University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore Spring 2014

LAB 8: DESIGN OF COMMON EMITTER AMPLIFIERS-II

(COUPLING)
Name : Date :
Regd-No :
OBJECTIVES:
 To design a common emitter amplifier by biasing it at the midpoint, and then
using it to amplify a small signal (small-signal analysis)
SUGGESTED READING:
 Class Lectures 13, 14
 Chapter 9: “Common Emitter Amplifiers”, introductory Electronic Devices and
Circuits by Robert T. Paynter.
 Datasheet: 2N3904 NPN Bipolar Junction Transistor
 Datasheet: 2N2222 NPN Bipolar Junction Transistor
 http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/amplifier/amp_2.html
 http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/physics/courses/physics222/repository/files/pdf/ElectronicsL
ab15.pdf
 http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/~durkin/phys617/commonemitter

Please read through all the suggested reading before you come to lab.

EQUIPMENT AND COMPONENTS:

 Basic Circuits Training Board
 T2N2222 NPN Transistor
 2N3904 NPN Transistor
 Capacitors
 Jumper Wires
 Palm Scope / DMM
 Resistors
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Common Emitter Amplifiers:

Common emitter amplifiers are the most commonly used amplifiers due to
their high voltage gain and good response. They are characterized by the input at
the base terminal, an output at the collector terminal and the emitter terminal
connected to ground, usually through a resistance.

Coupling:

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T
Lahore LAB 8
 University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore Spring 2014
Coupling refers to:
o In analog circuits, a coupling capacitor is used to connect two circuits
such that only the AC signal from the first circuit can pass through to the
next while DC is blocked.
o In coupling, a capacitor is added in series with the source to block DC.

The reactance of a capacitor is given by:

1
X c=
2 πfC
Showing that it varies inversely with frequency. For a very high frequency, a
capacitor in series will act as a short circuit to the AC signal, and open-circuit to
the DC signal.
Why is Biasing Important?
We are usually interested in the AC signal amplification; the DC bias is just used
to give a baseline for amplification.

Fig 8.1: Amplifier function

A capacitor in series witht the input of the amplifier provides a DC shift to the AC
input. A capacitor in series at the output de-couples the AC signal from the DC
signal.
Bypass capacitor:
A capacitor attached between the emitter terminal and the ground is known
as the bypass capacitor. The purpose of this capacitor is to provide an AC ground
to the emitter terminal (Fig.8.2).
Since this capacitor provides limited resistace to the flow of the AC signals,
and blocks the DC signal, it provides and AC ground, while keeping the DC bias of
the amplifier intact.

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T
Lahore LAB 8
 University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore Spring 2014
It has an effect of increasing
the overall AC gain of the
amplifier.The voltage gain of the
amplifier is given as:
V out
Av=
V¿

Fig 8.2 Complete Common-Emitter Amplifier

LAB TASK 1:
Use the mid-point biased circuit from the last lab(Lab-7) and attach the 1uF
coupling capacitors. Apply a small sinusoidal signal of 1 V peak-to-peak,
and find out the output at the collector terminal. What output did you get?
What was the gain of the amplifier?

LAB TASK 2:

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T
Lahore LAB 8
 University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore Spring 2014
Add an emitter bypass capacitor of 100uF and recheck the gain of the
amplifier. What is the difference between the gain with and without using
bypass capacitor?

LAB TASK 3:
Increase the frequency of the input signal, and find out the voltage gain for
different values of frequency. Note the results in a tabular and plot a
frequency vs Gain graph using MS Excel.

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T
Lahore LAB 8
 University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore Spring 2014

REVIEW QUESTIONS:
Q: what would you choose as a voltage amplifier among a common-emitter
amplifier and a common-collector amplifier? Why?
Ans:

Q: Does the gain of the amplifier continue to increase with the input frequency
indefinitely?
Ans:

Q: What is the effect of using the bypass capacitor at the emitter?

Ans:

COMMENTS:
P.S: Comments are logical observations and findings that you learned
during your practical.

MCT-137: ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

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Department of Mechatronics and Control Engineering, U.E.T
Lahore LAB 8