Common-Emitter Amplifiers

Pictures are redrawn (with some modifications) from

Introductory Electronic Devices and Circuits
By
Robert T. Paynter

1
 Objectives
• Describe AV, AI, AP associated with the three
amplifier configurations.
• Describe the input/output voltage and current
phase relationships.
• Calculate the ac emitter resistance of a transistor.
• Discuss two roles of the capacitors in the circuits.
• Derive the ac equivalent circuit for a given
amplifier.
• Explain how the voltage gain drift due to
temperature occurs.
• Discuss the relationship between the load
resistance and voltage gain of a CE amplifier.
2
 Objectives (Cont.)
• Calculate Zin(base) and Zin for a CE amplifier
• Discuss the effects of swamping on the ac
characteristics of a CE amplifier
• List and describe the four ac h-parameters

3
Fig 9.1 Common-emitter input-
output phase relationship.
VB
+VCC
IB 15 A
10 A
5 A RC
RB

Q1

VC 8V
6V
Ai = 100 4V
IC 1.5 mA
1 mA
500 A 4
 AC Emitter Resistance

25mV
re 
IE

where r’e = ac emitter resistance

IE = the dc emitter current, found as VE / RE for
example.

5
 Fig 9.2 Example 9.1.
R2 2.2kΩ
VB  VCC   10V   1.8V
+10 V R1  R2 12.2kΩ

VE VB  0.7V
IE    1.1mA
RC RE 1kΩ
R1
10k 4k
25mV 25mV
re    22.7Ω
RL IE 1.1mA
hFE = 300 15k
R2
2.2k RE
1k
6
Fig 9.3 Graphical determination of
ac emitter resistance.
IE

IE Q2

VBE
re 
Q1 I E

IE
VBE
VBE VBE 7
 Fig 9.4 The determination of ac beta.
IC

I C ic
 ac  
I B ib

Q
hFE = dc beta
IC
hfe = ac beta

IB
IB
8
 AC Model of A BJT
c

ic = acib
C C
B B b
ib
E E r'e
npn pnp
e

9
 Roles of Capacitors in Amplifiers

1. A coupling capacitor passes an ac

signal from one amplifier to another,
while providing dc isolation between the
two.
2. A bypass capacitor is used to “short
circuit” an ac signal to ground while not
affecting the dc operation of the circuit.

1 The higher the freq.,

XC 
2 fC the lower the capacitor impedance.
10
Fig 9.5 Coupling capacitors in a
multistage amplifer.
VCC

CC3
CC1
CC2
Load

11
Fig 9.6a AC coupling.
GND

CC3
CC1
CC2
Load

12
Fig 9.6b DC isolation.
VCC

CC3
CC1
CC2
Load

13
Fig 9.7 Capacitive vs. direct
coupling.
VCC VCC

CC

14
Fig 9.8-9 Bypass capacitors.
VCC GND VCC

CB CB CB

For AC analysis For DC analysis

15
 Fig 9.10 Typical common-emitter
amplifier signals.
VCC 1.8V
5.6V
5.6V
1.8V
0V
0V

1.1VDC 1.1VDC
16
 Fig 9.11 Deriving the CE ac-
equivalent circuit.

R1 RC R1 RC R1 RC

RS = 0 
VCC (ideally)

R2 RE R2 RE R2 RE

(a) (b) (c)

17
Fig 9.12a Example 9.2.
VCC

RC
R1 CC2

CC1
Q1 RL

R2
RE CB

18
Fig 9.12b Example 9.2.

GND
RC
R1

Q1 RL

R2
RE

19
Fig 9.12c-d Example 9.2.

Q1 RC RL
(c)
R1 R2

Q1 RC||RL
(d)
R1||R2

20
 Voltage Gain of CE
Q1 RC||RL

R1||R2

vout vout  ic  RC  RL 

ic = ib RC||RL  ic rC where rC  RC  RL
vin ib
Q1 vin  ie re
r'e vout ic rC rC
R1||R2 Av   
vin ie re re
21
Fig 9.13 Example 9.4. (1)
+20 V Transform the base circuit to its
Thevenin equivalent.
R2 20kΩ
Vth  VCC  20V
R1 RC R1  R2 170kΩ
150k 12k  2.353V
Rth  R1  R2  20kΩ 150kΩ
RL  17.65kΩ
hFE = 200 50k
R2
RE Vth  VBE 2.353V  0.7V
20k IB  
2.2k Rth  (hFE  1) RE 17.65kΩ  201 2.2kΩ
 3.595μA

