KKKL2173 Analog Electronic

POWER AMPLIFIERS
 Introduction
 In small-signal amplifiers the main factors are:
 Amplification
 Linearity
 Gain

 Since large-signal, or power, amplifiers handle

relatively large voltage signals and current
levels, the main factors are:
 Efficiency
 Maximum power capability
 Impedance matching to the output device
Comparison

Parameter Small Power Power

signal Amplifier Amplifier
Transistor (2N3055) (2N6078)
(2N222A)
VCE (max) (V) 40 60 250

IC (max) (A) 0.8 15 7

PD (max) (W) 1.2 115 45

 35-100 5-20 12-70

 Power Amplifiers
• Required

o To deliver a large current to a small load resistance e.g. audio speaker;

or to deliver a large voltage to a large load resistance e.g. switching
power supply;

o To be of low output resistance in order to avoid loss of gain and to

maintain linearity (to minimize harmonic distortion)

o To deliver power to the load efficiently

• Typically used in the final stages of communications transmitters as well

as other high power applications . Applications: Audio system, radio and
TV receiver, and PA system.
 Types of Power Amplifier
Categorized into several types:
The class operation is defined by the angle of
 Class A conduction of the power transistor in one cycle
 Class B of the input signal
 Class AB
 Class C 1 cycle = 3600 in the phase domain

 Class D- This is an amplifier that is biased

especially for digital signals.

Types is categorized according to

• Q-point location,
• operation cycle and
• power efficiency.
Cycle of Operation and Efficiency

Class A Class B

In class A: the transistor conducts during the In class B: the transistor conducts during
whole cycle of sinusoidal input signal one-half cycle of input signal
Cycle = 360 (100%) Cycle = 180 (50%)
= 25% - 50% = 78.5%

Class AB Class C

In class AB: the transistor conducts for In class C: the transistor conducts for less
slightly more than half a cycle of input signal than half a cycle of input signal
Cycle = 180 to 360 (> 50%) Cycle: < 180 (< 50%)
= 25% - 78.5% = > 80%
 Q-point location
Class A: The Q-point is set near the
middle of the load line
Po ( ac )
  100
Pi ( dc ) Class B: The Q-point is set at the cutoff
point.

Class AB: This is a compromise between

the class A and B amplifiers. The Q-point
is located between the mid-point and
cutoff.

Class C: The Q-point is set below the

cutoff point.

• Classes of amplifiers- They are grouped together based on their Q-points

on the DC load line.
• Lower Q-point location indicates a lower DC input power
• Therefore, class A amplifier have the lowest efficiency while class C
amplifier have the highest efficiency
 Class A Amplifier

2 types
 Series-fed
 Transformer-coupled

This circuit uses a transformer to

Fixed-bias circuit, = 25%
couple to the load, = 50%
 Class A Operation
• The Q-point (bias level) must be biased towards the middle of the load line
so that the AC signal can swing a full cycle. Remember that the DC load
line indicates the maximum and minimum limits set by the DC power.
supply.
 Transistor driven into
Amplitude of Vce and
cutoff if the input
Ic limited by cutoff
amplitude increases
10
 Transistor driven into
Amplitude of Vce and
saturation if the input
Ic limited by saturation
amplitude increases
11
 Series-Fed Class A Operation
Similar to the small-signal amplifier except that it handles higher voltages. The
transistor used is a high-power transistor.
 AC Operation: Series-Fed Class A Amplifier

Small input signal Large input signal

What is the maximum limit

for IC and VCE ?
Recall
When voltages and currents are sinusoidal, the average ac power can
be calculated using any of the following relations:

Vp I p V pp I pp
P  Vrms I rms  
2 8
2 2
I R I pp R
P  I rms R 
2 p

2 8
2 2 2
Vrms V p V pp
P  
R 2 R 8R

* In this series fed example:

14
 Output Power
Using RMS values

CE  rms 
2
V
Po  ac   VCE  rms  I C  rms   I C  rms  RC 
2

RC

Using peak values

VCE  p  I C  p  I C2  p  RC 2
VCE  p
Po  ac    
2 2 2 RC

Using peak-to-peak values

VCE  p  p  I C  p  p  I C2  p  p  RC 2
VCE  p p
Po  ac    
8 8 8 RC
 Amplifier Efficiency ( )

Po ( ac )
%  100%
Pi ( dc )

Indication of how well the amplifier able to convert the input

power into an output power to be delivered to the load.

