Lect 7mclassa

Chapter 12
Power
Amplifier
Definitions
In small-signal amplifiers the main factors are:
• Amplification
• Linearity
• Gain
Since large-signal, or power, amplifiers handle relatively large

voltage signals and current levels, the main factors are:
• Efficiency
• Maximum power capability
• Impedance matching to the output device
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 2 Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights
reserved.
Introduction
Power amplifiers are used to deliver a relatively high amount of
power, usually to a low resistance load.
Typical load values range from 300W (for transmission antennas)

to 8W (for audio speaker).
Although these load values do not cover every possibility, they

do illustrate the fact that power amplifiers usually drive low-
resistance loads.
reserved.
Introduction
Typical output power rating of a power amplifier will be 1W or
higher.
Ideal power amplifier will deliver 100% of the power it

draws
from the supply to load. In practice, this can never occur.
The reason for this is the fact that the components in the
amplifier will all dissipate some of the power that is being drawn
form the supply.
reserved.
Amplifier Types
Class A
The amplifier conducts through the full 360° of the input. The
Q-point is set near the middle of the load line.
Class B
The amplifier conducts through 180° of the input. The Q-point
is set at the cutoff point.
Class AB
This is a compromise between the class A and B amplifiers.
The amplifier conducts somewhere between 180 and 360° .
The Q- point is located between the mid-point and cutoff.
reserved.
Amplifier Types
Class C
The amplifier conducts less than 180 °of the input. The Q-point
is located below the cutoff level.
Class D
This is an amplifier that is biased especially for digital signals.
reserved.
Class A
Amplifier
The output of a class A amplifier
conducts for the full 3 6 0 ° of
the cycle.
The Q-point is set at the middle of
the load line so that the AC signal
can swing a full cycle.
Remember that the DC load line

indicates the maximum and minimum
limits set by the DC power supply.
reserved.
Class B
Amplifier
A class B amplifier output
only conducts for 180°
or one-half of the AC
input signal.
The Q-point is at 0V on the

load line, so that the AC
signal can only swing for
one-half cycle.
reserved.
Class AB
Amplifier
This amplifier is a compromise
between the class A and class B
amplifier.
—The Q-point is above that of the

Class B but below the class A.
The output conducts between 180°
and 360° of the AC input signal.
reserved.
Amplifier Efficiency
Efficiency refers to the ratio of output to input power. The lower the amount
of conduction of the amplifier the higher the efficiency.
reserved.
Series-Fed Class A
Amplifier
This is similar to the small-signal
amplifier except that it will handle
higher voltages. The transistor
used is a high power transistor.
reserved.
Series-Fed Class A
Amplifier
A small input signal causes
the output voltage to
swing to a maximum of Vcc
and a minimum of 0V.
The current can also swing
from 0 mA to ICSAT (VCC/RC)
reserved.
Amplifier Efficiency η
A figure of merit for the power amplifier is its efficiency,  .

Efficiency (   of an amplifier is defined as the ratio of ac
output power (power delivered to load) to dc input power.
By formula :
ac output power P

dc input power 100%  i
(ac) 100%
o

P(dc)
As we will see, certain amplifier configurations have much
higher
efficiency ratings than others.
This is primary consideration when deciding which type of

power amplifier to use for a specific application.
reserved.
Series-Fed Class A
Amplifier
Input Power
The power into the amplifier is from the DC supply. With no input signal,
the DC current drawn is the collector bias current, ICQ.
Output Power
Efficiency
reserved.
Amplifier Power Dissipation
VCC
The total amount of
power being dissipated by I CC
the amplifier, Ptot , is
Ptot = P1 + P2 + PC + PT +
PE I1
P1 = I 2R I CQ P = I2 R
R1 RC C CQ
1 C
The difference between this 1
total value and the total power PT = I 2 R

TQ
being drawn from the supply
T
is the power that actually goes I EQ
to the load – i.e. output P2 = I 2R R2 RE P = I2 R
2 E EQ
E
power. 2
I2
reserved.
Limitation
reserved.
Example +VCC = 20V
Calculate the input power [Pi(dc)], output power

and efficiency
[Po(ac) ], [] of the amplifier circuit for an RB IC
RC
20
input 1k
Vo
voltage that results in
V 
a base current of 10mA peak.
20V  0.7V
IBQ 
CC
  19.3mA   25
VBE RB 1k
Vi
ICQ  I B  25(19.3mA)  482.5mA  0.48A
VCEQ  VCC  ICRC  20V  (0.48A)(20) 
10.4V
I c( sat)  VCC 20V
RC  20 1000mA  1A
VCE ( cutoff )  VCC  20V
IC ( peak)  Ib ( p eak)  25(10mA peak )  250mA
peak
I C2 ( peak) 
250 10 3
C  (20)  0.625W
2 R
Po(ac) 
A
2 2