22
Fig 9.13 Example 9.4. (2)
+20 V I C  hFE I B  200  3.595μA  718.9μA
I E   hFE  1 I B  201 3.595μA  722.5μA

VCE  VCC  I C RC  I E RE
R1 RC
 20V  718.9μA  12kΩ  722.5μA  2.2kΩ
150k 12k
 9.784V  active 
RL re 
25mV

25mV
 34.6Ω
hFE = 200 50k IE 722.5μA
rC  RC  RL  12kΩ 50kΩ  9.677kΩ
R2
20k RE rC 9.677kΩ
2.2k Av     279.7
re 34.6Ω

23
Fig 9.14 Example 9.5. (1)
+10 V
Transform the base circuit to its
Thevenin equivalent.
R2 4.7kΩ
RC Vth  VCC  10V
R1 R1  R2 22.7kΩ
1.5k
18k  2.070V
Rth  R1  R2  4.7kΩ 18kΩ
hFE = 30 RL  3.727kΩ
hfe = 200 5k
R2
4.7k RE Vth  VBE 2.070V  0.7V
IB  
1.2k Rth  (hFE  1) RE 3.727kΩ  31 1.2kΩ
 33.49μA

24
Fig 9.14 Example 9.5. (2)
+10 V I C  hFE I B  30  33.49μA  1.005mA
I E   hFE  1 I B  31 33.49μA  1.038mA

VCE  VCC  I C RC  I E RE
RC  10V  1.005mA 1.5kΩ  1.038mA  1.2kΩ
R1 1.5k
18k  7.247V  active 

hFE = 30 RL re  25mV  25mV  24.08Ω

IE 1.038mA
hfe = 200 5k
rC  RC  RL  1.5kΩ 5kΩ  1.154kΩ
R2
RE rC 1.154kΩ
4.7k Av     47.91
1.2k re 24.08Ω

25
 CE Current Gain
iout
Ai 
iin

Ai is always less than hfe due to two factors:

1.The input ac current is divided between
the transistor and the biasing network.
2.The output collector current is divided
between the collector resistor and the
load.

26
 Power Gain
Ap  Ai Av

Example 9.7 The amplifier shown in Fig. 9.5 has

values of Av = 45.3 and Ai = 20. Determine the
power gain (Ap) of the amplifier and the output
power when Pin = 80 W.
Ap  Ai Av  20  45.3  906
Pout  Ap Pin  906  80μW  72.48mW

27
 The Effects of Loading

RC RL RC RL
3k 12k 3k 6k

R1||R2 r'e=25 R1||R2 r'e=25

rC  RC  RL  2.4kΩ rC  RC  RL  2kΩ
rC rC
Av    96 Av    80
re re

The lower the load resistance is, the lower the voltage gain.
28
 Example 9.8
The load in Fig. 9.16 is open. Calculate the
open-load voltage gain of the circuit.

rC  RC  3kΩ

rC 3kΩ
Av      120 (max. gain)
re 25Ω

29
 Calculating Amp.
Input Impedance
VCC
Z in  R1  R2  Z in(base)
R1

DC: RIN(base)   hFE  1 RE

 hFE RE
R2
Zin Zin(base) AC: Z in(base)   h fe  1 re
 h fe re

Biasing circuit
30
 Fig 9.17 Example 9.9.
+10 V

RC
R1 1.5k
18k

hFE = 30 RL Z in(base)  h fe re

5k
hfe = 200
 200  24Ω  4.8kΩ
R2
Zin Zin(base) RE
4.7k
1.2k Z in  R1  R2  Z in(base)
 18kΩ 4.7kΩ 4.8kΩ
Q1
RC RL  2.1kΩ
1.5k 5k
R1 R2
Zin Zin(base)
18k 4.7k
r'e = 24
hfe = 200 31
 Calculating the Value of Ai
iout
ic
iin ib
Q1 RC v RL
out
vin
R1 R2
Zin Zin(base)

iout ic vin  iin Z in  ib Z in(base)

Ai  h fe 
iin ib ib Z in(base) ib  h fe  1 re
 iin  
vout  ic  RL  RC   ic rC  iout RL Z in Z in
ic rC Z in rC
 iout  Ai   h fe
RL Z in(base) RL
32
 Example 9.10
Calculate the value of Ai for the circuit shown in Fig.
9.17.

