State University of New York at Stony Brook ESE 211 Electronics Laboratory A

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering 2011

¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
Lab 12: BJT Common Emitter Amplifier

1. Objectives
Study and characterize BJT amplifier in Common Emitter (CE) configuration:
Determine the amplifier load line and find the DC operating point (Q-point);
Measure voltage gain, cut-off frequency and input impedance;
Appreciate the effect of shunt capacitor in emitter circuit on amplifier voltage gain and bandwidth.

2. Introduction
BJT Bias for CE amplifier
Figure 1 shows the so called “classic” bias for BJT. The bias circuit is just network of resistors. Power
supply VCC and resistors R1 –R4 should set BJT to operate in the forward-active mode with required small
signal parameters and well defined DC voltage level at the output. Figure 1 circuit uses R1-R4 and VCC values
recommended for our lab experiments.

R1 R3
8.2 k IC 3.3 k

VC
VCC
IB~0
VB Q2N2222
10 V
VE
R2 IE R4
2k 1k

Figure 1
One can neglect the base current in preliminary estimation of the bias point1. Then:

R1
Voltage divider R1-R2 defines the BJT base voltage VB: VB  VCC 
R1  R2 ;
VB establishes emitter voltage VE and emitter current IE: VE  VB  0.7 ,
VE
IE   IC
R4
DC voltage level at the collector terminal VC is determined by R3:

VC  VCC  IC  R3 .

The value of the bias current IC should are used to calculate the small signal parameters gm, rπ and r0.

IC β V
gm  , rπ  , rO  A
Vth gm IC

1
Obviously more exact calculation can be performed using Thevenin theorem but in many cases it is not necessary.
1
State University of New York at Stony Brook ESE 211 Electronics Laboratory A
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering 2011
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Common Emitter Amplifier Operation

Figure 2 below shows the biased BJT in CE configuration. Observe the capacitors C1 – C3 that are to act as
open circuits for DC and as short circuits for AC signals. The purpose of C1 capacitor is to make the DC
operating point insensitive to the signal generator impedance. The bypass capacitor C2 is present to ground an
emitter for AC signal and, hence, increase voltage gain of the amplifier. C3 is used to reinforce short circuit for
AC signal across DC voltage source2. Resistor R5 serves two purposes: (a) attenuate signal from the generator
not to saturate amplifier output and, hence, enable measuring of the high gains; (b) determine the gain stage
input resistance RIN by measuring voltage drop across R5. Voltage markers denote locations where the input
(left marker, vin) and output (right marker, vout) signals are to be measured.

R1 R3
8.2 k IC 3.3 k

V
R5 C1 VCC1 C3
Q2N2222
100 u
100 k 1u V 10 V

VS C2
R2 IE R4
2k 1k 10 u

Figure 2
vout  iC  R3 R
The circuit AC voltage gain is: AV 
    3
vin i B  r r ,
where iC and iB are signal (AC) collector and base currents, β – is common emitter current gain and the BJT’s
small signal output resistance rO was neglected.
v
The circuit input resistance is: Rin  in  R1 || R2 || r
iin .

R1 R3
8.2 k IC 3.3 k

V
R5 C1 VCC1 C3
Q2N2222
100 u
100 k 1u V 10 V

VS
R2 IE R4
2k 1k

Figure 3

2
Ideally any DC voltage source is short circuit for AC since voltage across DC voltage source can not be changed. In reality it is not
always true so additional capacitors are to be used.
2
State University of New York at Stony Brook ESE 211 Electronics Laboratory A
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering 2011
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯
The stage in Figure 2 offers large voltage gain. However, the gain value varies with temperature T due to the
dependences (T), r(T). In contrast, the voltage gain of the circuit in Figure 3 depends only on resistances R3
and R4. In this circuit the bypass capacitor is removed and AV decreases and Rin increases.

vout  iC R3 R
AV    3
vin i B r  i E R4 R4 ,

vin
Rin   R1 || R2 || r    R4 
iin .

The BJT’s parasitic capacitances between the emitter and base and between collector and base terminals
lowers the voltage gain of CE amplifier at high frequencies. The latter capacitance (between base and collector)
gives rise to so called Miller effect. Due to Miller effect the amplifiers with increased gain demonstrate
decreased bandwidth. Gain-bandwidth product (GBW) in CE amplifies remains approximately constant.
In summary, the CE amplifiers are characterized by (1) large current gain, (2) possibly large voltage gain
BUT (3) relatively small bandwidth, (4) relatively small input impedance. The voltage gain can be traded
for wider bandwidth and higher input impedance (remove C2 and go from high gain to low gain but better
bandwidth and input impedance).

3. Preliminary lab
Estimate the DC voltages and currents at the BJT terminals in the circuit in Figure 1. Sketch the DC and AC
load lines for the circuit in Figure 2a. Estimate the maximum amplitude of undistorted output voltage.
Simulate in PSPICE the circuits in Figures 2 and 3. Obtain both the magnitude and phase responses in the
frequency range from 10 Hz to 100 MHz.

4. Experiment
The experiments will be performed with a n-p-n BJT 2N2222A.
DC operating point
1. Assemble the circuit in Figure 1. Use DMM to
measure the BJT DC operating point, which
3
includes VC and IC. On Figure 4 draw DC load line
and indicate the DC operating point (bias point, Q-
point are synonyms of DC operating point).
2
Common Emitter Amplifier
IC (mA)

2. Assemble the circuit in Figure 2. Apply a sin wave

signal with amplitude of 1 V and frequency of
1 kHz. Use the oscilloscope; attach two probes to 1

each side of R5. Measure both amplitudes and

calculate Rin. Input voltage is measured directly at
the right side of R5 while input current is calculated
0
from voltage drop across R5. Note here that the 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

signal from the right side of R5 will be very weak, VC (V)

so adjust oscilloscope sensitivity accordingly and
manually measure the amplitude.
Figure 4
3
State University of New York at Stony Brook ESE 211 Electronics Laboratory A
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering 2011
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

3. Attach two probes to the input and output of the amplifier as shown in Figure 2. Measure the frequency
response. A frequency range from 10 kHz to 1MHz is recommended for this circuit. Take enough
experimental points to resolve low and high frequency cutoffs. Present results in the Bode plot. Determine
the mid-band voltage gain, -3dB cutoff frequencies3 and the bandwidth.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the circuit in Figure 3. Observe the change of the mid-band gain and bandwidth.

Report
The report should include the lab goals, short description of the work, the experimental and simulated data
presented in plots, the data analysis and comparison followed by conclusions. Please follow the steps in the
experimental part and clearly present all the results of measurements.

3
Low frequency cutoff point is determined by values of the coupling capacitors, C1- C3. High frequency cutoff is determined by
transistor parasitic capacitances.
4