Dr.

Phung Thi Kieu Ha

Electronic Circuits and Applications

Lesson 4. Effect of Load and Source Resistance
Learning Contents

1. System approach & Two-port network analysis

2. Effect of load resistance & Source resistance
3. Multi-stage amplifier

Learning Goals

1. Calculate the gain performance of amplifier circuits including load and

source

2. Calculate the parameters of multi-stage amplifier

3. Assess the different coupling methods

1. System approach & Two-port network

1.1. System approach in analysis of

multi-stage amplifier
1.2. Two-port network
1. System approach & Two-port network analysis
1.1. System approach in analysis of
multi-stage amplifier
1. System approach & Two-port network analysis
1.2. Two-port network
A network can be characterized by the AC parameters
Zi, Zo, AVNL, AiNL

AVNL = Vo / Vi – Gain without load resistance

AVL = VRL / Vi – Gain with consideration of load resistance

1. System approach & Two-port network analysis
1.2. Two-port network
A network can be represented in a simple
equivalent circuit, output is open-circuit
2. Effect of load & source resistance

2.1. Effect of load resistance

2.2. Effect of source resistance
2.3. Example – BJT common-collector circuit
2. Effect of load & source resistance
2.1. Effect of load resistance
• Output voltage on load resistance:
Vo = AVNL * Vi * [RL/(RL+Ro)]

• Output voltage gain:

AVL = AVNL * [RL/(RL+Ro)]

• Current gain:
AiL = -AVL * [Zi/RL]

• Larger RL (in relationship with Ro, AVL approaches AVNL

2. Effect of load & source resistance
2.1. Effect of load resistance
Example:
2. Effect of load & source resistance
2.1. Effect of load resistance
Example:
No load amplifier,
Zi = 1,071KΩ (re = 10,7Ω)
Zo = 3KΩ
AVNL = -280

With load resistance of 2,2K

AVL = AVNL * [RL/(RL+Ro)]
= -118,5
2. Effect of load & source resistance
◆2.1. Effect of load resistance
Example: Equivalent circuit approach

AVL = - (RC//RL)/re = -118,5

2. Effect of load & source resistance
2.2. Effect of source resistance
AVS = AVNL * Ri /(Ri+RS)
AVNL – Gain without load & source resistance
Larger input resistance (in relationship with source
resistance),
the larger input signal at the amplifier, hence the
larger output signal
2. Effect of load & source resistance
Summary the effect of both

ATV = ANLV*[RL/(Ro+RL) ]*[ Ri /(Ri+RS) ]

Note for design: a broad range of source and load resistance

is a “desired” factor
2. Effect of load & source resistance
◆ NOTES
• In emitter-follower & collector feedback, input impedance
is sensitive to load

• In emitter-follower, output impedance is sensitive to source

resistance

• Zi or Zo (of two-port network) must take into account the

change
2. Effect of load & source resistance
2.3. BJT Common-Collector circuit
(emitter follower)
Vcc

RB
RS Ii IB
+ C1 + C2 Io
Zi +
VS Vi RE Zo RL
_ _
_
2. Effect of load & source resistance
2.3. BJT Common-Collector circuit
(emitter follower)
IB
b c
+
RS
+
Vi
VS
e
_ RE‘
_
2. Effect of load & source resistance
2.3. BJT Common-Collector circuit
(emitter follower)
Input impedance sensitive
I to the load resistance
B
b c
+
RS
+
Vi
VS
e
_ RE‘
_
2. Effect of load & source resistance
2.3. BJT Common-Collector circuit
(emitter follower)
Output impedance sensitive to the source impedance

+ +
IE
VS RE Vo
_ _
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.1. Need for Multi-stage amplifier
3.2. Gain
3.3. Cascade connections
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.1. Need for Multi-stage amplifier
• Typical spec for a general purpose operational amplifier
– Input resistance ~ 1MΩ
– Output resistance ~ 100Ω
– Voltage gain ~ 100,000
• No single transistor amplifier can satisfy the spec

Note: Cascading multiple stages of amplifiers to meet the spec

3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.1. Need for Multi-stage amplifier
• Typical structure
– An input stage to provide required input resistance
– A middle stage(s) to provide gain
– An output stage to provide required output resistance

