High-Frequency Response of Common-Emitter

and Common-Source Circuits

The transistor capacitances
and the load capacitance in the
common-emitter amplifier
shown in Figure affect the high-
frequency response of the circuit.
open

short Initially, we will use a hand

analysis to determine the
effects of the transistor on
the high frequency response.

In this analysis, we will assume

that CC and CE are short
circuits, and CL is an open
short circuit.
 The high-frequency small-signal equivalent circuit of the
common-emitter circuit is shown in Figure (a) in which CL is
assumed to be an open circuit. Replace by miller
capacitance
We replace the capacitor Cμ with the equivalent Miller
capacitance CM as shown in Figure (b).

High frequency hybrid-pi model

(a) High-frequency equivalent circuit of common-emitter
amplifier
   g mV RL'

Cμ Replace by miller
Vi  V capacitance

(b) High frequency equivalent circuit of common-emitter

amplifier, including the Miller capacitance

C M  C  1  A  ,   g m R where R  ro || RC || RL
'
L
'
L
g mV RL'  C M  C  1  A 
and A  
V  
 C 1   g m RL'    C 1  g
 R
m L
'

The upper 3 dB frequency can be determined by using the
time constant technique.

We can write
1
fH 
2  P
where
 P  Req Ceq
Ceq is the sum of the
In this case, the equivalent capacitance is Capacitances connected
in parallel
Ceq  C  CM
and the equivalent resistance is the effective
resistance seen by the capacitance,
Req  RB || r || RS
The upper corner frequency is therefore Req  RB || r || RS
1
fH  Ceq  C  CM
2  P
 P  Req Ceq 
1
2 Req C eq
1
fH 
2  RB || r || RS  C  CM 


where C M  C  1  g m R L' 
We determine the midband voltage gain magnitude by
assuming Cп and CM are open circuits.

Capacitors open at mid

frequency range

VO   g mV R L'

We find that
VO   g mV R L'
 The input voltage is given by Using potential
divider rule

RB || r
V   Vi
RB || r  RS
Substitute Vп value in the output
voltage,

VO   g mV RL'
 RB || r 
RB || r    g m R   Vi 
'
VO '  L
 AV ( mid )    g m RL    RB || r  RS 
V  RB || r  RS 
The Bode plot of the high-frequency
voltage gain magnitude is shown in Figure

Bode plot of the high-frequency voltage gain magnitude for the

common emitter amplifier
 Determine the upper corner frequency
and midband gain of a common emitter
circuit.
For the circuit in Figure, the parameters
are: Vcc = 5 V, VEE = −5 V, RS = 0.1
kΩ, R1 = 40 kΩ, R2 = 5.72 kΩ, RE =
0.5 kΩ, RC = 5 kΩ, and RL = 10 kΩ.
The transistor parameters are: β = 150,
VBE(on) = 0.7 V, VA =
Cп = 35 pF, and Cμ = 4 pF.

From a dc analysis, we find ICQ

R B  R1 || R2  40 K || 5.72 K
 40 K  5.72 K   5 K

40 K  5.72 K

R2
VTH    VCC    V EE     V EE
R1  R 2

5.72 K
    5    5    5V  1.25  5  3.75 V
40 K  5.72 K
 I BQ 
VTH  VBE  VEE  3.75  0.7    5 0.55
 
RB  1    RE 5 K  1  150  0.5 K  5 K  1  150 0.5 K 
 6.83 A
I CQ    I BQ  150 6.83 A  1.03 mA

AC Analysis

r 
 VT

 150 0.026
 3.79 K
I CQ 1.03 mA
I CQ 1.03 mA
gm    39.6 mA / V
VT 0.026
 C  1  g m  RC || R L  
The Miller capacitance is then
  4 pF  1   39.6 mA / V  5K || 10 K  

C M  C  1  g m RL '   532 pF
and the upper 3 dB frequency is therefore
1
fH 
2  R B || r || R S  C  C M 
1

2  3.79 K || 40 K || 5.72 K  35 pF  532 pF 

 2.94 MHz
Finally, the mid-band gain is
 R B || r 
 AV   g m R  
'
L
 R B || r  R S 
40 K || 5.72 K || 3.79 K
  39.6 mA / V  5K || 10 K   126
40 K || 5.72 K || 3.79 K  0.1K
The high-frequency response of the common-source
circuit is similar to that of the common-emitter circuit,
and the discussion and conclusions are the same.

Capacitance Cп is replaced by Cgs , and Cμ is replaced

by Cgd .

The high-frequency small-signal equivalent circuit of

the MOSFET is then essentially identical to that of the
bipolar transistor.
Frequency Response of CS Amplifier

Fig. shows the CS

MOSFET amplifier.
Its gain falls at low
frequency due to
the effect of CC1, Cs
and CC2.
CS MOSFET amplifier
Its gain falls at
high frequency
due to the effect of
Cgs and Cgd.
•Fig. (b) shows the frequency response of CS
MOSFET amplifier.

High Frequency Response

• Fig. 5.8.2 shows the equivalent circuit for CS MOSFET
amplifier.

High frequency hybrid-pi model

 Let us consider the output
node.

The load current, IL is

gmVgs -Igd,
where gmVgs is the output
current of the MOSFET
(Drain Current) and Igd is the
current supplied through the
very small capacitance Cgd.
• At frequencies in the vicinity of fH, the Igd is very small
and can be neglected. Hence, we can write,

V O   I L R L'   g m V gs R L' where, R '  r || R || R

L o D L
 • Now consider the input
node.
We can replace Cgd at the
input side with the equivalent
capacitance Ceq using Miller's
theorem.
This is illustrated in Fig.

• By Millers theorem,
equivalent capacitance is given
by,

Ceq  Chd 1  AV 

Now, to find AV
 Ceq  Chd 1  AV 

• Since input voltage is Vgs, we have

V But , V O   g m V gs R L'
AV  O
V gs

g mV gs RL'
   g m RL'
Substitute AV value in Ceq, V gs
 
 Ceq  C gd 1   g m RL'  
 C gd 1  g m RL' 
• Total input capacitance (Cin) can be given by,


C in  C gs  C gd 1  g m R '
L 
• The total resistance is given by,

RSi'  RSi || RG

By considering input circuit as a simple-time constant

circuit we have it
  RSi' C in
Therefore
1 1
 H  O   '
 RSi C in
1
 fH 
2 RSi' C in
Vo   g mV gs RL' Vo   g mV gs RL'
Vi  V gs
 RG  '
To find V gs ,   g m   Vi  RL
From input side,  RG  RSi 
RG Vo RG
Vgs   Vi Amid    g m RL'
RG  RSi Vi RG  RSi
 RG
Amid   g m RL'
RG  RSi
Here , R  ro || R D || R L  150K || 15K || 15K  7.14 K
'
L

 Amid 
RG
g m RL'  
 4.7  10 6
 1mA / V  7.14 K 
RG  RSi  4.7  10  100  10 
6 3

 6.99
   
Now, C eq  C gd 1  g m RL;  0.4  10 12 1  1mA / V  7.14 K  
 3.256 pF
 C in  C gs  C eq  1 pF  3.256 pF  4.256 pF
1 1
fH     381.90 K
2 RSi' Cin 2  97.92 K  4.256 pF 

 
RSi'  RG || RSi  4.7  106 || 100 K   97.92 K