Dr.

Dung Trinh HCMUT / 2015

Electronic Circuits
Chapter 3: Multistage Amplifier and
Differential Amplifier

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Dr. Dung Trinh HCMUT / 2015

Content
Introduction

Cascade Configuration

Cascode Configuration

Darlington Configuration

Differential Amplifier

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Cascade Configuration

A two-stage common-emitter amplifier in a cascade

configuration with npn and pnp transistors

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Cascade Configuration
 Two stage common-emitter amplifier in a cascade configuration:
small signal equivalent circuit.

 Input resistance: 𝑹𝒊𝒏 = 𝑹𝟏 ∥ 𝑹𝟐 ∥ 𝒓𝝅𝟏

 Small signal voltage gain:

𝑹𝟏 ∥ 𝑹𝟐
𝑨𝒗 = 𝒈𝒎𝟐 𝑹𝟐 ∥ 𝑹𝑳 𝒈𝒎𝟏 𝑹𝑪𝟏 ∥ 𝒓𝝅𝟐
𝑹𝟏 ∥ 𝑹 𝟐 + 𝑹𝒔

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Cascade Configuration
Example 1: Determine the small-signal voltage gain of the following multi-transistor
circuit:

 1 = 173
ICQ1 = 2.54 mA
2 = 157
ICQ2 = 1.18 mA

VC1 = -0.82 V

VECQ1 = 1.10 V

VCEQ2 = 1.79 V

GV = 4790

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Cascade Configuration
Example 2: Consider the circuit shown in the following figure. The transistor parameters
are 𝑘𝑛1 = 0.5mA/𝑉 2, 𝑘𝑛2 = 0.2mA/𝑉 2and 𝑉𝑇𝑁1 = 𝑉𝑇𝑁2 = 1.2𝑉. The Q point is: 𝐼𝐷1 =
0.2𝑚𝐴, 𝐼𝐷2 = 0.5𝑚𝐴.
Determine the small-signal voltage gain of a multistage cascade circuit.

Gv = -6.14

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Cascade Configuration
Exercise 1: Consider the circuit shown in the following figure. The transistor parameters
are  = 125, 𝑉𝐵𝐸 (𝑜𝑛) = 0.7𝑉
a. Determine the small-signal voltage gain of the multistage cascade circuit.
b. Determine the input resistance and output resistance.

Gv = -17.7

Rin = 4.76 k

Ro = 43.7 

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Cascode Configuration
 In cascode configuration, a Common-
Emitter (or Common-Source) amplifier
drives a Common-Base (or Common-
Gate) amplifier.

 The input capacitance of CE amplifier is

small because the voltage gain of Q1 is
small (near unity) which means the
Miller capacitance is minimized.

 The CE stage increases the input

impedance of the CB stage.
Cascode Amplifier
 The voltage gain is achieve in the
Common-Base stage.

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Cascode Configuration

The ac equivalent circuit

Cascode Amplifier

The small-signal equivalent circuit

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Cascode Configuration

Example 2: Consider the circuit shown in the

following figure. The transistor parameters are
𝑘𝑛1 = 0.8mA/𝑉 2 , 𝑘𝑛2 = 0.8mA/𝑉 2 and 𝑉𝑇𝑁1 =
𝑉𝑇𝑁2 = 1.2𝑉. The Q point is: 𝐼𝐷1 = 0.4𝑚𝐴, 𝐼𝐷2 =
0.4𝑚𝐴.
Determine the small-signal voltage gain of the
cascode circuit.

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Darlington Pair
 In some applications, it would be desirable to have a bipolar
transistor with a much larger current gain than can normally be
obtained.
 A Darlington configuration provides increased current gain.

 The effective 𝛽 of the Darlington pair is:

𝜷𝑫𝑷 = 𝜷𝟏 𝜷𝟐 + 𝜷𝟏 + 𝜷𝟐

 Darlington pairs are often fabricated on a

single chip to achieve matched Q1 and Q2
characteristics. Then:

𝜷𝑫𝑷 = 𝜷𝟐 + 𝟐𝜷
A Darlington pair configuration

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Darlington Pair
 The effective small-signal input resistance
of the Darlington pair is:
𝑟𝑖𝑛(𝐷𝑃) = 𝛽1 𝑟𝑒1 + 𝑟𝑖𝑛 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 2 ≃ 𝛽1 𝑟𝑒1 + 𝛽2 𝑟𝑒2

where:
25𝑚𝑉 25𝑚𝑉
𝑟𝑒1 = 𝑟𝑒2 =
𝐼𝐶1 𝐼𝐶2

Small-signal equivalent circuit

 Note that: 𝐼𝐸2 ≃ 𝛽2 𝐼𝐸1 . Then: 𝑟𝑒1 ≃ 𝛽2 𝑟𝑒2

 And: 𝑟𝑖𝑛(𝐷𝑃) ≃ 𝛽1 𝑟𝑒1 + 𝛽2 𝑟𝑒2 = 2𝑟𝑒2

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Differential Amplifier
 The input stage of every op amp is a differential amplifier.
 Less sensitive to noise and interference.
 Enable to bias amplifier and connect to other stage without the use of
coupling capacitors.

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Differential Amplifier – DC Analysis

 Assume Q1 and Q2 are matched.

