3.8 Class C Tuned Amplifier In the previous section we have seen various types of tuned circuits. These tuned circuits use class C amplifiers. In this section we will see design and analysis of class-C tuned amplifier. ‘The amplifier is said to be class C amplifier, if the Q point and the input signal are selected such that the output signal is obtained for less than a half cycle, for a full input gee. Due to such a selection of the Q point, transistor remains active, for less than a half cycle. Hence only that much part is reproduced at the output. For remaining cycle of the input cycle, the transistor remains cut-off and no signal is produced at the output. ‘The current and voltage waveforms for a class C amplifier operation are shown in the Fig. 3.19. Looking at Fig. 3.19, it is apparent that the total angle during which current flows is Jess than 180°. This angle is called the conduction angle, 0.Fig. 3.19 Waveform representing class C operation Fig. 3.20 shows the class-C tuned amplifier. Here a parallel resonant circuit acts as a Toad impedance. As collector current flows for less than half a cycle, the collector current Fig. 3.20 Tuned class-C amplifier consists of a series of pulses With the harmonics of the input signal. A paralle! tuned circuit acting as a load impedance is tuned to the input frequency. Therefore, it filters the harmonic frequencies and produce a sine wave output voltage consisting of fundamental component of the input signalFig. 3.21 Frequency response 3.8.1 Resonant Frequency Here, class-C amplifier is used with parallel tuned circuit. Therefore, the output voltage is maximum at the resonant frequency. The resonant frequency for parallel tuned Gireuit is given as 1 = a 2nLC Example 3.6: A class-C tuned amplifier has inductance of 3 wH and capacitence of 470 pF in the tank circuit. Calculate the resonant frequency. Solution : We know that, 1 1 a © * QmJEC ~ 2x [Spitx 470pF = 4238 MHz Now we will discuss a few equations that are useful in the analysis of class C amplifier. 3.8.2 Power Gain Power gain is defined as, Pow Ce @) In words, the power gain equals the ac output power divided by the ac input power.3.8.7 Efficiency ‘The efficiency of the amplifier is given as + Epo (12) ‘The de collector current depends on the conduction angle for a conduction angle of 180° (a half-wave signal), the average or de collector current is Tewu/x For smaller conduction angles, the de collector current is less than this, as shown in Fig, 3.23 (4) In a class C amplifier, most of the dc input power is converted into ac load power because the transistor and coil losses are small. When the conduction angle is 180° , the efficiency is 78.5%. The efficiency increases when conduction angle decreases. As indicated lass C amplifier has maximum efficiency of 100%, approached at very small conduction angles 3.8.8 Bandwidth We know that, bandwidth of resonant circuit is defined as BW = &-f where f, = lower half power (3 4B) frequency f, = upper half power (3 dB) frequency The half power frequencies are identical to the frequencies at which the voltage gain equal 0.707 times the maximum gain. ‘The bandwidth of the class C tuned amplifier is given as fe Qg where Q is the quality factor of the circuit BW = o- (13)3.9 Application of Class C Tuned Amplifier As an application of tuned amplifier we see the mixer or frequency converter circuit. Frequency conversion is the process of translating a modulated signal to a higher or lower frequency while still retaining all the originally transmitted information. Although modulation itself is a form of frequency translation, frequency conversion is often used before and after transmission or reception to provide some benefit. Frequency conversion is a form of AM. It is carried out by a mixer circuit. In some applications, the mixer is referred to as a converter. The function performed by the mixer is called heterodyning, Fig. 3.26 shows the block schematic of mixer circuit. The mixer accepts two inputs: The signal f. which is to be translated to another frequency and sine wave from the oscillator, fe The mixer, like an amplitude modulator, pesforms a mathematical multiplication of its two Fig, 3.26 Block schematic of mixer circuit signals : f, , fo, fo + f and f ~ fo Only one of these signals is the desired one. A tuned circuit or filter is normally used at the output of the mixer to select the desired signal. The Fig. 327 shows the mixer circuit using class-C tuned amplifier. Here, transistor is biased to operate as a class C amplifier so that the collector current does not vary linearly with variations in the base current, This results in analog multiplication which produces the sum and difference frequencies. As shown in the Fig. 3.27, both the incoming signal and oscillator signal are applied to the base of the transistor. The tuned circuit selects the sum or difference frequency fer for lot fy Fig, 3.27 Mixer circuit using class-C-tuned amplifierApplication of Mixer or Converter Circuits 1, One of the most common applications for mixer is in radio receivers. The mixer is used to convert incoming signal to a lower frequency where it is easier to obtain the high gain and selectivity required 2, Mixer circuits are used to translate signal frequency to some lower frequency or to some higher frequency. When it is used to translate signal to lower frequency it is called down converter. When it is used to translate signal to higher frequency, it is called up converter.