Air University, Islamabad

Department of Electrical Engineering

Electric Circuit Design Lab

Name: Saqib Ali 180535

Syed Ahmad Hassan 180561 BEEP -4-A
Muhammad Uzair Ali 180511
Minahil Nazir 180475

LAB #10
CLASS A OUTPUT STAGE
OBJECTIVES
i. To investigate the functionality of Class A Amplifier.
ii. Study the circuit simulations on proteus.

EQUIPMENT
I. Power Supply
II. Digital Multimeter
III. Oscilloscope
IV. Transistors
V. Resistors
VI. Function Generator

ABOUT THE EXPERIMENT

The term amplifier means either a circuit (or stage) using a single active device or a
complete system such as a packaged audio hi-fi amplifier.

An electronic amplifier is a device for increasing the power and/or amplitude of a signal.
It does this by taking energy from a power supply and controlling the output to match the input
signal shape but with larger amplitude. In this sense, an amplifier may be considered as
modulating the output of the power supply.

An important function of the output stage is to provide the amplifier with a low output
stage resistance so that it can deliver the output signal to the load without loss of gain. Since the
output stage is the final stage of the amplifier, it usually deals with the relatively large signals.
Thus the small signal approximations and models are not applicable or must be used with care.
Measure of goodness of design of the output stage is the total harmonic distortion it introduces.
This is the RMS value of the harmonic components of the output signal.
Power amplifier is simply an amplifier with a high power output stage. The most
challenging requirement in the design of the output stage is that it delivers the required amount
of power to the load in an efficient manner. This implies that the power dissipated in the output
stage transistors must be as low as possible.
 Classification of Output Stages:
Power amplifier circuits (output stages) are classified as A, B, AB and C for analog
designs, and class D and E for switching designs based upon the conduction angle or 'angle of
flow' θ of the input signal through the amplifying device, that is, the portion of the input signal
cycle during which the amplifying device conducts. The image of the conduction angle is
derived from amplifying a sinusoidal signal. (If the device is always on, θ = 360°.) The angle of
flow is closely related to the amplifier power efficiency.

Output stages for transistors are classified according to the collector current waveform
that results when input is applied.
(i) Class A Output Stage
(ii) Class B Output Stage
(iii) Class AB Output Stage

 Class A Amplifier:
Class A stage, whose waveform is shown in the figure below, is biased at a current Ic
greater than the amplitude of signal current. Thus transistor in class A stage conducts for the
entire cycle i.e. 360 degrees. Class A amplifying devices operate over the whole of the input
cycle such that the output signal is an exact scaled-up replica of the input with no clipping. Class
A amplifiers are the usual means of implementing small-signal amplifiers. They are not very
efficient; a theoretical maximum of 50% is obtainable with inductive output coupling and only
25% with capacitive coupling.

In a Class A circuit, the amplifying element is biased so the device is always conducting
to some extent, and is operated over the most linear portion of its characteristic curve (known as
its transfer characteristic or trans conductance (curve). Because the device is always conducting,
even if there is no input at all, power is drawn from the power supply. This is the chief reason for
its inefficiency.

The formula for calculating efficiency is:

ή = 1⁄4 (Vo/IRL) (Vo/VCC)
The maximum efficiency attainable is 25%. Because this is a rather low figure, the class
A output stage is rarely used in large power applications. Thus the efficiency achieved is usually
in the 10% to 20% range.
 CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

PROCEURE
(i) Draw the input and output waveforms.
(ii) We Connect the circuit as shown in figure below.
(iii) Then we Apply Vin = 80mVp-p (f = 1kHz)
(iv) Now with the help of DMM, measure the output current and Vo.
(v) Observe the output on oscilloscope.
(vi) Then, We Draw the input and output waveforms.
Where,

Vout=11.2V Iout=0.03A

PROTEUS SIMULATIONS BY 180535(Saqib Ali)

PROTEUS SIMULATIONS BY 180561(Syed Ahmad Hassan)

PROTEUS SIMULATIONS BY 180511(Mohammad Uzair Ali)

PROTEUS SIMULATIONS BY 180475(Minahil Nazir)

 OUTPUT

CONCLUSION:
 Class A Amplifier configuration is the ideal operating mode, because there can be no crossover or switch-off
distortion to the output waveform even during the negative half of the cycle. Class A power amplifier output
stages may use a single power transistor or pairs of transistors connected together to share the high load
current