Op Amp Differentiator Circuit

 The op amp circuit for a differentiator is one that has

been used within analogue computing for many years.
 Although analogue differentiator circuits using
differential amplifiers made with discrete electronic
components have been used for many years, the
introduction of the op amp integrated circuit has
revolutionized the electronic circuit design process.
 The very high gain of the operational amplifier means
that it can provide a very high level of performance -
much better than that which could be obtained using
discrete electronic components.
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 One of the applications for analogue differentiator circuits
is for transforming different types of waveform as shown
below.

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 The input signal to the differentiator is applied to the

capacitor. The capacitor blocks any DC content so there
is no current flow to the amplifier summing point, X
resulting in zero output voltage.
 The capacitor allows only AC type of input voltage
changes to pass through . Frequency is dependant on
the rate of change of the input signal.
 At low frequencies the reactance of the capacitor is
“High” resulting in a low gain and low output voltage
from the op-amp.
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 At higher frequencies the reactance of the capacitor is

much less resulting in a higher level gain and higher
output voltage level from the differentiator amplifier.
 However, at high frequencies an op-amp differentiator
circuit becomes unstable and will start to oscillate.
 To avoid this the high frequency gain of the circuit
needs to be reduced by adding an additional small
value capacitor across the feedback resistor Rf.
 Since the node voltage of the operational amplifier at
its inverting input terminal is zero, the current, i
5 flowing through the capacitor will be given as:
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 .

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 The minus sign (–) indicates a 180o phase shift since
the input signal is connected to the inverting input
terminal of the operational amplifier.

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 Example 1
 (a ) With reference to Fig 1 derive the expression for the
output voltage
 (b) A square waveform which varies from 0V to 5V in 0.1
ms is applied at the input of the
 amplifier shown in Fig below. Find the out put voltage if
C1=0.1µF and R1= 1KΩ .

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 SLN: EXAMPLE 1 b
 Vout = -RC (dVi/dt)
 = -(1x103x0.1x10-6) = 0.1x10-3 s

 dVi/dt = 5 /0.1x10-3 =50x103 v/s

 Vout = (0.1x10-3) 50x103
 = -5Volts

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 Operational amplifier integrator circuit
 The Op-amp Integrator is an operational amplifier circuit that
performs the mathematical operation of Integration.
 As the feedback capacitor, C begins to charge up due to the
influence of the input voltage, its impedance Xc slowly increase in
proportion to its rate of charge.

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The capacitor charges up at a rate determined by
the RC time constant, ( τ ) of the series RC
network. Negative feedback forces the op-amp to
produce an output voltage that maintains a virtual
earth at the op-amp’s inverting input.

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 ctd: Op-amp Integrator
 The input current I(in) flowing through the input resistor, Rin is
given as:

 The current flowing through the feedback capacitor C is given

as:
 But If = Iin
 Therefore, -C dVout/dt = Vin/Rin
 dVout/dt = - Vin/CRin
 Integrating both sides: Vout = - 1/CRʃVindt

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 Example 2
 (a) With the aid of a diagram show how an OP-Amp can be
used as an integrator
 (b) A steady voltage of −0.8V is applied to an op amp
integrator having the following
 Values: R is 200 kΩ and C is 2.5 μF. Assuming that the initial
capacitor charge is zero, determine the value of the output
voltage 200 ms after application of the input

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 SLN:Example2b
 Vout = - 1/CRʃVindt.
 = - 1/ [(2.5x 10-6)( 200 x10-3)] ʃ-0.8dt.
 = -1/0.5 ʃ-0.8dt.
 = -2[-0.8t]
 = 1.6t
 When t = 200ms
 Vout = 1.6x 200ms =1.6( 200 x10-3)
 = 0.32V

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 Op-Amp Input offset voltage