Ideal power amplifier will deliver 100% of the power from the
supply to the load.
 Maximum Efficiency
Maximum voltage swing VCEmax ( p  p )  VCC

VCC
Maximum current swing I Cmax ( p  p ) 
RC

Maximum output power

 VCC 
VCC   2
VCEmax ( p  p ) I Cmax ( p  p )  C   CC
R V
 Po max (ac)  
8 8 8 RC

Maximum input power

 1 VCC  VCC2
 Pi max (dc)  VCC I CQ (max) (dc)  VCC   
 2 RC  2 RC
 Maximum Efficiency
2
VCC
Po max (ac)  The maximum efficiency is 25% for
8 RC resistive load class A amplifier.
VCC2 However, in most cases the efficiency
Pi max (dc)  is about 10% making them the least
2 RC efficient of all the classes of amplifiers.
Therefore,

2
VCC
Pomax (ac) 8RC
%max  100%  2
100%  25%
Pimax (dc) VCC
2R C

Power dissipated as heat across the PQ  Pi(dc)  Po(ac)

transistor:
 Example 1
Calculate the input power, output power and efficiency of the
amplifier circuit below for an input voltage that results in a base
current of 10 mA peak.
 Solution 1
Input power: Pi (dc)  VCC I CQ

Q point

VCC  VBE 20V  0.7V

I BQ    19.3mA
RB 1k

I CQ   I BQ   25  (19.3mA)  482.5mA  0.48A

VCEQ  VCC  I C RC  20 V   0.48 A  20    10.4 V

Pi (dc)  VCC I CQ  (20 V)(0.48 A)  9.6 W

Input base current 10 mA peak
I C  p    I B  p    25  (10 mA)  250 mA

I C2 ( p) RC (250 mA) 2 (20 )

Output Po (ac)    0.625 W
2 2

Input Pi (dc)  VCC I C  (20 V)(0.48 A)  9.6 W

Q

The efficiency of the power amplifier is

Po ( ac ) 0.625 W
%  100%  100%  6.5%
Pi ( dc ) 9.6 W
End of Example 1
 Transformer-Coupled Class A Amplifier
A transformer improves the efficiency of a class A amplifier because it is
able to transform the voltage, current, and impedance
This circuit uses a transformer to couple to the load.
This improves the efficiency of the Class A amplifier to 50%.

Voltage Ratio
V2 N 2

V1 N1

Current Ratio
I 2 N1

I1 N2

Impedance Ratio
2
RL R1  N1 
     a 2
RL R2  N2 
Effective ac resistance
seen at primary
Transformer-Coupled Class A Amplifier
 Transformer-Coupled Class A Amplifier

Voltage Swing

VCE(p  p)  VCE max  VCE min

Current Swing

IC max  IC min

AC Power

(VCE m ax  VCE m in )(IC m ax  IC m in )

Po(ac) 
8
 Transformer-Coupled Class A Amplifier
Amplifier Efficiency

Power input from the DC source

Pi(dc)  VCC ICQ

Power dissipated as heat across the transistor

PQ  Pi(dc)  Po(ac)

Maximum efficiency
2 Note: The larger VCEmax and lower
V V  VCEmin, the closer the circuit
%η  50 CE m ax CE m in 
 VCE m ax  VCE m in  efficiency approaches the theoretical
maximum of 50%.
 Class B Amplifier
o The class B is biased at
cutoff I CQ  0; VCEQ  VCE ( cutoff )
so the transistor is not
conducting without an ac
signal applied.

o The AC signal turns the

transistor on. When the
signal is applied the transistor
is driven into conduction for
approximately half the cycle.
Biased at the cut-off point
o The transistor only
Note the barrier voltage (0.7 V) has to be
conducts when it is turned overcome before conduction can take place.
on by one-half of the AC
cycle.
 Class B Amplifier
In order to get a full AC cycle out of a class B amplifier, two transistors
are needed The combination of two class B amplifiers working together
is called push-pull operation

• An npn transistor that

provides the negative
half of the AC cycle

• A pnp transistor that

provides the positive
half.
Push-pull circuit

Two approaches for using push-pull amplifiers to reproduce the entire

waveforms:
 Uses transformer coupling
 Uses two complementary symmetry transistors
 Class B Amplifier

Connection of push-pull amplifier to load:

a) using two voltage supplies; (b) using one voltage supply.
Class B Amplifier – Complementary method

Consists of
complementary pair
electronic devices
One conducts for one
half cycle of the input
signal and the other
conducts for another half
of the input signal
Both devices are off
when the input is zero
 Class B Amplifier – Complementary method
Q n : on Q n : off An approximate class-B
Q p : off Q p : on
circuit comprising
i Cn complementary BJT
pair working in push-
pull configuration.
i Cn

i Cp
i Cp

Assuming ideal transistor;

iL
when vI = 0; both Qn & Qp are off;

when vI > 0; Qn conducts & Qp is off;

when vI < 0; Qp conducts & Qn is off

 Efficiency
Input power from the power supply is:

Pi (dc)  VCC I dc

In class B operation, the current drawn from a single power

supply has the form of a full-wave rectified signal.
Therefore, the average current can be calculate as follows:
2
I dc  I ( p)

where Ip is the peak value of the output current waveform

2
Therefore  Pi (dc)  VCC I ( p)

Output power VL2 ( rms ) VL2 ( p ) VL2 ( p  p )
Po (ac)   
RL 2 RL 8RL

Efficiency
 VL2 ( p ) 
 
