EEEB273 (Electronics Analysis & Design II) - Semester 2 2013/2014

Tutorial Session 7

Problem 8.16 (pg. 607)

Consider the class-A emitter-follower circuit shown in Figure P8.16. Assume all transistors
are matched with VBE(on) = 0.7 V, VCE(sat) = 0.2 V, and VA = . Neglect base currents.
Determine the maximum and minimum values of output voltage and the corresponding input
voltages for the circuit to operate in the linear region.

vI = VBE1 + vO

Figure P8.16
Solution:
vO (max) = 4.8 V (since the VCE(sat) is given), V+ - VCE(sat) = 5 0.2 = 4.8 V.
verdict: to get a forward-active region, else reverse-biased.