ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

EXPERIMENT 5: Class A & Class B Power Amplifier

Program Outcomes (POs) Addressed by the Activity

a. ability to apply knowledge of mathematics and science to solve
engineering problems
b. ability to design and conduct fieldworks, as well as to analyse and
interpret data
c. ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
d. ability to use techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering
practice

Activity’s Intended Learning Outcomes (AILOs)

At the end of this activity, the student shall be able to:
a. identify the frequency responses of a common-emitter amplifier circuit.
b. calculate cut-off frequencies of an amplifier circuit
c. evaluate the precision of the experiment conducted

OBJECTIVE

To measure DC and AC voltages, and power input and output for both class A and class
B power amplifiers.

EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

Instruments

Oscilloscope
DMM
Function Generator
DC Power Supply

Components

Resistors

(1) 20-Ω
(1) 120-Ω, 0.5-W
 (1) 180-Ω
(2) 1-kΩ, 0.5-W
(1) 10-kΩ

Capacitors

(3) 10-μF
(1) 100-μF

Transistors

(1) NPN medium power, 15-W (2N4300 or equivalent)

(1) PNP medium power, 15-W (2N5333 or equivalent)
(2) Silicon diode
RESUME OF THEORY

A class-A amplifier draws the same power from the voltage supply regardless of
the signal applied. The input power is calculated from

Pi (DC) = VCCIDC = VCCICQ (5.1)

The power provided by the amplifier can be calculated using

Po(AC) = VC2(rms) = V C2(peak) = VC2(p-p) (5.2)

RC 2RC 8RC

with the amplifier’s efficiency being

% = 100 x Po(AC) (5.3)

Pi(DC)

A class-B amplifier draws no power if no input signal is applied. As the input

signal increases the amount of power drawn from the voltage supply and that delivered to
the load both increase. The input power to a class-B amplifier is

Pi (DC) = VCCIDC = 2VCCVC (p) (5.4)

RL

The amplifier efficiency is calculated using Eq. (26.3).

Po(AC) = VL2(rms) = VL2(p) = VL2(p-p) (5.5)

RL 2RL 8RL
PROCEDURE:

Part 1. Class-A Amplifier: DC Bias

a. Calculate DC bias values for the circuit of Fig. 26-1.

(calculated) VB = 1.5254V
(calculated) VE = 0.7903V
(calculated) IC= IC= 0.039515 A
(calculated) VC= 5.2857V

b. Construct the circuit of Fig. 26-1. if desired, measure and record actual resistor
values in the space provided in Fig. 26-1. Adjust the supply voltage to VCC = 10 V
and measure and record DC bias voltages:

(measured) VB= 1.51V

(measured) VE= 0.721
(measured) Vc= 5.55 V

Determine the measured value of DC bias current:

IE=IC =VE/RE= 0.03605 A

Part 2. Class-A Amplifier: AC Operation

a. Using DC bias values calculated in Part 1 and equations given in review section,
calculate power and efficiency values for the largest signal swing in the class-A
amplifier of Fig 26-1.

(calculated)Pi= 0.39515

Using largest signal swing around DC bias set in Part 1:

(calculated) Vo= 10 mV
(calculated) Po= 1.71491
(calculated) %= 33.68%

b. Using the oscilloscope adjust the input signal (f = 10 kHz) to obtain the largest
undistorted output signal. Measure and record these and output signal. Measure and
record these input and output voltages.

(measured) Vi= 10 mV
(measured) Vo= 9.71 mV

c. Using measured values calculate the power and efficiency for the calss-A
amplifier of Fig. 26-1.
Pi= 1.71491
Po= 0.39515
%= 33.68%

Compare the measured and calculated values of power and efficiency in steps b and c.

They have the same values.

d. Reduce the input signal to one-half the level of step b.

Measure and record input and output voltages.

(measured) Vi= 5 mV
(measured) Vo= 4.71 mV

e. Calculate the input power, output power and efficiency using half the input voltage
used in step a.

(calculated) Pi= 5.6991

(calculated) Po= 0.19757
(calculated) %= 3.47%
f. Using measured values calculate the power and efficiency for the class-A amplifier
of Fig. 26-1.

Pi= 5.6991
Po= 0.19757
%= 3.47%

Compare the measured and calculated values of power and efficiency obtained in
steps e and f.

They have the same values

Part 3. Class-B Amplifier Operation

a. Calculate the power ratings for a class-B amplifier, as in Fig. 26-2 for Vo=1 V and
Vo=2 V ,peak.