Pi(dc)  VCC I C Q  (20V )(0.48A)  9.6W
Po(ac) 100%  6.5%


Pi (dc)
reserved.
Transformer-Coupled Class A Amplifier
This circuit uses a

transformer to couple to
the load. This improves
the efficiency of the Class
A to 50%.
reserved.
A transformer improves the efficiency because it is
able to transform the voltage, current, and impedance
Voltage Ratio
Current Ratio
Impedance Ratio
reserved.
DC Load Line
As in all class A amplifiers the Q-
point is established close to the
midpoint of the DC load line.
AC Load Line
The saturation point (ICmax) is at
Vcc/R′L and the cutoff point is at
V2 (the secondary voltage of the
transformer).
This increases the maximum
output swing because
minimum andthe maximum values
of IC and VCE are spread further
apart
reserved.
Signal Swing and Output AC Power

The voltage swing:
The current swing:
The AC power:
reserved.
Power input from the DC source:
Power dissipated as heat across the

transistor
Note: The larger the input and output
signal, the
lower the heat dissipation.
Maximum efficiency:
Note: The larger VCEmax and smaller VCEmin,

the closer the efficiency approaches the
theoretical maximum of 50%
reserved.
Power input from the DC source:
Power dissipated as heat across the

transistor
Note: The larger the input and output
signal, the
lower the heat dissipation.
Maximum efficiency:
Note: The larger VCEmax and smaller VCEmin,

the closer the efficiency approaches the
theoretical maximum of 50%
reserved.
Example
Calculate the ac power delivered to the 8- speaker for the circuit of the
Figure. The circuit component values result in a dc base current of 6
mA, and the input signal (Vi) results in a peak base current swing of 4
mA.:
reserved.
Solution:
the dc load line is drawn vertically from the voltage

point: =VCC= 10 V
VCEQ
For IB = 6 mA, the operating point on the Fig.

is =10 V and ICQ = 140
VCEQ
mA
The effective ac resistance seen at
the primary is
• The ac load line can then be

drawn of slope 1/72 going
through the indicated operating
point.
reserved.
Solution:
mark a point (A):
Connect point A through the Q-point to obtain the ac load line. For
the given base current swing of 4 mA peak, the maximum and
minimum collector current and collector–emitter voltage obtained
The ac power delivered to the load can then be

calculated
reserved.
Solution:
mark a point (A):
Connect point A through the Q-point to obtain the ac load line. For
the given base current swing of 4 mA peak, the maximum and
minimum collector current and collector–emitter voltage obtained
The ac power delivered to the load can then be

calculated
reserved.
Q For the previous circuit , calculate the dc input power, power
dissipated by the transistor, and efficiency of the circuit for the input
signal in the previous example
The efficiency of the amplifier is then
reserved.

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Chapter 12

In small-signal amplifiers the main factors are:

Since large-signal, or power, amplifiers handle relatively large

Typical load values range from 300W (for transmission antennas)

Although these load values do not cover every possibility, they

Ideal power amplifier will deliver 100% of the power it

Remember that the DC load line

The Q-point is at 0V on the

—The Q-point is above that of the

A figure of merit for the power amplifier is its efficiency,  .

This is primary consideration when deciding which type of

total value and the total power PT = I 2 R

Calculate the input power [Pi(dc)], output power

Po(ac) 100%  6.5%

This circuit uses a

Signal Swing and Output AC Power

The current swing:

Power input from the DC source:

Power dissipated as heat across the

Note: The larger VCEmax and smaller VCEmin,

Power input from the DC source:

Power dissipated as heat across the

Note: The larger VCEmax and smaller VCEmin,

the dc load line is drawn vertically from the voltage

For IB = 6 mA, the operating point on the Fig.

• The ac load line can then be

mark a point (A):

The ac power delivered to the load can then be

mark a point (A):

The ac power delivered to the load can then be

The efficiency of the amplifier is then

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