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Negative Feedback, Part 9: Breaking the Loop

Negative Feedback, Part 9: Breaking the Loop

A simple “break-the-feedback-loop” simulation technique makes for convenient stability analysis, especially with complex circuits.


Negative Feedback, Part 8: Analyzing Transimpedance Amplifier Stability

Negative Feedback, Part 8: Analyzing Transimpedance Amplifier Stability

The techniques discussed in previous articles can help us to understand and remedy stability problems observed in a common circuit used to amplify photodiode signals.


Negative Feedback, Part 7: Frequency-Dependent Feedback

Negative Feedback, Part 7: Frequency-Dependent Feedback

This article will help you to understand why the frequency response of a feedback network can seriously, and sometimes unexpectedly, degrade stability.


Negative Feedback, Part 6: New and Improved Stability Analysis

Negative Feedback, Part 6: New and Improved Stability Analysis

This article will show you a handy alternative approach to assessing stability via open-loop gain and the feedback factor.


Negative Feedback, Part 5: Gain Margin and Phase Margin

Negative Feedback, Part 5: Gain Margin and Phase Margin

How to use frequency-domain simulations to analyze loop gain and evaluate the stability of your amplifier circuit. We need a way to determine whether a circuit is sufficiently stable—in other words, stable enough to ensure that the circuit will perform properly despite part-to-part variations and environmental or operational conditions that affect the characteristics of the open-loop gain or the feedback network. There is where gain margin and phase margin come into play.


Use LTspice to Understand the LM741 OpAmp: Part 2

Use LTspice to Understand the LM741 OpAmp: Part 2

How an op amp works with LTspice simulation. We left off last time finishing up how the input stage of an op-amp works. The next important stage is made up by transistors Q3, Q4, Q5, Q6, and Q7.


Understanding Analog-to-Digital Converters: Deciphering Resolution and Sampling Rate

Understanding Analog-to-Digital Converters: Deciphering Resolution and Sampling Rate

Resolution and sampling rate are two important factors to consider when selecting an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). In order to understand these fully, concepts such as quantisation, and the Nyquist Criterion must be understood to a certain degree.


Negative Feedback, Part 4: Introduction to Stability

Negative Feedback, Part 4: Introduction to Stability

Why are negative-feedback amplifiers susceptible to oscillation? What is the fundamental criterion for stability? Let’s find out.


Use LTspice to Understand the LM741 OpAmp

Use LTspice to Understand the LM741 OpAmp

An inside look at how the 741 operational amplifier operates with LTspice simulation. We'll go over internal structure and differential amplifiers and continue with everything you've ever needed to know about this operational amplifier.


Negative Feedback Part 3: Improving Noise, Linearity, and Impedance

Negative Feedback Part 3: Improving Noise, Linearity, and Impedance

Use negative feedback to increase your amplifier’s signal-to-noise ratio, reduce its nonlinear distortion, and improve its input- and output-impedance characteristics.


Understanding Electricity with Hydraulics

Understanding Electricity with Hydraulics

An overview of how the concepts of electron flow and the role of individual circuit components can be related to the flow of fluid in pipe networks. The analogy between hydraulics and electricity is a useful tool for teaching and for those who are struggling to understand how circuits work.


Negative Feedback, Part 2: Improving Gain Sensitivity and Bandwidth

Negative Feedback, Part 2: Improving Gain Sensitivity and Bandwidth

Having introduced the general negative feedback structure, we will now demonstrate that negative feedback has a beneficial effect on two important characteristics of amplifier circuits.


Negative Feedback, Part 1: General Structure and Essential Concepts

Negative Feedback, Part 1: General Structure and Essential Concepts

This article, the first in a series, will introduce you to the fundamental concepts required for understanding and analyzing negative feedback amplifiers.


Make an Analog Sound Reactive LED Strip

Make an Analog Sound Reactive LED Strip

This analog design allows your LEDs to respond to your music. Just plug your music source into this which sends a channel to your sound system and some LEDs.


Projects Oct 28, 2015 by Fadi Kasem
Build a Laser Communication System

Build a Laser Communication System

Use a laser and a photo resistor to build a laser based point-to-point communication system. The best part? It's under $10.


Projects Oct 22, 2015 by Jacob Smith
Wireless Power for Noise-Sensitive Circuits

Wireless Power for Noise-Sensitive Circuits

Is IDT’s Tx/Rx wireless power solution suitable for applications that require high-precision analog performance?


Projects Oct 21, 2015 by Robert Keim
Learning to Simplify: Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits

Learning to Simplify: Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Circuits

This article reviews the basics of finding Thevenin and Norton equivalents and discusses how to apply Thevenin's theorem to a practical circuit.


EFM8 Sound Synthesizer: Driving the Speaker

EFM8 Sound Synthesizer: Driving the Speaker

Part 2 in the “How to Make an EFM8-Based Sound Synthesizer” series.


Projects Sep 11, 2015 by Robert Keim
More First Order Opamp Circuits - Differentiators

More First Order Opamp Circuits - Differentiators

All of our previous circuits dealt with opamps using resistors in the feedback loop. What happens when we start swapping out resistors for other passive components?


Practical Uses of Instrumentation Amplifiers

Practical Uses of Instrumentation Amplifiers

Basic refresher on instrumentation amplifiers, followed by a several real world applications in which an engineer would find this circuit.