𝐼𝑄
𝐼𝐸1 = 𝐼𝐸2 =
2
𝐼𝑄
𝑣𝐶1 = 𝑣𝐶2 = 𝑉+ − 𝑅𝐶
2

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Diffrential Amp – Small Signal Operation

 If 𝑣𝑖𝑑 ≠ 0:

+
𝐼𝐶𝑄
𝑣𝐶1 = 𝑉 − + Δ𝐼 𝑅𝐶
2

𝐼𝐶𝑄
𝑣𝐶2 = 𝑉 + − − Δ𝐼 𝑅𝐶
2

𝑣𝐶1 − 𝑣𝐶2 = 2Δ𝐼𝑅𝐶

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Diffrential Amp – Small Signal Operation

 If 𝑣𝑖𝑑 ≠ 0:

 Since the two transistors are biased at the

same quiescent current:

𝒓𝝅𝟏 = 𝒓𝝅𝟐 = 𝒓𝝅 𝒈𝒎𝟏 = 𝒈𝒎𝟐 = 𝒈𝒎

 At node Ve:

𝑽𝝅𝟏 𝑽𝝅𝟐 𝑽𝒆
+ 𝒈𝒎 𝑽𝝅𝟏 + 𝒈𝒎 𝑽𝝅𝟐 + =
𝒓𝝅 𝒓𝝅 𝑹𝒐
𝟏+𝜷 𝟏+𝜷 𝑽𝒆
or: 𝑽𝝅𝟏 + 𝑽𝝅𝟐 =
𝒓𝝅 𝒓𝝅 𝑹𝒐
 From the circuit we see that:
𝑽𝝅𝟏 𝑽𝒃𝟏 − 𝑽𝒆 𝑽𝝅𝟐 𝑽𝒃𝟐 − 𝑽𝒆
= and =
𝒓𝝅 𝑹 𝑩 + 𝒓𝝅 𝒓𝝅 𝑹𝑩 + 𝒓𝝅
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Diffrential Amp – Small Signal Operation

 If 𝑣𝑖𝑑 ≠ 0:

 Finally we have:
𝟏+𝜷 𝑽𝒆
𝑽𝒃𝟏 + 𝑽𝒃𝟐 − 𝟐𝑽𝒆 =
𝒓𝝅 + 𝑹𝑩 𝑹𝒐

𝑽𝒃𝟏 + 𝑽𝒃𝟐
or: 𝑽𝒆 =
𝒓 + 𝑹𝑩
𝟐+ 𝝅
𝟏 + 𝜷 𝑹𝒐

𝑣𝑑 𝑣𝑑
 One-sided output: 𝑣𝑏1 = 𝑣𝑐𝑚 + 𝑣𝑏2 = 𝑣𝑐𝑚 − 𝑉𝑜 = 𝑉𝑐1 − 𝑉𝑐2
2 2
𝜷𝑹𝑪 −𝜷𝑹𝑪
𝑨𝒅 = 𝑨𝒄𝒎 =
𝟐 𝒓 𝝅 + 𝑹𝑩 𝒓 𝝅 + 𝑹𝑩 + 𝟐 𝟏 + 𝜷 𝑹𝒐

𝜷𝑹𝑪
 Two-sided output: 𝑨𝒅 = 𝑨𝒄𝒎 = 𝟎
𝒓𝝅 + 𝑹𝑩
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Diffrential Amp – Small Signal Operation

 Two-sided output: Effect of RC mismatch

𝑉𝑜 = 𝑉𝑐1 − 𝑉𝑐2

= −𝑔𝑚 𝑉𝜋2 𝑅𝐶2 + 𝑔𝑚 𝑉𝜋1 𝑅𝐶1

𝑨𝒅 = 𝒈𝒎 𝑹𝑪

𝟏 𝚫𝑹𝑪
𝑨𝒄𝒎 = 𝒈𝒎 𝟐𝚫𝑹𝑪 ≈
𝟐 𝟏 + 𝜷 𝑹𝒐 𝑹𝒐
𝟏+ 𝒓𝝅
 The Common Mode Rejection Ratio (CMRR) is:

𝑨𝒅 𝒈𝒎 𝑹𝒐
𝑪𝑴𝑹𝑹 = =
𝑨𝒄𝒎 𝚫𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝑪

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Operational Amplifiers
 Practical transistor amplifiers consist of a number of stages connected in cascade.
 In addition to providing gain, the first (or input) stage is usually required to:
 Provide a high input resistance.
 In a differential amplifier the input stage must also provide large CMRR.
 The middle stages of an amplifier cascade is to provide the bulk of the voltage gain.
 The middle stages convert the signal from differential mode to single-ended mode.
 The middle stages also shift the DC level of the signal in order to allow the output
signal to swing both positive and negative .
 The last (or output) stage of an amplifier is to provide a low output resistance.
 In order to illustrate the circuit structure an method of analysis, two examples: a CMOS
Op-Amp and a bipolar Op-Amp will be investigated.

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A Bipolar OpAmp

Current Source

Differential Amplifier

Conversion from
differential to single-
ended

Shifting DC level

Emitter Follower (CC)

Amplifier: Voltage
Buffer

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A Bipolar OpAmp – DC Analysis

Example 2:
a. Perform DC Analysis of
the bipolar Op-Amp.
b. Determine the small-
signal voltage gain, input
resistance and output
resistance of the circuit.

Rid = 20.2k

Ro = 152

GV = 8513

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Q&A

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