Differential Amplifier

R
C

Q
2

Q
1

R
C

V
CC

-V
EE

R
E

V
O1

V
O2

V
i1

V
i2

Different input mode:
Single Ended input, v
i1
exists, v
i2

grounded.
Double ended, both inputs exist.
Common mode, same input
signal is applied at both the input
terminals.
DC bias of Differential Amplifier
7 . 0 0 = =
BE E
V V
I
E

2
E
C
I
I ~
R
C

Q
1

Q
2

R
C

V
CC

-V
EE

R
E

V
C1

V
C2

V
B
=0
2
E
C
I
I ~
2
E
I
2
E
I
V
B
=0
E
EE
E
EE E
E
R
V
R
V V
I
7 . 0 ) (
=

=
2
2 1
E
C C
I
I I = =
C C CC C C
R I V V V = =
2 1
AC analysis of
Differential Amplifier
R
C

R
C

V
CC

-V
EE

R
E

V
O1

V
O2

V
i1

V
i2

R
C1

I
c1

V
o1

V
i2

r
i2

I
b2

|
2
I
b2

R
C2

I
c2

V
o2

R
E

|
1
I
b1

C
V
i1

B
r
i1

I
b1

E
(1+|
1
)I
b1
(1+|
2
)I
b2

Single Ended ac voltage gain
V
CC

R
C

R
C

-V
EE

R
E

V
O1

V
O2

V
i1

V
i2
=0
R
C1

I
c1

V
o1

V
i2
=0
r
i2

I
b2

|
2
I
b2

R
C2

I
c2

V
o2

R
E

|
1
I
b1

C
V
i1

B
r
i1

I
b1

E
(1+|
1
)I
b1
(1+|
2
)I
b2

Assuming Identical transistors,
r
i1
= r
i2
= r
i
and I
b1
= I
b2
= I
b

Considering R
E
very large,
V
i1
- I
b
r
i
I
b
r
i
= 0.
i
i1
b
2r
V
I =
i
i1
b
2r
V
I Ic = =
c
i
i1
c c o
R
2r
V
R I V = =
i
c
i1
o
v
2r
R
V
V
A = =
e
c
e
c
v
2r
R
r 2
R
A = =
Double Ended ac voltage gain
R
C1

I
c1

V
o1

r
i2

I
b2

|
2
I
b2

R
C2

I
c2

V
o2

R
E

|
1
I
b1

c
V
i1

b
r
i1

I
b1

e
Assuming Identical transistors,
r
i1
= r
i2
= r
i
and I
b1
= I
b2
= I
b

Considering R
E
very large,
V
i1
- I
b
r
i
I
b
r
i
V
i2
= 0.
i
d
i
i2 i1
b
2r
V
2r
V V
I =

=
i
d
b
2r
V
I Ic = =
c
i
d
c c o
R
2r
V
R I V = =
i
c
d
o
d
2r
R
V
V
A = =
V
i2

b
V
CC

R
C

R
C

-V
EE

R
E

V
O1

V
O2

V
i1
V
i2

Differential
voltage gain
Common Mode operation of differential amplifier
R
C

I
c

V
o1

r
i

I
b

|I
b

R
C

I
c

R
E

|I
b

c
V
i

b
r
i

I
b

e
(1+|)I
b
(1+|)I
b

2(1+|)I
b

0 R 1)I 2( r I V
E b i b i
= +
E i
i
b
1)R 2( r
V
I
+ +
=
E i
c i
c b c c o
1)R 2( r
R V
R I R I V
+ +
= = =
E i
c
c
1)R 2( r
R
A
+ +
= =
i
o
V
V
V
CC

R
C

R
C

-V
EE

R
E

V
O

V
i

Common mode voltage gain
Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR)
of differential amplifier
V
CC

R
C

R
C

-V
EE

R
E

V
O

i
c
d
o
d
2r
R
V
V
A = =
Differential voltage gain
V
s2

V
s1

V
c

=
O
V
d d
V A -
Desired Signal
c c
V A - +
Unwanted Signal
(Noise)
c
d
A
A
CMRR =
E i
c
c
1)R 2( r
R
A
+ +
= =
i
o
V
V
Common mode voltage gain
How to reduce CMRR
-V
EE

R
E

V
CC

R
C

R
C

V
O

V
s2

V
s1

R
E

V
B

I
E
R
2

-V
EE

R
1

R
E

V
B

I
E
R
2

-V
EE

R
1

Large R
E
will make smaller A
c

R
o

V
out1
caused by V
in1
: 2.0V Z180
0

V
out2
caused by V
in1
: 2.0V Z0
0

Numerical example
The voltage gain of the amplifier is 200. Input signal 1 is 10mV and
input 2 is 5mV, in same phase with input 1. Find the output signals.
V
in1
: 5mV Z0
0

V
in2
: 10mV Z0
0

V
CC

R
C

R
C

V
O1

V
in1

-V
EE

R
E

V
O2

Considering
input 1 only
V
out1
caused by V
in2
: 1.0V Z0
0

V
out2
caused by V
in2
: 1.0V Z180
0

V
CC

R
C

R
C

V
O1

V
in2

-V
EE

R
E

V
O2

Considering input 2 only
V
out1
caused by V
in1
: 2.0V Z180
0

V
out2
caused by V
in1
: 2.0V Z0
0

V
out1
caused by V
in2
: 1.0V Z0
0

V
out2
caused by V
in2
: 1.0V Z180
0

Combining the outputs :
V
out1
= 1 Z180
0

V
out2
= 1.0V Z0
0
We see that both the outputs amplify the
difference between the two input signals.
V
in1
V
in2
= 5mV
Output = 200* 5mV = 1V.

V
CC

R
C

R
C

V
O1

V
in2

-V
EE

R
E

V
O2

V
in1

Numerical example
A differential amplifier has a gain of 150 and a CMRR of 90dB. The
input signals are 50mV and 100mV, with a noise on each input.
Find (i) the output signal (ii) Noise at the output.
V
out
= (100mV -50mV) * 150 = 7.5 V
Noise gain = 90dB = 20log
10
(150/A
c
)
A
c
= 4.710
-3
Noise output = (1mV )* 4.710
-3
= 4.7 V