Class-B Power Amplifier

Prof.Dr.G.Aarthi
 Class B Power Amplifier
• Class-B amplifier provides an output signal varying over one-half of the
input signal cycle + zero phase shift.

•Obviously, the output is not a faithful reproduction of the input if only

one half-cycle is present.

•Therefore, a two-transistor configuration, is necessary to get a

sufficiently good reproduction of the input waveform.

•This amplifier is known as push-pull amplifier

 Class B Push Pull Amplifier
In class B, the transistor is
biased just off. The AC signal
turns the transistor on.

The transistor only conducts

when it is turned on by one-
half of the AC cycle.

In order to get a full AC cycle

out of a class B amplifier, we
need two transistors:

• One transistor provides the negative

half of the AC cycle
• Other transistor that provides the
positive half.
 Class-B Power Amplifier
• In an idealized class-B, the output stage
consists of a complementary pair of
transistors – an NPN and a PNP (or an
NMOS and a PMOS) – having closely
matched characteristics.

• In the figure (a), when vi = 0, both devices

are off.

• i.e. they are biased at their cut-off points.

• The bias currents are zero and vO = 0.

figure (a)
• The quiescent power dissipation in each
transistor is zero.
Basic complementary push-pull stage
• When vi > 0, ‘QN’ turns on and operates as
an emitter follower, driving a current into
the load RL. vO tracks vi.

• vO = vi – vBEN and the same vBEN will reverse

bias QP, keeping it cut-off.

• For vi < 0, ‘QP’ turns on and drives a current

into the load RL.

• vO = vi + vEBP and the same vEBP will reverse

bias QN, keeping it cut-off.
• Thus QN & QP are biased at zero current and conduct only

when the signal is available.

• QN pushes (sources) the current while QP pulls (sinks) the

current.

• Hence the name push-pull amplifier.

 Transfer Characteristics and the Dead-band

 There exists a range of Vi centered around zero where both transistors are cut
off and Vo is zero.

 This dead band results in the crossover distortion.

 Crossover Distortion of a Basic Class-B

 The effect of crossover distortion will be most pronounced when the

amplitude of the input signal is small.

 Crossover distortion in audio power amplifiers gives rise to unpleasant

sounds.
Class B VO vs VI
 Power Conversion Efficiency ()
• To calculate the power-conversion efficiency, η, of the class B stage, we
neglect the crossover distortion and consider the case of an output
sinusoid of peak amplitude.
𝑉𝑜2
• The average load power will be PL =
2𝑅𝐿

• The current drawn from each supply will consist of half-sine waves of peak
𝑉
amplitude Vo is = 𝑜
𝑅𝐿
• Thus the average current drawn from each of the two power supplies will
𝑉
be = 𝑜
𝜋𝑅𝐿
• The average power drawn from each of the two power supplies will be the
same
 Power Conversion Efficiency ()
• Thus the total supply power will be

• Thus the efficiency will be given by

• The maximum efficiency is obtained when Vo is at its maximum.

• This maximum is limited by the saturation of QN and QP to VCC − VCEsat

≅VCC.

• At this value of peak output voltage, the power-conversion efficiency is

 Power Dissipation
• In class A stage, power dissipation under quiescent conditions(vO = 0) is
maximum.
• The quiescent power dissipation of the class B stage is zero.

• When an input signal is applied, the average power dissipated in the class B
stage is given by

• Substituting for PS and PL

 Power Dissipation
• From symmetry we see that half of PD is dissipated in QN and the other half
in QP.
• Since PD depends on Vo, we find the worst-case power dissipation, PDmax by
differentiating PD with respect to Vo and equating the derivative to zero
gives the value of Vo that results in maximum average power dissipation as

• Substituting this value in PD gives

• Thus
 Power Dissipation Vs Amplitude of the output
signal

• At the point of maximum power dissipation, the efficiency is 50 % .

• Increasing V0 beyond decreases the power dissipated in the class B

stage while increasing the load power.