RC RL
Q1
1.5k 5k
R1 R2
Zin Zin(base)
18k 4.7k
r'e = 24
hfe = 200

Z in rC
Z in(base)  h fe re  200  24Ω  4.8kΩ Ai   h fe
Z in(base) RL
Z in  R1  R2  Z in(base)  2.1kΩ
2.1kΩ 1.15kΩ
 200 
rC  RC  RL  1.15kΩ 4.8kΩ  5kΩ
 20.2 33
 Multistage Amp.
Gain Calculations
AvT  Av1 Av 2 Av 3  Procedure:

AiT  Ai1 Ai 2 Ai 3  1. Do dc analysis

2. Find r’e for each stage
ApT  AvT AiT
3. Find rC for each stage
4. Using r’e and rC to find Av
for each stage
Input impedance of next stage is the load of current stage.

(Zin of next stage is RL of current stage)

34
 Fig 9.18 Example 9.11. (1)
+15V
R3 R7
R1 5k R5 5k
CC1 22k 15k

Q1 CC2 Q2 CC3 RL
10k
R2 R4 R6 R8
CB1 CB2 hFE = 150
3.3k 1k 2.5k 1k
hfe = 200

Determine Av of the 1st The input impedance of the 2nd stage:

stage. Assume that r’e
for the 1st stage is 19.8  Z in (base )   h fe  1 re  201 17.4  3.497kΩ
and r’e for the 2nd stage is
Zin  R5  R6  Z in ( base )  1.329kΩ
found to be 17.4 . For
the 2nd stage, hfe is 200. 35
Fig 9.18 Example 9.11. (2)
+15V
R3 R7
R1 5k R5 5k
CC1 22k 22k

Q1 CC2 Q2 CC3 RL
10k
R2 R4 R6 R8
CB1 CB2 hFE = 150
3.3k 1k 3.3k 1k
hfe = 200

rC  R3  Z in  5kΩ 1.33kΩ=1.05kΩ

Finally, Av for the 1st stage is found as

rC 1.05kΩ
Av     53.03
re 19.8Ω
36
 Example 9.12. (1)
Determine the value of AvT for the amplifier in Figure
9.18.
rC for the 2nd stage can be found as

rC  R7  RL  3.33kΩ

Av for the 2nd stage is found as

rC 3.33kΩ
Av      191.38
re 17.4Ω

AvT  Av1 Av 2   53.03  191.38  10.15 103

37
Fig 9.19 The swamped CE amplifier
and its ac equivalent ckt.
+VCC Swamped amplifier is an
amplifier that uses a partially
bypassed emitter resistance to
RC increase ac emitter resistance.
R1 Also referred to as a gain-
C1 stabilized amplifier.
Q1 C2 RL

R2 rE rC
Q1
R1//R2
RE CB rE

38
 Av of Swamped Amp.
rC
Q1
vout ic rC
R1//R2 Av  
rE vin ie  re  rE 

rC
vout Av  
re  rE
ic = acib rC
vin Q1
R1//R2 ib r'e

rE

39
Fig 9.20 Example 9.13. (1)
+10V
R2 4.7kΩ
Vth  VCC  10V  2.070V
R1  R2 22.7kΩ
RC Rth  R1  R2  18kΩ  4.7kΩ  3.727kΩ
R1 1.5k
18k Vth  VBE
IB 
hFE = 200 RL Rth   hFE  1  rE  RE 
hfe = 150 10k
2.070V  0.7V
R2 rE 
4.7k 300 3.727kΩ   201  1210Ω 
 5.550μA
RE
CB I C  hFE I B  200  5.550μA
910
 1.110mA
I E   hFE  1 I B  201 5.550μA
 1.116mA 40
Fig 9.20 Example 9.13. (2)
+10V VCE  VCC  I C RC  I E  rE  RE 
 10V  1.110mA 1.5kΩ  1.116mA   1210Ω 

