ECE212H1F University of Toronto 2021

PRE-LAB #1 OPERATIONAL AMPLIFIER CIRCUITS ECE212H1F

CONTENTS:
− Hand-written analysis
− Simulations

HAND-WRITTEN ANALYSIS:
1) For the Circuit of Fig.1, with an ideal Op-Amp:
a) Find the the value of vout as a function of the input voltages v3 and v4 (2 points)
b) What is the input resistance seen by voltage source v3? and for source v4? (2 points)

Fig. 1: Circuit related to Part 1.

2) For the Circuit of Fig. 2:

Fig. 2: Circuit related to Part 2.

 a) Find the the value of v3 as a function of the input voltages v1 and v2. Do the same for v4 (2
points)
b) What is the input resistance seen by voltage sources v1 and v2? (2 points)
c) Now, for the combined circuit of Fig. 3, also known as an “instrumentation amplifier”, find
the output voltage vout as a function of the input voltages v1 and v2. What is the input
resistance seen by voltage sources v1 and v2? (2 points)

Fig. 3: Circuit related to Part 2c.

SIMULATIONS:
3) For the resistive divider circuit shown in Fig. 4, we want to design an opamp circuit that can
act as a voltmeter and measure the difference between the voltages in nodes X and Y, (vx – vy),
which is also the voltage across resistor R3:

Fig. 4: Circuit related to Part 3.

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 a) Quickly simulate the circuit of Fig. 4 on Typhoon, find out what voltage is across R3, and
note the value. (1 points)
b) Now to build the voltmeter, lets first try to use the circuit of Fig. 1 for this purpose. Draw
both the circuits of Fig. 4 and Fig. 1 on Typhoon. Using your results for part 1a, design the
value of resistance R2 such that vout is equal to the voltage across resistor R3, making sure
to connect the terminals v3 and v4 to the nodes X and Y in the right order to obtain the
correct polarity. Use a resistance value of R1=1MOhms. Simulate the circuit and measure
both the voltage across resistor R3 and vout, and provide a screenshot of the signals. (2
points)
c) Is the measured voltage at vout in part 3b the same as your value from part 3a? What about
the voltage across R3? Is it affected? Why? (2 points)
HINT: think about part 1b, and consider what is the most important property for an ideal
voltmeter
d) Now lets repeat part 3b but using the circuit from Fig. 3. Using your results from part 1c,
design the value of resistance R2, such that vout will be equal to the voltage across resistor
R3. Use R1=10kOhm, R=10kOhm, and Rg=20kOhm. Simulate the circuit and measure
both the voltage across resistor R3 and vout, and provide a screenshot of the signals. (2
points)
e) Is the measured voltage at vout in part 3d the same as your value from part 3a? What about
the voltage across R3? Is it affected? (2 points)
4) Create a schematic of the equivalent OpAmp model using VCVS (voltage-controlled voltage
source, can be found under sources>controlled). You can see the equivalent model on Fig.6.
Connect it in a unity gain configuration (also known as a buffer on Fig.5.). To mimic the ideal
OpAmp behavior, set RIN = 100MΩ and ROUT = 0Ω. Double click on the VCVS and set the
gain to be 100e6 V/V. The input voltage (VIN) is an AC Voltage source with amplitude of 1V
and frequency of 40KHz. Lastly, place a resistor from VOUT to ground, RL=10Ω.

Fig. 5. Unity gain OpAmp

VP + ROUT
VOUT
RIN VCVS

VN
-

Fig. 6. Equivalent OpAmp model with VCVS

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 a) Draw a schematic of equivalent VCVS OpAmp model from Fig. 6 in unity gain
configuration using Typhoon HIL schematic editor and display it in your report. (1 point)
b) Draw a schematic with the ideal OpAmp model (xyce_lib>electronics>Operational
Amplifier) wired in the unity gain configuration using Typhoon HIL schematic editor and
display it in your report (1 point)
c) Simulate the schematic for 5 periods of the input signal. Display VIN and VOUT on separate
waveforms. Output voltages can be obtained as voltages of the R L. Using cursors, measure
if there is any difference between output voltages of both components and note it down in
your report. (2 points)
d) Repeat part 4c, but now change the parameters of the non-ideal OpAmp model to be RIN =
100kΩ, ROUT = 2Ω, and VCVS gain of 100V/V. Measure the two output voltages and note
any differences on your report. (2 points)

The sources for both ideal OpAmp and its equivalent model are the same VIN as outlined in
the beginning of question 4. Place 2 of the same components and connect one of them to
OpAmp model and the other one to the equivalent model you made.

Compile and submit on Quercus a PDF with your pre-lab calculations, including screenshots
of the final schematic and simulation results obtained.