 100%  L ( p )  
2
2 R
100%  
Po (ac) V
%  100%
L

Pi (dc)  2  2 RL 2VCC I ( p )
 CC
 ( p ) 
V I

VL2 ( p ) 
  100%
2 RL VL ( p )
2VCC
RL
 VL ( p )
 100%
4 VCC
Maximum efficiency is VL (p)= VCC

 VCC
%  100%  78.5%
4 VCC

Power dissipated (as heat) by the two output power

transistors

P2Q  P i (dc)  Po (ac)

The dissipated power handled by each transistor

P2Q
PQ 
2
 Example 2
A class B amplifier providing a 20-V peak signal to a 16  load
(speaker) and a power supply of VCC = 30 V, determine the input
power, output power, and circuit efficiency

Solution:
VL  p  20 V
Peak load current IL  p    1.25 A
RL 16 

DC value of current drawn from the power supply

2 2
I dc  IL  p  1.25  0.796 A
 

The input power delivered by the supply voltage

Pi  dc   VCC I dc  30 V  0.796 A  23.9 W

 Pi  AT   VCC I AT  30V  0.796  23.9 Watt
The output power delivered to the load
Kuasa keluaran AU yang dihantar ke beban,
VL2  p  20V 
2
Po ac     12.5 W
2 RL 216 
PO  AU  12.5 W
Keberkesanan kuasa, %  100  100  5
Pi  AT  23.9 W

Efficiency

Po  ac  12.5 W
%  100%  100%  52.3%
Pi  dc  23.9 W

End of Example 2
 Exercise 1
Calculate the input power, output power and power handled by each
output transistor and the circuit efficiency for an input of 12V rms.

If the output needs a large

amount of current, suggest a
method to increase the output
current circuit that might be
added to the existing circuit.
Explain.

Class B power amplifier

Class B Amplifier – Transformer coupled Method
The transformer method allows use of two transistors of the same type.
Each transistor conducts half of the cycle yielding a complete signal at
the output.

Driver circuit
The center-tapped transformer on the input produces opposite polarity signals
to the two transistor inputs.

The center-tapped transformer on the output combines the two halves of the
AC waveform together.
 Class B Amplifier - Driver Circuits
Different ways to obtain phase-inverted signals from a single input signal

A center-tapped transformer BJT

Op-amp stages
 Class B Amplifier Crossover Distortion
The disadvantage of class B operation is that the input signal has to
overcome the barrier voltage (VBE) before the transistor will conduct. This
causes crossover distortion of the output signal.

39
The transfer characteristic becomes
non-linear
The output will be distorted –
crossover distortion

Dead band

The range where both transistors are

simultaneously off known as the dead
band

Crossover distortion can be eliminated by biasing the

transistor with small quiescent current – class-AB
 Class AB Amplifier
Crossover distortion can be
virtually eliminated by applying a
small quiescent bias on each
output transistor, for a zero input
signal. This makes it operate as a
class AB amplifier.

Biasing both transistors to be on

for more than half a cycle.

If Qn and Qp are matched, then

for vI = 0, VBB/2 is applied to the
BE junction of Qn and VBB/2 is
applied to the EB junction of Qp

Small ICQ flows through each transistor in the absent of input signal
 Class AB Push-Pull Amplifiers
To overcome the crossover distortion A single supply can be used to operate a
the voltage divider and diode push-pull amplifier. Capacitive coupling of
arrangement can be used to achieve the signal to the load is used to allow only
this goal. the ac to reach the load. The peak output
voltage (Vout(peak)) is approximately VCC/2.
Class AB Push-Pull Amplifiers
The load line illustrates the Q-point for class AB operation.
 Characteristics of Class AB Output Stage

iL  icn  ic p
Each transistor conducts more than one half cycle,
which is the definition of class AB operation
Class AB Push-Pull Amplifiers
A darlington class AB amplifier combines both the impedance
matching advantages of the darlingtion pair and the efficiency of
the push-pull class AB amplifier. This configuration works well to
deliver high power to low impedance loads.
 Class C Amplifier
Class C amplifiers are biased such that it conducts less than 180º.
Much more power can be obtained from a class C amplifier but since
the output signal is very distorted it’s use is limited to radio frequency
applications.

Power dissipation is lower since it on for such a small amount of time.

 Class C Amplifier
In order to produce a full sine wave output, the class C uses a
tuned circuit (LC tank) to provide the full AC sine wave.
 Class D Amplifier
A Class D amplifier amplifies pulses. It requires a pulsed input.

Convert any input

signal into a pulse
type waveform
before using it to
drive a large power
load and to convert
back to sinusoidal
type signal to recover
the original signal.
Efficiency over 90%

There are many circuits that can convert a sinewave to a pulse, as well as circuits
that convert a pulse to a sinewave. This circuit has applications in digital circuitry.
• Block diagram of the unit needed to amplify the class D signal and
then convert back to the sinusoidal-type signal using a low-pass
filter.
• Since the amplifier’s transistor devices used to provide the output
are basically either off or on, they provide current only when they
are turned on, with little power loss due to their low on-voltage.
• Since most of the power applied to the amplifier is transferred to
the load, the efficiency of the circuit is typically very high.