(calculated) Pi= 1.601

(calculated) Po= 0.11236
(calculated) %= 7.02%
For Vo = 2 V, peak:

(calculated) Pi= 1.601

(calculated) Po= 0.42025
(calculated) %= 26.25%

b. Construct the circuit of Fig. 26-2. Adjust VCC = 10 V. If desired, measure and record
actual resistor values in space provided in Fig. 26-2. Adjust input until Vo = 1 V.
Measure and record AC voltages.

(measured) Vi= 2.12 V

(measured) Vo= 1.06 V

Using measured values calculate input and output power, and circuit efficiency.

Pi= 1.601
Po= 0.11236
%= 7.02%

Compare values calculated in step a with those measured in step b.

The Values computed in step b is much greater than the step a that have 1V. the % of b is
26% compared to a which have 7%.

c. Adjust input until Vo = 2 V, peak. Measure and record AC voltages.

(measured) Vi= 9.19 V

(measured) Vo= 2.05 V

Measure average (DC) supply current from VCC.

(measured) IDC= 0.503

Using measured values calculate input and output power, and circuit efficiency.

Pi= 1.601
Po= 0.42025
%= 26.25%
 ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSIONS:

Class B Amplifier operation has zero DC bias as the transistors are biased at the cut-off, so
each transistor only conducts when the input signal is greater than the Base-emitter voltage.
Therefore, at zero input there is zero output and no power is being consumed.

The Class B Amplifier has the big advantage over their Class A amplifier cousins in that no
current flows through the transistors when they are in their quiescent state.

Therefore, no power is dissipated in the output transistors or transformer when there are no
signal present unlike Class A amplifier stages that require significant base bias thereby dissipating
lots of heat – even with no input signal present.

So the overall conversion efficiency ( η ) of the amplifier is greater than that of the
equivalent Class A with efficiencies reaching as high as 70% possible resulting in nearly all modern
types of push-pull amplifiers operated in this Class B mode.
Part 1. Class-A Amplifier: DC Bias

𝑃𝑖(𝐷𝐶) = 𝑉𝐶𝐶 × 𝐼𝐷𝐶 = 10𝑉 × 0.039515 = 0.39515

𝑃𝑜(𝐷𝐶) = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 × 𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 9.71𝑚𝑉 × 12.1𝑚𝐴 = 1.17491
𝑃𝑜(𝐴𝐶) 0.39515
%𝜂 = × 100 = × 100 = 33.63%
𝑃𝑖(𝐷𝐶) 1.17491

𝑃𝑖(𝐷𝐶) = 𝑉𝐶𝐶 × 𝐼𝐷𝐶 = 5𝑉 × 0.039515 = 0.19757

𝑃𝑜(𝐷𝐶) = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 × 𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 4.71𝑚𝑉 × 12.1𝑚𝐴 = 5.6991
𝑃𝑜(𝐴𝐶) 0.19757
%𝜂 = × 100 = × 100 = 3.47%
𝑃𝑖(𝐷𝐶) 5.6991
Part 3. Class-B Amplifier Operation
𝑉𝑜 = 1𝑉

𝑉𝐶 5𝑉
𝐼𝑐 = = = 0.503
𝑅𝐶 10
𝑉𝐶𝐶 × 𝐼𝐷𝐶 10𝑉 × 0.503
𝑃𝑖(𝐷𝐶) = = = 1.601
𝜋 𝜋
𝑃𝑜(𝐷𝐶) = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 × 𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 1.06𝑉 × 106𝑚𝐴 = 0.11236
𝑃𝑜(𝐷𝐶) 0.11235
%𝜂 = = × 100 = 7.02%
𝑃𝑖(𝐷𝐶) 1.601
𝑉𝑜 = 2𝑉

𝑉𝐶 5𝑉
𝐼𝑐 = = = 0.503
𝑅𝐶 10
𝑉𝐶𝐶 × 𝐼𝐷𝐶 10𝑉 × 0.503
𝑃𝑖(𝐷𝐶) = = = 1.601
𝜋 𝜋
𝑃𝑜(𝐷𝐶) = 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠 × 𝐼𝑟𝑚𝑠 = 2.05𝑉 × 205𝑚𝐴 = 0.42025
𝑃𝑜(𝐷𝐶) 0.42025
%𝜂 = = × 100 = 26.25%
𝑃𝑖(𝐷𝐶) 1.601