Difference Amplifier
NOTE:
• Difference amplifier is also known as differential amplifier
• Difference amplifier is also known as subtracting amplifier
• Difference amplifier with unity gain is known as subtractor
Difference Amplifier
Difference Amplifier
• A difference amplifier amplifies the difference between the two input
voltages.
• The output voltage of a differential amplifier is proportional to the
difference between the two input voltages.
Subtractor
• The output voltage of a subtractor is equal to the difference between the
two input voltages.
Circuit details
• The figure shows a difference amplifier
Input voltage
circuit.
• In the case of a differential amplifier, the
input signals are applied to both the
inverting input terminal and the non-
inverting input terminal.
• There are two input voltages. These are V1
and V2.
• The input voltage V1 is applied to the
Input voltage inverting input terminal through R1.
• The input voltage V2 is applied to the non-
Figure: Difference amplifier inverting input terminal through R2.
• We assume that the op-amp is ideal.
• In an ideal op-amp, the open-loop
voltage gain is infinite. This means
that voltage at inverting input is
same as the voltage at non
inverting input.
• In an ideal op-amp, the input
resistance is infinite. This means
that there is no current entering in
the inverting terminal and non-
inverting terminal of the op-amp
Figure: Difference amplifier
Derivation of expression for output voltage
• The relation between the input voltages
and output voltage can be obtained by
using the superposition principle.
• Let VO1 is the output voltage produced by
the input voltage V1, assuming V2 0
• Let VO2 is the output voltage produced by
the input voltage V2, assuming V1 0.
• According to the superposition theorem,
Calculation of VO1
• Set V2 0.
• With V2 0, differential amplifier circuit
reduces to the one shown in the figure-1.
This circuit acts as an inverting amplifier.
So, the output voltage is given by
V2= 0
Figure - 1
Calculation of VO2
• This is a non-inverting amplifier. This
amplifier will amplify the voltage at the
node B. The voltage at node B is VB
• Therefore, the output voltage can be
written as
Figure-2
• Applying the voltage divider rule to the
input V2, VB can be written as
• Substituting equation (2) in equation (1), we
get
Figure-2
• According to the superposition principle, the total output voltage is given by
• When R2 = R1 and R4 = R3 the above expression for the output voltage can be
simplified to the following expression:
• The output voltage is the difference between the two input voltages, multiplied
by 𝑹𝟑/R1
• Thus the output voltage is proportional to the difference between the two input
voltages. Thus it acts as a difference amplifier.
• If R3 = R1, then equation [3] becomes
• The output voltage equals the difference between the input voltages.
Thus, the circuit acts as a subtractor.
• If all the resistors are of the same
value, that is: R1 R2 R3 R4, then the
circuit will become a unity gain
differential amplifier (subtractor).
• Then the output voltage expression
is
• If input voltage V1 is higher than input
Figure: Differential voltage V2 , then the output voltage will
amplifier with unity gain be negative, and if V2 is higher than V1,
(subtractor) the output voltage will be positive.
END
