Fundamentals

of electrical and electronic systems.

Lab 1.

Amplifier Characterization

Date: 11.12.2015 and 08.01.2016

3.1.1 Group:
First Name
Simone
Ivan
Andrea
Federico

Last Name
Biagiola
Bukin
Costanzo
Gioachini

Matr. number
201644
206233
191037
201662

Signature

3.1.2 Used instruments:
Instrument
Waveform
generator

Make and model

Hameg HM8131-2

Oscilloscope

Atten ADS2102C

Power supply

Velleman PS23023

Pre-assembled
circuit board A2

Massimo Ruo Roch, DET

Politecnico di Torino,
2001

Multimeter

Hewlett-Packard HP
34401A

Characteristics
0.1 mHz to 15 MHz
20 mV to 20 V Vpp
distortion <3%
output: BNC
5 Hz to 200 MHz
80 V Vpp max
vertical distortion <3%
resolution 8 bit
sampling rate 1GSa/s
input: BNC with probe
output max 30 Vdc, 3 A
uncertainty <3mVrms
output: Banana
described in the further text and in
the task
signal input: BNC
power input: three-pin connector
output: probe
Vdc up to 1000 V
R up to 100 MOhm
Idc up to 3 A
Vrms up to 750 V, 300kHz
Irms up to 3 A, 10kHz
uncertainty max 0.74%
input: Banana
1

3.1.3 Goals of the lab:

Perform a comparison between theoretical computations and real measurements.
Improve skills and competences in electrical and electronic measurements.
Gain further familiarity with practical aspect of the subject.

Notice: description of connection, setting and measurement procedures will be omitted
since these operations are properly explained in the text of the task and in Lecture 07,
also because such procedures as using a multimeter or adjusting the image on the screen
of the oscilloscope should not require any effort from a person who is studying
engineering. However, in the text of the report necessary comments and remarks about
obtained results will be provided.
In all subsequent tasks the theoretical computation of voltages, resistances, gains, poles
and zeroes was performed using the standard formulae.
The input waveform in all tasks is of a sinusoidal type.

3.1.4 Gain and resistance measurement.

(Non-inverting amplifier)

Gain at 800 Hz and Vspp=1 V:

Measured

Theoretical acceptable
range (from given values
of the components)
Av (quotient)
8.4
7.65 9.35
Av (in dB)
18.5
17.67 19.42
We can observe that the result falls inside the range of theoretical values, even if the
measurement procedure was affected by infinitely many distortive factors. We see also
that the theoretical range is quite broad.

Input equivalent resistance, at 800 Hz and Vspp=1 V:

Measured Theoretical acceptable range (from
given values of the components)
Vu (R9 short-circuited)
8.8 Vpp
---
Vu (R9 inserted)
4.8 Vpp
---
R9 value
9.88 k
9.5 10.5 k
Ri value
12.5 k
10.45 11.45 k
Resistance measurement (using a multimeter) was performed with power supply
disconnected and configuring the circuit in such way that we are measuring exactly the
necessary resistance, not some other loop. As we have observed, it is not exactly equal to
the nominal value given by the colour code, but is within the tolerance margins (the same
situation will happen in following cases). The input resistance is found by applying the
voltage divider (by measuring the output voltage with external resistance inserted and
not inserted: ratio between these two values is equal to the ratio of resistances given by
2

the partition). To be measured in a more precise way, the input resistance must be of the
same order of magnitude as the external resistance. In the end, as we see, Ri is not equal
to infinity, which means that our amplifier is far from being ideal. In addition, its value is
slightly outside of the theoretical range.
Output equivalent resistance, at 800 Hz and Vspp=1 V:

Measured
Theoretical acceptable
range (from given values
of the components)
Vu (R10 not connected)
8.4 Vpp
---
Vu (R10 inserted)
4.2 Vpp
---
R10 value
0.983 k
---
Ru value
1.02 k
0.95 1.05 k
Measurement of output resistance is performed in the same way as for the input: we
must make a voltage divider. And, as we see, the obtained value is within the tolerance
interval. The theoretical approach for computing the output resistance cannot be applied
(Ru= OC voltage/SC current) due to the fact that short circuit will drive the amplifier to the
non-linear region, where the results will be absolutely different from what we expect by
applying our theoretical approach.

3.1.5 Frequency response of the amplifier with external RC filters.

Frequency (Hz)

Pulsation (rad/s) |Avs| (dB)

|Avs| (dB)
(2*frequency)
calculated
measured
300
1884.956
7.1172
7.89
1000
6283.185
15.523
15.32
3000
18849.56
18.607
18.06
10000
62831.85
17.893
17.52
30000
188495.6
12.810
12.71
100000
628318.5
3.3276
3.95
300000
1884956
-6.117
-6.02
1000000
6283185
-16.56
-18
We were doing two measurements per decade, one at the boundary, another in the
middle of each segment, which approximately corresponds to 3 in logarithmic scale. Vpp
used was equal to 1 V until 30000 Hz and 0.2 V after this value. A possible reason for this
could be the uncertainty of the oscilloscope, for which it will be easier to deal with
lower amplitudes at high frequency avoiding possible risks.
An important observation is that measured values are not always in perfect
correspondence with the calculated ones. These errors are appearing due to the
tolerances of the instruments and unavoidable presence of noise. After certain frequency
the gain (not in dB) becomes very little, tending to zero (but it will never assume exactly
3

the null value). Another trend that can be deduced is that measured values in the flat
zone are all slightly lower than calculated ones.
Here you can find the graphical representation of the results.

100
10
0

Calculated
Measured

3.1.6 Inverting amplifier.

Check of phase inversion: Believe it or not, but on the screen of the oscilloscope we have
observed two waveforms, exactly in counterphase, without any shift. This means, that the
phase was inverted. Which is not a surprise at all.

Av measurement (at 1000 Hz): Av=-16.26 (dB)
Ri measurement:

Measured
Nominal
Calculated
Ri value
14.84 k
15 k5%
15 k
In this case again the voltage divider was applied to compute the input resistance. As we
can see, the measured value of input resistance has a value that is close to the calculated
one and the nominal one.
The value of the output resistance is approximately equal to 4.7 m, which is really a
negligible value.