Note : the input resistance of the follow-on stage becomes

the load of the previous stage
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.2. Gain
• Total voltage gain
AVT = AV1 * AV2 * …
AVn – gain with load at each stage
• Total current gain
AiT = AVT * Zi1 / RL
Vo1 = Vi2 Vo2 = Vi3

Vi Av1 Av2 Av3 Avn RL Vo

Zi=Zi1 Zo1 Zi2 Zo2 Zi3 Zo3 Zin Zon = Zo

3. Multi-stage Amplifier
◆3.2. Gain Vo1 = Vi2
RS =1K
Emitter-follower Common-base
Vi
Zi=10K Zi=26Ω Vo R
VS L 8.2K
Zo=12
Ω
AVNL= 1
Zo=5K
AvNL=240

Zi=Zi1 Zo1 Zi2 Zo2

Determine:
• The loaded voltage gain for each stage.
• The total voltage gain for the system.
• The total voltage gain for the system if the
emitter-follower configuration is removed.
• What is the role of the emitter follower circuit?
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.2. Gain
Loaded Av1=Av1NL*Zi2/(Zi2+Zo1) 0.68
voltage gain
of stage 1
Loaded Av2=Av2NL*RL/(RL+Zo2) 149
voltage gain
of stage 2
Total voltage AvS=Av1*Av2*Zi1/(Zi1+RS) 92
gain
If no emitter- A S=A *Z /(Z +R )=3.77 The emitter follower is
v v2 i2 i2 S
follower, a “impedance-
how does Much lower, down from 92 to matching” between a
the total 3.77 low input
voltage gain resistance (common-
change? Zi2 is much lower than RS base) and the source
signal of 1K-resistance
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.3. Cascade connection
• Direct coupling
• Capacitor coupling
• Transformer coupling
• Resistor coupling
• Electronic-optical coupling
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.3. Cascade connection
• Signal from previous stage goes to the next stage directly
• Calculation note: the bias level of Q1 is determined first,
then the Q2 level
• Used in IC, TV receivers, computers and other electronic
instruments.
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.3. Cascade connection
• Advantages:
• Simple circuit arrangement => Cheap
• No power loss
• Not affect frequency response => to amplify zero and
very high frequency

• Disadvantage:
• Influence of DC bias between stages
• Influence of input and output resistance
• Influence of transistor parameters variation
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.3. Cascade connection
• Signal from previous stage goes to the next stage through a
capacitor
• Use in discrete circuits
• Capacitor values depended on signal frequency band
• Ex: for baseband signal, coupling capacitor~1uF-10uF, Ce
~10uF-50uF V = 20V
cc Vcc = 20V

RC
R1 Rb
4,7K
220K 1.2K
Vout1
Vin Cin Cin
β=180 β=40
Vin2 100μF Vout
R2
56K RE RL
2,2K 16
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.3. Cascade connection
• Advantages:
− DC separated between stages
− <100% power coupling

• Disadvantages:
• Large size
• Affect of low frequency
• Usage of large capacitance
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.3. Cascade connection
• Two stages are isolated by a transformer.
• Bias of second stage is via a biasing network
• Usage:
• transfer power to the low impedance load,
loudspeakers
• widely in RF applications
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.3. Cascade connection
• Advantages and Disadvantages
− Easy to coupling
− The turns ratio can provide gain
− Frequency selective respond obtained
− Big, expensive, can not integrate
− Small frequency range
3. Multi-stage Amplifier
3.3. Cascade connection
Characteristics Capacitor Transformer Direct
Coupling Coupling Coupling
Size Small Large and Bulky Very Small

Cost Small More costly Very Small

Frequency Excellent in Audio Poor Best
Response Frequency

Impedance Not Good Excellent Good

matching
Application Voltage Power Low Frequency
Amplification Amplification Signal Amplification
Summary
1. Signal draw to the load depends on not only the amplifier gain, but also the
relationship of source & load resistance with the input & output resistance of the
amplifier

2. Two-port network analysis is convenient in analysis of multi-stage amplifier

3. Different types for BJT/FET configuration should be placed in “suitable” position

in multi-stage circuit according to their characteristics

4. Cascade coupling (direct or with capacitor, transformer) has some effect to the
overall performance, especially the frequency response
Summary
Next lesson guide…

Lesson 7: Frequency Response

Reference

Electronics devices and Circuits theory – Robert Boylestad, Louis Nashelsky,

Prentice Hall, 11th edition

Electronic principles – Albert Paul Malvino