Department of Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering

Course: Electronic Circuit Design

Lab No: 13

Title: Complimentary Pair Amplifier (push-pull Amplifier)

CID: ________________

Date: _______________

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1

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 LABORATORY EXERCISE 19

BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR

COMPLEMENTARY PAIR AMPLIFIER (PUCH-PULL AMPLIFIER)

Description and purpose:

The BJT complementary transistor pair amplifier is commonly used for driving loads which require a large
amount of current .The word “complementary” refers to the fact that NPN transistor is the complement of the
PNP is the complement of NPN . Both types of BJT’s are used in this amplifier

Each transistor type performs a separate role in supplying the current to the load .The NPN transistor is
responsible for supplying the current required by the load when the load is driven in the positive direction
.Likewise, the PNP supplies the current to the load for negative
voltage swings.

The amplifier needs to produce a continuous and smooth

voltage across the load, despite the fact that the driving of the
load is shared by two separate devices with different regions of
operation. The biasing circuit is responsible for making this
transition smooth. It is very important to have a good
understanding of how this circuit works, and how the job of
one transistor is passed off to the other

Crossover distortion is a phenomenon which is seen when the

operations of the two transistors are not adequately
integrated.

Thermal runaway is another phenomenon which can occur

with disastrous consequences, if the biasing circuit is not
working properly.

Goals:

 To build and use a complementary pair amplifier

 To study the use of the emitter follower principle in this configuration.
 To see how diodes are used as voltage sources in the biasing circuit.
 To see the effects of crossover distortion.
 To observe the manifestation of a dead zone between the driving input and the output.
 To learn the mechanism of thermal runway.
PART 1: The Role of complementary pair BJT’s As Power Drivers

1. Consider the circuit shown in figure 1. It represents a signal source with a series
resistance which is driving a load. Remember that all voltage sources (both AC and DC)
have a series resistance .The resistance of the signal source here is large relative to the
load. The open circuit voltage of the signal source is Vs.

figure 1

2. Even though this is a very simple circuit, and you could easily calculate what Vo
would be, set up your scope to observe Vs and Vo .This gets you ready for the parts
which are follow.

What is the measured amplitude of vs Result

What is the measured value of vo Result

What is the ratio of vo to vs? Result

3. Figure 2 shows how to use two transistors to drive the load resistor so that not so
much of Vs id lost. Each transistor acts as an emitter follower to provide the current
required for driving RL. Transistor Q1 provides the current for the positive voltage
swing of RL, while Q2 provides the current for the negative voltage swing of RL.
 figure 2

4. Observe Vin and Vo on your scope and draw the results on the scope screen from
shown in figure 3.

VO has the same shape as Vin, except that the positive swing of Vo is a diode drop and the negative
swing of Vo is diode drop higher than Vin. Course this is usual drop associated with the use of the
emitter follower as a current buffer.

Another way to say this is that Vin has to swing from zero up to a diode drop before
there is enough VBE voltage for Q1 to start to turn on.
Likewise Vin has to swing downward from zero to negative diode before there is
enough VEB for Q2 to start to turn on. (VEB is the voltage between the emitter and
the base since Q2 is a PNP transistor, and if you look at the direction of the emitter
 diode in the PNP symbol, the emitter has to be higher than the base for this diode to
be forward biased.)

5. Notice that there is a flat part of the Vo waveform which corresponds to the time when
neither Q1 nor Q2 is turned on. The Vo waveform is distorted when compared with Vin
and we call this crossover distcrtion.

The “Dead zone “is a term which refers to the range of Vin, between a positive diode
drop and a negative diode drop, where there is no Vo, or Vo does not corresponds to Vin.

Measuring from your scope screen. What is the time Result

For vin to go from a diode drop above zero to a diode
Drop below zero?
Does this time correspond to the time vo is flat, or Result
equal to zero volt

PART II – use of Biasing Diodes to compensate for the Dead zone of the Emitter followers

1. Build the circuit shown in Figure 4.

figure 4
2. Consider the chain of components, R1, D1, D2, and R2, which runs between +12v and -
12v. This is a biasing circuit, and it has symmetry. If you broke the connection at Vin, and
discharged the presence of Q1, then the DC voltage between the two diodes should be
close to zero volts.
The voltage on top of D1 (i.e.at the anode of D1) should be a diode drop above zero.
The base of Q1 would be a diode drop above zero. The emitter of Q1 would be a diode
drop below the base or back down to the zero again. The net result is that the DC voltages
associated with Vin and Vo should be pretty close match!

