Low-frequency power amplifier, in particular of the integrated type

• US 4,786,878 A
• Filed: 02/17/1987
• Issued: 11/22/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SGS Microeletrronica SpA (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Original Assignee: SGS Microeletrronica SpA (STMicroelectronics NV)
• Inventors: Botti, Edoardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullins, James B.
• Application Number:
  US07/015,655
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 330/84, 330/255, 330/260, 330/295, 330/108, 330/124 R
• US Class Current: 330/84
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/187 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/347 in integrated circuits

Abstract

The low-frequency integrated amplifier comprises a voltage amplifier stage and two power amplifier stages including power amplifier means driven by the voltage amplifier stage and fedback by means of a respective feedback network dimensioned so that, at the frequency at which the phase shift of the power stages exceeds 180°, the open loop gain thereof is less than 0 dB, so as to prevent, for any kind of load and for every output voltage, any oscillation of said stages, and ensure the absolute stability of the system.

Claims

1. A low-frequency power amplifier, in particular of the integrated type, comprising:

an input amplifying stage having an input stage input and an input stage output, said input stage input receiving an input signal,

a first and a second power amplifying stages, each said power amplifying stage including a power amplifier means and a feedback block, each said power amplifier means having power amplifier inputs and a power amplifier output, said power amplifier first inputs being connected together and to said input stage output, said power amplifier outputs being connected together, each said feedback block having first and second terminals, said first terminal of each feedback block being connected to a respective one of said power amplifier outputs and said second terminal of each feedback block being connected to a respective one of said power amplifier second inputs,

with each said power amplifying means having a power amplifier transfer function, each said feedback block having a feedback transfer function and each said power amplifying stage having a loop gain, a closed loop gain and a phase shift, with said loop gain of each said power amplifying stage being defined as the product of said power amplifier transfer function and said feedback transfer function, with said closed loop gain of each said power amplifying stage being greater than 0 dB, wherein, at the frequencies at which said phase shift is greater than 180°

, said loop gain is less than 0 dB.

2. A low-frequency power amplifier, in particular of the integrated type, comprising:

a voltage amplifier having an inverting input, a non-inverting input and an output,

a first power amplifying stage including a first power amplifying means and a first feedback block, said first power amplifying means having an inverting input, respective non-inverting input and an output, and said feedback block being connected in parallel between said inverting input and said output of said first power amplifying means,

a second power amplifying stage including a second power amplifying means and a second feedback block, said second power amplifying means having an inverting input, a non-inverting input and an output, and said second feedback block being connected in parallel between said inverting input and said output of said second power amplifying means,

with said non-inverting inputs of said first and second power amplifying means being connected together and to said output of said voltage amplifier and said outputs of said first and second power amplifying means being connected together,

with each said power amplifying means having a power amplifier transfer function, each said feedback block having a feedback transfer function, and each said power amplifying stage having a loop gain, a closed loop gain and a phase shift, with said loop gain of each power amplifying stage being defined as the product of the respective power amplifier transfer function and the respective feedback transfer function, with said closed loop gain of each said power amplifying stage being greater than 0 dB, wherein, at the frequencies at which said phase shift is greater than 180°

, each said loop gain is less than 0 dB.

3. A low-frequency power amplifier according to claim 2, wherein said first feedback block comprises a first resistor connected between said output and said inverting input of said first power amplifier means and a second resistor connected between said inverting input of said first power amplifier means and a reference potential line, and said second feedback block comprises a third resistor connected between said output and said inverting input of said second power amplifier means and a fourth resistor connected between said inverting input of said second power amplifier means and said reference potential line.

4. A low-frequency power amplifier according to claim 2, further comprising a third feedback block connected in parallel between said outputs of said power amplifying means and said inverting input of said voltage amplifier.