-Amp – Differential Amplifier 6

2. Common Mode Gain (A C)
Let the magnitude of both the a.c. input signals be VS and are in phase with each other. Hence the
differential input Vd = 0 while the common mode input Vc is the average value of the two.

But now both the emitter currents flow through R E in the same direction. Hence the total current flowing
through R E is 2I e. considering only one transistor, as in the Fig

Current through RC = Load Current IL

Effective emitter resistance = 2RE

Op-Amp – Differential Amplifier 7

 Current through emitter resistance = Ib + IL
= Ib + hfe Ib
Applying KVL to the input loop,
VS = Ib RS + Ib hie + 2RE (Ib + hfe Ib)

-----------(9)
VO = - hfe Ib RC -----------(10)
Substituting (9) in (10),

------------(11)
AC remains same whether the output is balanced or unbalanced.

CMRR =I Ad / AC I

3. Differential input impedance (Ri):

Riis the equivalent resistance between one of the inputs and the ground.

The input resistance Ri doesn’t depend on whether the output is balanced or unbalanced.
4. Output impedance (RO):
Itis defined as the equivalent resistance between one of the output terminals with respect to the
ground. The resistance between output terminal w.r.t. ground is RC.

Op-Amp – Differential Amplifier 8