2/13/2011 Ri and Ro of the Inverting Amplifier lecture 1/11

Rin and Rout of the

Inverting Amplifier
Recall that the input resistance of an amplifier is:

vin
Rin =
iin

For the inverting amplifier, it is evident that the input current iin is equal to i1 :
R2

i2

R1
v-
vin -
iin = i1 vout
oc

v+
+

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

2/13/2011 Ri and Ro of the Inverting Amplifier lecture 2/11

Its input resistance

From Ohm’s Law, we know that this current is:

vin − v1
iin = i1 =
R1
The non-inverting terminal is
“connected” to virtual ground:
R2
v− = 0
i2
and thus the input current is:
R1
v-
vin vin -
iin = i1 =
R1 iin = i1 vout
oc

v+
We now can determine the input +
resistance:

vin ⎛ R1 ⎞
Rin = = vin ⎜ ⎟ = R1
iin ⎝ vin ⎠

The input resistance of this inverting amplifier is therefore Rin = R1 !

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

2/13/2011 Ri and Ro of the Inverting Amplifier lecture 3/11

Output resistance is harder

Now, let’s attempt to determine the output resistance Rout.

Recall that we need to determine two values: the short-circuit output current
( )
iout
sc
and the open-circuit output voltage vout
oc
. ( )
To accomplish this, we must replace the op-amp in the circuit with its linear
circuit model:

R2

i2

R1
vin - v-
Rout
op
vout = 0
ii = i1

+ v iout
op

+
+ iout
sc

-
Aop (v + − v − )

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

2/13/2011 Ri and Ro of the Inverting Amplifier lecture 4/11

First, the short circuit output current

R2
From KCL, we find that:

i2
iout
sc
= i2 + iout
op

R1
where: vin - v-
Rout
op
vout = 0
ii = i1
−Aop v − − vout
oc
−Aop v −
i op
= = iout
op
out
R op
R op + v + iout
sc
o o +
-
Aop (v + − v − )
and:
v − − vout
oc
v
i2 = = −
R2 R2

Therefore, the short-circuit output current is:

v − Aop v − ⎛ Rout − R2 Aop Aop

op
⎞
isc
= − op = ⎜ ⎟v − ≅ − op v −
out
R2 Rout ⎜ R2 Rout op ⎟ Rout
⎝ ⎠

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

2/13/2011 Ri and Ro of the Inverting Amplifier lecture 5/11

Now, the open circuit output voltage

The open-circuit output voltage can R2
likewise be determined in terms of Aop
and v- . i2

R1
vin - v-
Rout
op iout =0
ii = i1
+
+ v +
iout
op

+ vout
oc
-
Aop (v + − v − )
-

Here, it is evident that since iout = 0:

i2 = −iout
op

where we find from Ohm’s Law:

v − − ( − Aopv − ) ⎛ 1 + Aop ⎞
i2 = =⎜ ⎟v −
R2 + Rout
op
⎝ R2 + Rout
op
⎠

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

2/13/2011 Ri and Ro of the Inverting Amplifier lecture 6/11

The open-circuit output voltage

R2
Now from KVL:

vout
oc
= v − − R2 i2 i2

R1
vin - v-
Rout
op iout =0
ii = i1
Inserting the expression for i2 : +
+ v +
iout
op

+ vout
oc
-
⎛ 1 + Aop ⎞ Aop (v + − v − )
vout
oc
= v − − R2 ⎜ v
op ⎟ −
-
⎝ R2 + Rout ⎠
⎛ R + R op R2 1 + Aop
=⎜ 2 out
−
( ) ⎞⎟ v
⎜ R2 + Rout
op
R2 + Rout
op −
⎟
⎝ ⎠
⎛ Roop − R2 Aop ⎞
=⎜ ⎟ v−
⎜ R2 + Rout op ⎟
⎝ ⎠
R2 Aop
≅− v−
R2 + R op
out

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

2/13/2011 Ri and Ro of the Inverting Amplifier lecture 7/11

Now we find the output resistance

Now, we can find the output resistance of this amplifier:

vout
oc
Rout = sc
iout
−1
⎛ −R2 Aop ⎞ ⎛ − Aop ⎞
=⎜ op ⎟ ⎜ op ⎟
⎝ R2 + Ro ⎠⎝ Ro ⎠
R2 Roop
=
R2 + Roop
= R2 Roop

In other words, the inverting amplifier output resistance is simply equal to the
value of the feedback resistor R2 in parallel with op-amp output resistance Rout
op
.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

2/13/2011 Ri and Ro of the Inverting Amplifier lecture 8/11

This is zero if the op-amp is ideal

Ideally, of course, the op-amp output resistance is zero, so that the output
resistance of the inverting amplifier is likewise zero:

Rout = R2 Rout
op

= R2 0
=0

Note for this case—where the output resistance is zero—the output voltage will
be the same, regardless of what load is attached at the output (e.g., regardless
of iout )!
R2

i2

R1
vin - v- iout ≠ 0
ii = i1
iout
op
+
+ v +
R
+
-
Aop (v + − v − ) vout = − R vin
2

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

2/13/2011 Ri and Ro of the Inverting Amplifier lecture 9/11

For real op-amps the

output resistance is small
Thus, if Rout = 0 , then the output voltage is equal to the open-circuit output
voltage—even when the output is not open circuited:

R2
vout = − v for all iout !!
R1 in

Recall that it is this property that made Rout = 0 an “ideal” amplifier

characteristic.

We will find that real (i.e., non-ideal!) op-amps typically have an output
resistance that is very small ( Rout
op
 R2 ), so that the inverting amplifier output
resistance is approximately equal to the op-amp output resistance:

Rout = R2 Rout
op

≈ Rout
op

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

2/13/2011 Ri and Ro of the Inverting Amplifier lecture 10/11

A summary
Summarizing, we have found that for the inverting amplifier:

Rin = R1

Rout ≈ Rout
op
(ideally zero)

Thus, this inverting amplifier…

R2
iin (t )
R1
- iout (t )
+
vin (t ) +
− + vout (t )
−

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

2/13/2011 Ri and Ro of the Inverting Amplifier lecture 11/11

The inverting amp equivalent circuit

…has the equivalent circuit:

iin (t ) iout (t )

+ Rout
op
+
vin (t ) + vout (t )
R1
− − −
− ( ) v (t )
R2
R1 in

Note the input resistance and open-circuit voltage gain of the inverting
amplifier is VERY different from that of the op-amp itself!

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS