Kalpana Kalpana (Editor)

Log amplifier

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit
Log amplifier

A log amplifier is an amplifier for which the output voltage Vout is K times the natural log of the input voltage Vin. This can be expressed as, resistor on capacitor

Contents

V out = K ln ⁡ ( V in V ref )

where Vref is the normalization constant in volts and K is the scale factor.

Basic op-amp diode circuit

The relationship between the input voltage V in and the output voltage V out is given by:

V out = − V T ln ⁡ ( V in I S R )

where I S and V T are the saturation current and the thermal voltage of the diode respectively.

Transdiode configuration

A necessary condition for successful operation of a log amplifier is that the input voltage, Vin, is always positive. This may be ensured by using a rectifier and filter to condition the input signal before applying it to the log amp input. As Vin is positive, Vout is obliged to be negative (since the op amp is in the inverting configuration) and is large enough to forward bias the emitter-base junction of the BJT keeping it in the active mode of operation. Now,

V BE = − V out I C = I SO ( e V BE V T − 1 ) ≈ I SO e V BE V T ⇒ V BE = V T ln ⁡ ( I C I SO )

where I SO is the saturation current of the emitter-base diode and V T is the thermal voltage. Due to the virtual ground at the op amp differential input,

I C = V in R 1 , and V out = − V T ln ⁡ ( V in I SO R 1 )

The output voltage is expressed as the natural log of the input voltage. Both the saturation current I SO and the thermal voltage V T are temperature dependent, hence, temperature compensating circuits may be required.

References

Log amplifier Wikipedia
(Text) CC BY-SA


Similar Topics