1

ELE504 Laboratory #1A

Electrical & Computer Engineering
Prepared by Dr. M. S. Kassam. Ryerson University, 2014

Select Operational Amplifier Circuits (Review)

1.0 PREAMBLE:
The most important single linear Integrated Circuit (IC) is the Operational Amplifier
(Op-Amp). Op-Amps are among the most widely used building blocks for design of
wide variety of linear and non-linear signal processing functions. One of the key reasons
for this is that Op-Amps are nearly ideal voltage amplifiers, which makes the analysis
and design of many Op-Amp based circuits to be simple and straightforward. The
purpose of this laboratory exercise is to do a review of some select ideal Op-Amp based
circuit configurations (beyond ELE302 course) that should be helpful in understanding
building-block concepts for some advanced linear/non-linear circuits to be covered later
in this course


2.0 OBJECTIVE:

To analyze, simulate and investigate the characteristics of Op-Amp circuit
configurations such as a basic comparator, a buffer, and a switched polarity
inversion converter.


3.0 Pre-Lab ASSIGNMENT (assume Op-Amp to be ideal)

i. For the Op-Amp circuit of Figure 1, assume V
I
(t) = 5cos(2100t) volts, and the
Op-Amp output saturation voltage limit is at +/- 14 volts. If the d.c. threshold
voltage, V
TH
= 4.0 volts, what will be the value of the output voltage, Vo when V
I

is below V
TH
?, and when it is above V
TH
? Why? Use the MULTI SI M simulation
tool to simulate the circuit operation, and show the scope-screen plots of V
I
and
Vo signals using the above parameters.

ii. For each of the circuit shown in Figure 2a and Figure 2b, derive the voltage gain,
V
O
/V
I
when R
i
= 10k, R
o
= 1k and R
f
= 100k. (a) Should the voltage gains
be the same? (b) What advantage is there, if any, of using a Buffer in Figure
2b?, and (c) Does the value of R
f
matter to the voltage gain of Figure 2b circuit?
Why? Use the MULTI SI M simulation tool to simulate both circuit operations,
and show the scope-screen plots of V
I
and Vo signals, when

V
I
(t) =5cos(2100t)
volts.
iii. For the Op-Amp circuit of Figure 3, assume V
I
= 4 volts. Determine the value of
V
O
, when Switch (S
1
) is CLOSED; and when Switch (S
1
) is OPEN? What
function does this circuit perform? Use the MULTI SI M simulation tool to verify
your analysis.
2

1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
- IN + IN
OUT
VCC-
VCC+
741
device
COM
+ 15V
- 15V
NC
NC
NC
Pin Layout

+15V
-15V
(7)
(4) (2)
(3)
(6)
V
I V
O
741
Op-AMP
Figure 1
VTH






+15V
-15V
V
I
V
O
741
Op-AMP
V
I
Figure 2a
Figure 2b
Buffer
V
O
R
i
R
O
R
i
R
O
R
f






+15V
-15V
V
I
V
O
741
Op-AMP
Figure 3
R
R
R
S
1






3
4.0 EXPERIMENT & RESULTS:

The Op-Amp to be used from your Kit is:- MC1741CN (BJT) .


Cautionary Notes:
Turn off the power supplies before making any change of circuit, particularly when handling
a FET OP-AMP.
Due to high OP-AMP voltage gains involved in the test circuits that can cause instability and
unwanted noise injection from long lead power-supply cables, it is always a good design
practice to by-pass all power supply rails on your board with at minimum 10uF polarized
capacitors and 0.1uF non-polarized capacitors between the rails and circuit ground. Do this
as closely as possible to IC devices power supply terminals.


(a) Connect the circuit of Figure 1, and use a sinusoidal signal source of 10 volts
peak-to-peak @ 100 Hz for V
I
. For the Threshold Voltage, V
TH
use 4 volts d.c.
Display both V
O
and V
I
on the Oscilloscope to show at least two cycles on the
screen. Record the specified values as shown below in the Table; and capture the
screen-shot, and then either take a picture of it using a camera or save it on a USB
key, for off-line printing (and pasting below).

Useful Steps & Tips:

Set the Function Generator to provide a sinusoidal input signal, V
I
= 10 volt
p-p
at frequency of 100
Hz (with zero-volt d.c., i.e. no d.c. offset voltage). Set the horizontal time-basefor 5 msec/div.
Connect V
I
to channel A and V
O
to channel B of the Oscilloscope. Set both channels for d.c.-
coupling, with vertical sensitivities of 2v/div for channel A and 5v/div for channel B. Use
channel A as your trigger-source for the Oscilloscope.


V
O
(Pre-Lab) V
O
(Simulation) V
O
(Measured)
Vi < V
TH

Vi > V
TH



Paste the scope screen-shot print below:-












4

(b) Implement the circuit of Figure 2a first, and use a sinusoidal signal source of 10
volts peak-to-peak @ 100 Hz for V
I
. Display both V
O
and V
I
on the Oscilloscope
to show at least two cycles on the screen. Record the voltage gain in the Table
below; and capture the screen-shot, and then either take a picture of it using a
camera or save it on a USB key, for off-line printing.
Repeat the above for the circuit of Figure 2b.


Vi
p-p
measured

V
Op-p

measured
Gain (Vo/Vi)
derived from
measurement
Gain
(Vo/Vi)
Pre-Lab

Gain
(Vo/Vi)
Simulation

Fig. 2a
no Buffer

Fig. 2b
with Buffer



Paste the scope screen-shot print below:-
















(c) Implement the circuit of Figure 3. Select an appropriate value for R. For the
Switch, S
1
either use a physical switch, or simulate the switch by
shorting/removing a wire to/from ground. For V
I
, use a fixed d.c. voltage of 4
volts. Measure the output voltage, V
O
when the switch S
1
is CLOSED, and when
S
1
is OPEN; and record your results in the Table below.

V
I

V
O
Pre-Lab

V
O
Simulations
V
O
Measured
Switch
Closed

Switch
Open

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5.0 DELIVERABLES:

Pre-Lab Assignment (both hand written analysis, and simulations results) is
to be completed by each student, and shown to your Lab Instructor (TA) at
the beginning of this scheduled Lab period. No mark will be given for
simulations results in the absence of required hand written analysis.

A Short-Form lab report per group is to be submitted to your Lab Instructor
(TA) at the beginning of your next scheduled lab period.

The Short-Form report, at the very minimum, must include the following:-
- Pre-Lab Assignment (hand written analysis & simulation results)
of each lab partner.
- RESULTS: Clear and concise record of your theoretical and
experimental results & observations (e.g. tables, plots,
prints/images of actual waveforms signed off by your TA, etc.)
- CONCLUSIONS: A comparative analysis of the theoretical and
actual results/outcomes (together with the values from OP-AMP
specifications) should be provided, with appropriate commentary.


6.0 GRADING SCHEME:

Pre-Lab Assignment (for each student): 40%
- Completeness check for all handwritten
analysis and simulation results.

Lab performance (by each Lab group): 30%
- Completeness check and Timeliness
- Correctness of the Results

Short-form Lab Report (by each Lab group): 30%
- Completeness
- Design analysis
- Correctness & presentation of Results
- Merits of Conclusions
- Technical writing

Note:
(a) No mark will be awarded for the pre-lab assignment portion to a student if it is not done
and shown on time prior to the start of a lab. Such student may not be permitted to work on
the respective lab.

(b) I f a student misses the Lab without a valid medical reason, a zero mark will be assigned for
the entire Lab to this particular student.

(c) Only test results/plots that are signed by your TA will be considered for grading.