RC  6.985V (active)
R1 1.5k
18k 25mV 25mV
re    22.41Ω
hFE = 200 RL IE 1.116mA
hfe = 150 10k
R2 rE rC  RC  RL  1.304kΩ
4.7k 300
rC 1.304kΩ
RE Av     4.046
910
CB re  rE 22.41Ω  300Ω

41
 Example 9.14
Determine the change in gain for the amplifier in Example
9.13 when r’e doubles in value.

rC 1.304kΩ
Av     3.782

re  rE 44.82Ω  300Ω

Av  4.046  3.782  0.2639

Swamping improves the gain stability of a CE

amplifier when rE >> r’e.

42
The Effect of Swamping on Zin
c

b
Z in(base)   h fe  1 re
r'e
Zin(base)
 h fe re e c

b
Z in(base)   h fe  1  re  rE 
r'e
Zin(base)
 h fe  re  rE  e
rE
43
 Fig 9.22 Gain stabilization.

rE

RE RE

Av -rC / r’e -rC / (r’e+rE)

Zin(base) hfer’e hfe(r’e+rE)

Advantage Higher values of Av than Relatively stable Av.

the swamped amplifier. Much smaller distortion.
Disadvantage Relatively unstable values Lower Av than the
of Av. standard amplifier.
44
The Hybrid Equivalent Model

I1 I2
1 2
Two-Port
V1 System V2

1' 2'

Hybrid model is derived from two-port system.

45
Six Circuit-Parameter Models
for Two-Port Systems
Independent Dependent
Circuit Parameters
Variables Variables

I1 , I 2 V1, V2 Impedance Z

V1, V2 I1, I2 Admittance Y

V1, I2 I1, V2 Inverse Hybrid g

I1, V2 V1, I2 Hybrid h

V2, I2 V1, I1 Transmission T

Inverse
V1, I1 V2, I2
Transmission T’
46
Equations for Hybrid Model
V1  h11 I1  h12V2
I 2  h21 I1  h22V2

Let V1 = Vi, I1 = Ii, V2 = Vo, and I2 = Io.

Then
Vi  h11 I i  h12Vo
I o  h21 I i  h22Vo

47
 Equivalent Circuit for
Hybrid Model

Ii Io
1 2
hi
Vi hrVo hfIi ho Vo

1' 2'

Vi  h11 I i  h12Vo  hi I i  hrVo

I o  h21 I i  h22Vo  h f I i  hoVo
48
 h-Parameters
Vi Vi
h11  h12 
Ii Vo  0 Vo Ii  0
Io Io
h21  h22 
Ii Vo  0 Vo Ii  0

h11 = hi = Input Resistance

h12 = hr = Reverse Transfer Voltage Ratio
h21 = hf = Forward Transfer Current Ratio
h22 = ho = Output Admittance 49
 h-Parameters for CE Amp.
• hie = the base input impedance
• hfe = the base-to-collector current gain
• hoe = the output admittance
• hre = the reverse voltage feedback ratio

vbe  hieib  hre vce

ic  h feib  hoe vce

50
 Hybrid Model for
CE Configuration
ib ic
b c
ic hie
ib c hfeib hoe
b hrevce

ie vbe vce
ie
e
e
vin ic
hie  (output shorted) hoe  (input open)
ib vce May be
neglected.
ic vbe
h fe  (output shorted) hre  (input open)
ib vce
51
h-parameters of 2N3904

52
Hybrid Model without hre and hoe
b c
ib ic
hie hfeib h fe   ac

hie   h fe  1 re  h fe re  Z in(base)

ie

c c
ic ic h fe rC
acib acib Av  
ac+1)r'e hie
b b
ib ib
r'e  Z in rC 
ie ie Ai   h fe  
 hie RL 
e e
53
 Determining h-Parameter Values

Use geometric means if given max. and min.

values.

hie  hie (min)  hie (max)

h fe  h fe (min)  h fe (max)

See examples 9.18 and 9.19.

54
 Summary
• AC concepts
• Roles of capacitors in amplifiers
• Common-emitter ac equivalent
circuit
• Amplifier gain
• Gain and impedance calculations
• Swamped amplifiers
• h-parameters

55