1

Phase Margin & Gain Margin

M. Sami Fadali
Professor of Electrical Engineering
University of Nevada
2
Stability Margins
What is the worst perturbation of the
transfer function that will make the system
marginally stable?
Marginal stability for open loop stable
systems is when the contour goes through
the point (1,0).
3
Gain and Phase Margins
Gain Margin: gain perturbation that makes
the system marginally stable.
Phase Margin: negative phase perturbation
that makes the system marginally stable.
4
Model Perturbation
AG(s) =model perturbation
Gain Margin: AG(s) =A K (gain perturbation)
Phase Margin: AG(s) =e
jAu
(phase lag
perturbation)

AG(s) G(s)
+

C(s)
R(s)
5
Definitions of Margins
Gain Margin: additional gain that makes the
system on the verge of instability.
Phase Margin: additional phase lag that
makes the system on the verge of
instability.
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Margins on Polar Plot
( )( ) 1 20 1 5
10
) (
+ +
=
s s s
s G
1
MATLAB: Characteristics
7
Nyquist Diagram
Real Axis
I
m
a
g
in
a
r
y

A
x
is
-2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0
-10
-8
-6
-4
-2
0
2
System: g
Phase Margin (deg): 22.5
Delay Margin (sec): 0.0647
At frequency (rad/sec): 6.08
Closed Loop Stable? Yes
System: g
Gain Margin (dB): 7.96
At frequency (rad/sec): 10
Closed Loop Stable? Yes
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Polar plot of Unstable System
Negative GM (dBs) and PM.
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Bode Plot of Stable System
>>margin(g)
-100
-50
0
M
a
g
n
i
t
u
d
e

(
d
B
)
10
-1
10
0
10
1
10
2
10
3
-270
-225
-180
-135
-90
P
h
a
s
e

(
d
e
g
)
Bode Diagram
Gm = 7.96 dB (at 10 rad/sec) , Pm = 22.5 deg (at 6.08 rad/sec)
Frequency (rad/sec)
PM=22.5 deg
GM=7.96 dB
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MATLAB Margin
>> [Gm,Pm,Wcg,Wcp] =margin(g)
Gm =
2.5000
Pm =
22.5359
Wcg =
10.0000 (phase crossover freq.)
Wcp =
6.0783 (gain crossover freq.)
( )( ) 1 20 1 5
10
) (
+ +
=
s s s
s G
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Gain Margin Calculation
( )( )
( )( )
( )( ) 400 25
20 5
1000
) (
20 5
1000
) (
2 2
+ +
+ +
=
+ +
=
e e e
e e e
e e e
e
j j j j G
j j j
j G
Solve for phase crossover (imaginary part zero)
{ } ( )( ) { }
s rad
j j j G
pc
/ 10 0 100
0 20 5 Re 0 ) ( Im
2
= =
= + + =
e e
e e e
Calculate Gain Margin
Evaluate magnitude at phase crossover
frequency
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( )( )( )
5 . 2
1000
20 10 5 10 10
) 10 ( 1
=
+ +
=
=
j j j
j G GM
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Phase Margin Calculation
( )( )
( )( )
0 10 10 425
1
400 25
10
) (
20 5
1000
) (
6 2 4 4 6
2 2 2
6
2
= + +
=
+ +
=
+ +
=
e e e
e e e
e
e e e
e
j G
j j j
j G
Solve for gain crossover (unity magnitude)
s rad
gc
/ 078 . 6
9456 . 36 , 8586 . 68 , 0887 . 393
2
=
=
e
e
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Phase Margin

54 . 22
157.4641 180
) 078 . 6 ( 180 ) ( 180
~
=
Z + = Z + = j G j G PM
gc
e
) (
gc
j G e Z