In electronic amplifiers, the phase margin (PM) is the difference between the phase lag φ (< 0) and -180°, for an amplifier's output signal (relative to its input) at zero dB gain - i.e. unity gain, or that the output signal has the same amplitude as the input.
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For example, if the amplifier's open-loop gain crosses 0 dB at a frequency where the phase lag is -135°, then the phase margin of this feedback system is -135° -(-180°) = 45°. See Bode plot#Gain margin and phase margin for more details.