Is input resistance always a small signal parameter or is also defined for large signal model of any circuit? How do we model any circuit after we calculate its input/output resistances?
Definition of input/output resistance of a circuit
input-impedanceresistance
Related Solutions
The input resistance is the ratio between the change in the input voltage and the input current (or just between the input voltage and current in case of linear systems). In your case, assuming the input is on the negative side of the opamp, the input current is \$V_{in}/R_2\$ (because of the virtual ground on the negative terminal). So the input resistance would be \$R_2\$. If \$V_{in}\$ is applied to the positive side, the input resistance will be close to infinity, since there is no input current.
As for the output resistance, it can be obtained by connecting a known load \$R_L\$, measuring the voltage on it \$V_L\$, and then calculate the simple voltage divider problem:
\$V_L=V_{out}R_L/(R_L+R_o)\$, where \$R_o\$ is the output resistance, and \$V_{out}\$ is calculated as for ideal opamp.
An issue probably causing the signal distortion you describe is that the logic inputs must always be positive relative to ground but not more than the logic supply voltage, nominally +5V. 74LS TTL and 74HCT CMOS logic families should not have their outputs driven negative relative to ground nor more positive than the logic supply voltage. In fact, voltages above supply voltage or below ground may damage the input pins of the logic devices if the driving source impedance is low impedance.
Your signal generator output is probably bipolar, both positive and negative relative to ground. Most signal generators provide 50 Ohm output impedance which is possibly low enough impedance to damage the inputs of either LS TTL or HCT CMOS logic devices. If your signal generator provides output voltage offset capability, setting offset to +1.6V and amplitude around 3.3V peak to peak will make the output signal compatible with LS TTL or HCTL CMOS inputs and likely solve the signal distortion problem.
74HCT CMOS logic family is CMOS logic compatible as drop-in replacement for LS TTL logic. Input is capacitive around a few picofarads. The H means high speed comparable to or faster than LS TTL, The T in HCT CMOS logic means that the input switching thresholds and output drives are compatible with TTL logic. HCT CMOS logic device inputs include protection diodes from ground to the input pin and from the input pin to the logic supply voltage. This clamps the input signal to a voltage range of about -0.6V to logic supply voltage plus 0.6v. These diodes conduct to protect the device inputs in case of static discharge and are actually more important when the devices are not installed in circuit assemblies. Modern 74HCTL logic can operate with 3.3V supply voltage and inputs and outputs are still compatible with 74LS TTL running from 5V supply voltage. CMOS outputs drive both high and low levels very close to the supply rails.
CMOS logic which is not TTL compatible switches at half the supply voltage. These inputs might not switch or might respond erratically when driven from LSTTL logic device outputs.
A common ad hoc scheme for driving inputs from an external signal is to use capacitive coupling to the input with 220 Ohm pull up and 330 Ohm pull down resistors on the input pin. This biases the input to a 3.0V, a logic high level and provides impedance around 130 Ohms, which is close to the characteristic impedance of twisted pair cables or printed circuit traces. If you want a more symmetrical response to input signals or more sensitivity to small signals at the expense of greater noise sensitivity you may reverse the configuration of the pull up and pull down to bias the input pin to about 2.0V. Either way, this imposes a maximum dwell time at a low logic level input from the RC time constant of the blocking capacitor and the biasing resistors
The correct way to condition an input signal to TTL levels is a high speed comparator with output pulled up to the logic supply voltage.
The pull up resistor for the comparator or biasing pull up plus pull down resistors should be placed near the logic device input pins to prevent signal reflections, which can also distort the input signal. Comparator inputs should likewise use a termination resistor to absorb reflections at the signal inputs coming from the signal generator. These resistors should match the characteristic impedance of the cable connecting the signal generator to the comparators. The reflection occurs at signal level transitions and can make the transition as much as twice the transition voltage. The Schottky diodes added to the inputs of LS TTL, low power Schottky logic devices, are put there to damp the over voltage and under voltage spikes at the device inputs caused by the impedance mis match from the characteristic impedance of the circuit wires or circuit board traces to the input impedance of the driven logic devices.
Related Topic
- Electronic – Input impedance of this circuit
- Electronic – MOSFET finite output resistance in saturation mode
- Electrical – How to differ output & input resistance of small-signal model BJT
- Electrical – Importance of Common-Emitter Input & Output h-parameters
- Electronic – Output resistance of MOSFET circuit
Best Answer
For defining or calculating the input impedance you have to discriminate berween DC and AC. For DC signals you can define the voltage-to-current ratio for small as well as also for large signals (where the voltage-to-current relation is non-linear).
However, for AC signals the input impedance is defined for small signals only because a voltage-to-current ratio can be meaningful defined for identical (sinusoidal) waveforms only. Because linearity is not ensured for "large signal operation" the term "impedance" applies to small-signal operation only.