11-02-2020: Electronics¶

Amplifiers: types

Electronic amplifiers are often used to interface with sensors and actuators. The nature of the input signal of the sensor or the output signal of an actuator, and the pysical operating mechanism of such transducers, tell us which electrical quantity (short-circuit current or open-circuit voltage) needs to be selected at the input port or at the output port of the amplifier.

Presentation

The presentation “Amplifier Types” introduces nine different unilateral amplifier types, based on the sensing and the driving properties of the input port and the output port, respectively.

Video

Amplifier Types (12:57)

Study

Chapter 2.2

Amplifiers: port isolation configurations

The functional behavior of the amplifier has been modeled while omitting the power port.

Presentation

The presentation “Amplifiers: port isolation configurations” gives types of amplifiers, based on intended connections between the amplifier ports.

Study

Chapter 2.2.2, 2.2.3

Amplifiers: modeling of the ideal behavior

Conceptually, amplifiers are intended to behave as linear, time-invariant systems. Although the supply of power is essential for their operation, the power port can be omitted when considering its functional operation only.

Presentation

In the presentation “Amplifiers: modeling ideal behavior” we will elucidate the use of the transmission-1 two-port representation for modeling of the functional (conceptual, or ideal) behavior of amplifiers. The use of these parameters results in clear design conclusions for making the source-to-load transfer independent of the source impedance and the load impedance. This is of particular interest if the voltage-current relation of the source or the load has a (partly) unpredictable character.

Videos

1. Amplifiers characterization and modeling of ideal behavior Two-port Model (12:09)
2. Amplifiers characterization and modeling of ideal behavior Port Impedances (4:19)
3. Definition of Available Power Gain (3:12)
4. Amplifiers Generalized Two-port model (2:17)

Study

Chapter 2.3

Amplifiers: modeling of port isolation errors

At an early stage of the design process, we use relatively two-port models that describe the functional behavior of the amplifier. However, it is important to know the conditions under which electrical networks can be represented by such two-ports. If such conditions are not met, more eleborate description models are required and deviations from the ideal behavior should be well defined.

Presentation

The presentation “Amplifiers: port isolation errors” shows that preformance measures for port isolation, that are used in practice, are ofen incomplete.

Video

Amplifiers modeling of port isolation errors (3:37)

Study

Chapter 2.4.1, 2.4.2

Noise in electronic circuits

As all real-world systems, amplifiers add noise to the signal.

Presentation

The presentation “Noise in electronic circuits” briefly introduces noise mechanisms in electronic components and presents models and parameters for characterization of the noise behavior as well as noise analysis techniques.

Videos

1. Noise Mechanisms in Electronic Devices (6:11)
2. Drawing Conventions for Noise Sources (2:14)
3. Noise Parameters (5:14)
4. Noisy Two ports (6:52)
5. Amplifier Noise Design (4:07)
6. Source Transformation Techniques (3:01)
7. Influence of impedances in the signal path on noise performance (10:47)

Study

Chapter 19

SLiCAP noise analysis

Presentation

The presentation “SLiCAP noise analysis” introduces the essentials of symbolic and numeric noise analysis in with SLiCAP.