EMITTER FOLLOWER

CONFIGURATION
OBJECTIVE:

• To be able to identify what is emitter follower

• We will be able to know how emitter follower works
• To identify the advantages,dis-advantages and the
application of emitter follower.
• Student will be able to solve problem
Introduction to Emitter Follower
Configuration
¡. Overview
¡¡. Understanding Emitter follower
Configuration
¡¡¡.Working Principle
¡v. Advantages and dis advantages
v. Applications
OVERVIEW

The emitter follower configuration is a type of transistor circuit that is

commonly used in electronic devices. It is also known as a common collector
configuration, and is often used as an output stage for audio amplifiers and
other applications that require high current gain and low output impedance.
What’s an Emitter Follower Transistor?

In a BJT configuration when the emitter terminal is used as the output, the network is called an emitter-follower.
In this configuration the output voltage is always a shade lower than the input base signal due to the inherent
base to emitter drop.

In simple terms, in this type of transistor circuit the emitter seems to be following the base voltage of the
transistor such that the output at emitter terminal is always equal to the base voltage minus the forward drop of
the base-emitter junction.

We know that normally when the emitter of a transistor (BJT) is connected to the ground rail or the zero supply
rail, the base typically requires around 0.6V or 0.7 V to enable complete switching of the device across its
collector to emitter. This operational mode of the transistor is called the common emitter mode, and the 0.6V
value is termed as forward voltage value of the BJT. In this most popular form of configuration the load is
always found connected with the collector terminal of the device.
This also means that as long as the base voltage of the BJT is 0.6V higher than its emitter voltage, the
device becomes forward biased or gets turned ON into conduction, or gets optimally saturated.
Now, in an emitter follower transistor configuration as shown below, the load is connected at the emitter
side of the transistor, that is between the emitter and the ground rail.
When this happens the emitter is not able to acquire a 0V potential, and the BJT is unable to turn ON with a
regular 0.6V.
Suppose a 0.6V is applied to its base, due to the emitter load, the transistor only just begins conducting which is
not enough to trigger the load.

As the base voltage is increased from 0.6V to 1.2V, the emitter begins to conduct and allows a 0.6V to reach its
emitter, now suppose the base voltage is further increased to 2V….this prompts the emitter
voltage to reach around 1.6V.

The main features of an emitter follower transistor configuration can be studied as explained below:
> The emitter voltage is always around 0.6V lower than the base voltage.
> The emitter voltage can be varied by varying the base voltage accordingly.
> The emitter current is equivalent to the collector current. This
makes the configuration rich in current if the collector is directly
connected with the supply (+) rail.
> The load being attached between the emitter and the ground, the base
is attributed with a high impedance feature, meaning the base being not
vulnerable of getting connected to the ground rail through the emitter,
does not require high resistance to safeguard itself, and is normally
protected from high current.
Working Principle
• The emitter follower configuration is a type of transistor
circuit in which the emitter is connected to a load and the
base is connected to the input signal. The collector is
connected to the power supply through a resistor. The
working principle of the emitter follower configuration is that
the input signal applied to the base of the transistor is
amplified and inverted at the emitter output. The voltage gain
of the emitter follower configuration is less than unity, but it
provides a high current gain. The output voltage of the emitter
follower is almost equal to the input voltage minus the voltage
drop across the base-emitter junction.

• When a signal is applied to the input, the transistor amplifies

the signal and passes it through to the output with a voltage
gain of approximately 1. The output impedance is low, which
makes it easy to drive other circuits downstream.
 Advantages
• High input impedance, which means it can be driven by a wide range of
sources.
• Low output impedance, which makes it easy to drive other circuits
downstream.
• High current gain, which allows it to deliver high current to the load.
• Simple and easy to design.

High Input Unity Gain

Low Output Impedance
Impedance The emitter follower
The emitter follower
The emitter follower configuration has a unity
configuration has a low
configuration has a gain, which means that
output impedance, which
high input impedance, the output voltage
means that it can drive a
which means that it follows the input voltage
heavy load with ease and
does not load the without any
without signal
previous stage and amplification or
degradation.
allows for better attenuation.
signal transfer.
 Dis advantages
• Low voltage gain, which may require additional amplification stages.
• Limited bandwidth, which may limit its use in high-frequency applications.

Low Input Impedance

The emitter follower
configuration has a low
input impedance which
can cause loading
effects on the previous
stage and can affect the
performance of the
circuit.
Limited Voltage Swing
The voltage gain of the
emitter follower
configuration is less than
unity, which limits the
voltage swing at the
output. This can be a
disadvantage in
applications where high
voltage gain is required.
Higher Power Dissipation
The emitter follower
configuration has a higher
power dissipation compared
to other configurations,
which can be a disadvantage
in applications where power
efficiency is a concern.
Applications
• Higher Power Dissipation
The emitter follower configuration has a higher power dissipation compared
to other configurations, which can be a disadvantage in applications where power
efficiency is a concern.
• Power Supplies
The emitter follower configuration can be used in power supplies to provide
voltage regulation and stability.
• Buffer Amplifiers
The emitter follower configuration can be used as a buffer amplifier to
provide impedance matching between high impedance and low impedance circuits.
 Formula
For the output network,
We also know that: -VCE - IERE + VEE = 0
IE = IB + IC VCE = VEE - IERE
= IB + ßIC
IE= IB (ß +1 )

dc equivalent ct
-IBRB - VBE - IERE + VEE = 0
IBRB + (b + 1)IBRE = VEE - VBE
IB =
Ex.16 Determine Vceq and Ieq for the network of Fig. 46.

+
Vceq β= 80
20 µ
-
260 kΩ

Ie q 20 µ

4 kΩ

40 V