3. Observe the Vin and Vo wave forms on your scope and record them on the scope screen
from shown in figure 5. Be sure the input coupling of your scope is set to DC.

Whenever Vin is positive, there is pretty good match between Vin and Vo .The base of Q1
is always a diode drop above the DC voltages on Vin. The emitter of Q1 is always a diode
drop below the base.

Whenever Vin is negative, the emitter of Q1 is reverse biased. Q1 cannot make a negative
current flow through RL. Q1 immediately becomes CUT-OFF when Vin goes negative.

 Summary for the circuit of figure 4:

Q1 does a good job of putting the Vin voltage on RL, but Q1 can do this only for positive
values of Vin.
 Q1 automatically turns off for negative values of Vin.

4. Build the circuit shown in figure 6. The circuit shows the role of Q2 in turning on and
supplying the current to RL for the negative swing of Vin.

5. Observe Vin and Vo on your scope. Draw these waveforms on the scope screen from
shown in figure 7.
 Whenever Vin negative, Q2 is on. And there is a pretty good match between Vin
and Vo. The base of Q2 is always a diode drop below the DC voltage on Vin. The emitter of
Q2 is always a diode drop above the base.

Whenever Vin is positive, the emitter of Q2 is reverse biased. Q2 cannot make a positive
current flow through RL. Q2 immediately becomes CUT-OFF when Vin goes positive.

Summary for the circuit of figure 6:

Q2 does a good job of putting the Vin voltage on RL. But Q2 can do this only for negative
values of Vin.

Q2 automatically turns off for positive values of Vin.

PART III – The Complementary Pair Amplifier circuit:

1. Starting with your present circuit, fill in the components needed to make the circuit shown
in figure 8. This is the complete complementary pair amplifier. Q1 is set to supply positive
current to RL for positive swings, and Q2 is set to supply negative current to RL for negative
swings. Observe Vin and Vo on your scope.
 figure 8

2. Wait a minute! Two more resistors have been added, REB1 and REB2.what are they for very
good question. Answer:

First of all, realize that these resistors are small compared to RL and any other resistors in the circuit.
The operation of the circuit is not changed as far we have seen in the previous path of this lab
exercise.

We could say that D1 has a DC voltage across it, which matches VBE of Q1 barley on, and ready to
turn on fully, for positive swings of Vo. Likewise, D2 has a DC voltage across it, which matches VEB of
Q2, and keeps Q2 barely on, and ready to turn on fully. For negative swings of Vo

we want both Q1 and Q2 to be biased to be barely on at the same time. But it takes only a few
millivolts of additional voltage between the base and emitter of any transistor to make it go from
barely on to fully on!

Thermal Runaway

The worst thing that could happen with this circuit is to have both Q1 and Q2 on at the same time!
The DC emitter current of Q1 would just become the DC emitter current of Q2. And we would have
significant current flowing directly between the two power supply voltages. This current would not
go to driving the load; instead it would just go to heating both Q1 and Q2! In fact a very real
phenomenon called thermal runway can easily develop which can destroy both transistors.

The hotter the transistor get, the more IE (and IC) you get for a specific amount of VBE. The more Ic
You have. The more power dissipated in the transistors (P=VCE X IC).The more DC power dissipated in
the transistors. The hooter the transistors get the more the value of Ic and so on in an ever
increasing loop until the transistor fry themselves all because of VBE is held constant as the transistor
get hotter.

The two added small value resistors. Which are in series with the emitters of each transistor prevent
thermal runway. This how:

Consider Q1 only. If the DC current in the emitter IE starts to increase. Then the voltage drop across
REB increases. This reduces the voltage across VBE of Q1. And serves to diminish any further increase
in IE.

The downside is that these resistors are in series with the load for the AC signal. When Q1 is driving
the load (for positive output swings). Then REB is in series with the load. When Q2 is driving the load.
This is why you want these two resistors to be small.

The power expended in these resistors is power deprived of the load. This is just the price required
to prevent thermal runway.

3. Draw the input and output waveforms from the circuit in figure 8 on the scope screen from
shown in figure 9.

QUESTIONS:

Theory Question:

1. What does the word “complementary” refer to in complementary pair amplifier?

2. Crossover distortion occurs at what part of the output wave form?

Labs Result Question:

1. What was the major disadvantage of the power driving circuit in figure 2 the NPN and PNP
transistor without any biasing components?

2. What components are used to keep the transistor biased “barely on” so that they are ready
to be turned completely on?

3. Describe the steps which lead to thermal runway.

4. How can small value emitter resistors prevent thermal runway?