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LAB THE CLASS B PUSH PULL AMPLIFIER

PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The purpose of this experiment is to demonstrate the design and operation of a Class B
push-pull emitter-follower power amplifier. The class B push-pull amplifier has a pair of
complementary (npn and pnp) transistors, each of which is biased at cutoff i.e. no
collector current. Consequently, collector current in each transistor flows only for
alternate half-cycles of the input signal. Since both transistors are biased at cutoff, the
input signal must be sufficient to forward bias each transistor on the appropriate half-
cycle of the input waveform. As a result, crossover distortion occurs.
To eliminate crossover distortion, both transistors should, under quiescent
conditions, be slightly forward biased so that each transistor is actually biased slightly
before cutoff, resulting in a small amount of current called the trickle current. Since we
now have neither true class A nor true Class B operation, but rather something in
between, this operation is referred to as Class AB operation, although term “Class B” is
frequently used to describe this situation. Despite its complexity, a Class b push-pull
amplifier can achieve efficiencies up to approximately 78%, which is more than three
times better than can be obtained with a similar Class A amplifier without transformer
coupling.

REQIURED PARTS AND EQUIPMENT

Resistors (1/4 W): 100-Ω, three 1-k Ω, two 10-k Ω Capacitors (25 V): 100-μF
Diodes: Two 1N4148 silicon Transistors: 2N3904 npn and 2N3906 pnp silicon
DC Power Supply, Signal Generator, Oscilloscope, DMM, Breadborad

PROCEDURE

1. Wire the circuit as shown in figure. Connect Cannel 1 of oscilloscope at the input
and Channel 2 at the output.

2. Apply power to the breadboard and adjust the sine wave output level of the
generator at 6-V peak-to-peak at a frequency of 1-kHz. You should observe the
amplifier’s output waveform as shown in figure below. Notice that the output
waveform is distorted in the vicinity of zero volts. This condition, referred to as
crossover distortion, results when the base emitter junctions of both the transistors
are not forward biased until input signal exceeds approximately 0.7-V in both
directions. Note that the peak-to-peak output voltage is slightly smaller than the
input, a difference approximately equal to two base-emitter voltage drops. In
addition, since each half of the push-pull circuit is itself an emitter-follower, there
is no phase shift between the input and output signals.
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Class-B Push Pull Amplifier

Output Voltage for Class-B Push-Pull Amplifier

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3. Disconnect the power and signal generator leads from the breadboard, and replace
the resistors, R2 and R3 with two 1N4148 compensating diodes as shown in figure
below. Again connect the power and signal generator to the breadboard.

4. With the signal generator set at 6-V peak-to-peak at 1-kHz, you should find that
there is virtually no crossover distortion. The voltage required to forward bias
both the transistors is now supplied by the voltage drops of the two silicon diodes,
which are also forward biased.
5. With a DMM, individually measure the transistor dc base 1, base 2, and emitter
voltages with respect to ground, recording your result in Table
6. Now carefully increase the peak-to-peak input signal so that the output peaks just
clip off. With your DMM, measure the rms voltage across 1-kΩ load resistor and
compute the rms output power of the amplifier. Record your results in Table
7. In order to measure the dc power supplied to the amplifier while amplifying an
input signal, use your DMM to measure the dc collector current I C of either
transistor. Compute the dc power supplied and record your results in Table
8. Finally compute the efficiency of your amplifier, and compare it with the
theoretical maximum of 78.5% of a class B amplifier. Record your results in
Table. If you calculate a value greater than 78.5%, then repeat steps 7 and 8,
trying to determine the source of your error.
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WHAT YOU HAVE DONE

This experiment demonstrated the design and operation of a Class B push-pull

emitter-follower power amplifier and how it compared with that of a Class A
amplifier circuit. The circuit required a complementary pair of transistors (one each
npn and pnp). The causes of crossover distortion were demonstrated and possible
methods to eliminate it were investigated. In addition, the efficiency of the amplifier
was determined and compared with that of a Class A amplifier.

Table 1 Table 2

Parameter Measured Value

VB1

VB2
Parameter Measured Value
VE

Vo (rms)

IC

Parameter Calculated Value

Po (rms)

Pdc

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