 The input offset voltage is defined as the voltage

that must be applied between the two input
terminals of the op amp to obtain zero volts at the
output. Ideally the output of the op amp should be at
zero volts when the inputs are grounded.
 Ideally the output of the op amp should be at zero
volts when the inputs are grounded. In reality the
input terminals are at slightly different dc potentials.
 Unfortunately under these circumstances there is
always a small offset since no operational amplifier is
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ever perfect and completely balanced. There is
always a small input offset voltage.
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 This input offset voltage is small and arises from mismatch
in the differential input stage of the op amp and the drive
currents required fort he input biasing
 These small offsets are caused by a variety of unavoidable
issues within the manufacturing process of the op amp.
They include mismatched transistor pairs, collector
currents, current-gain betas (β), collector or emitter
resistors, etc.
 Typical offset voltages can be around 1 mV, although some
precision operational amplifier chips may have offset
voltages of around 10µvolts.

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 Offset null voltage definition

 Input offset voltage is defined as the voltage that

must be applied between the two input terminals of
an op amp to null or bring the output voltage to
zero.
 The offset null effectively applies this voltage to
ensure that the offset is removed from the output.
 Where offset drift is an issue the electronic
components used to provide the offset null
capability could include a temperature
compensation to null the effect of the operational
amplifier offset drift.
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 Op amp offset null
 For circuits where it is necessary to remove or null
the offset, many op-amp chips provide two pins that
enable this to be done.
 Using the offset null adjustment requires a
potentiometer with its wiper connected to the
negative supply with some op amps or to 0 V with
others so it is necessary to check the data sheet.
 The value for the potentiometer may typically be
around 10 KΩ to 100 KΩ . When undertaking the
electronic circuit design check the data sheet for the
most suitable value.
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 Operational amplifier offset null capability is used for
applications where DC amplification is required. The small
offsets caused by the input circuit are amplified and if left
unchecked they can become an issue.
 One of the major areas where the offset null capability is used
is within instrumentation and sensor applications. Here, small
DC changes need to be monitored for op-amps to provide the
ideal way of amplifying the DC voltages before they are
measured or converted to digital formats. As such the offset
null capability is essential for the operation of these circuits.
 The most straightforward method for applying the offset null
is to use a simple potentiometer, butdigital feedback is used
and the value is measured automatically by the system.
20 Nevertheless the same principle is used within the op-amp.
 Common-Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR)
 It indicates the ability of a differential amplifier to suppress
signals common to the two inputs. Desired signals should
appear on only one input or with opposite polarities on both
inputs. These desired signals are amplified and appear on the
outputs.
 Unwanted signals (noise) appearing with the same polarity on
both input lines are ideally cancelled by the differential
amplifier as these amplifiers are used as a means of suppressing
common-mode signals. Such noise signals can arise from the
following sources: (1) radiated signals coupled equally to both
lines, (2) offset from signal common created in the driver
circuit, or (3) ground differential between the transmitting and
receiving locations.
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 The measure of an amplifier’s ability to reject noise is the
CMRR. The ideal differential amplifier provides a very high
gain for desired signals (single-ended or differential) and
zero gain for common-mode signals.
 The higher the differential gain compared to the common-
mode gain, the better the performance of the differential
amplifier in terms of rejecting common-mode signals.
 A good measure of the diff-amp’s performance in rejecting
undesirable common-mode signals is the ratio of the
differential voltage gain (Av(d)) to the common-mode gain
(Acm). This ratio is the CMRR.

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 The CMRR is often expressed in decibels (dB) as

 With very high CMRR, noise or interference will be

essentially eliminated.

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 Op amp slew rate
 The slew rate of an op amp is the rate of change in the output
voltage caused by a step change on the input. To give
distortion free operation, the slew rate of the amplifier the
simple formula is

 Where
slew rate is measured in volts / second, although actual
measurements are often given in v/µs
f = the highest signal frequency, Hz
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V = the maximum peak voltage of the signal
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 Slew rate is defined as the maximum rate of output voltage
change per unit time.

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 Differential Amplifier.

 The differential amplifier amplifies the voltage

difference at the inverting and non-inverting inputs.
 This makes this type of operational amplifier circuit
a Subtractor unlike a summing amplifier which adds
or sums together the input voltages. This type of
operational amplifier circuit is commonly known as a
Differential Amplifier

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 END
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