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Understanding the Amplifier Circuit Diagram

Electronic or electrical amplifiers can be described as circuits which make

use of external power supply or generating output signals which are a

bigger replica of the input.

Audio amplifiers, which can be described as a recognizable application,

are useful for increasing a speaker’s volume to allow the sound to be

heard easily in any large area. Though voltage can be described as the

most common of all amplified input signals, these amplifiers may also be

designed so as to increase the current. Any amplifier which increases the

current drive of an output is referred to as the power amplifier.

Majority of amplifiers perform linear amplification. However, some are

naturally logarithmic. In circuit diagrams, amplifiers are represented with

a triangle. First, let us consider what an amplifier circuit diagram means as

well as its types.

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Table of Contents

What Does Amplifier Circuit Diagrams Mean?

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Amplifier circuit diagrams are made up of one signal pick-up transducer,

which is followed by any small signal amplifier, output transducer, as well

as one large signal amplifier. Initially, the amplifier circuit diagram comes

in two types i.e. power amplifier circuits and voltage amplifier circuits.

Voltage amplifier circuit

The main function of this type of amplifier circuit diagram is to help in

raising the signal’s voltage level. It is specially designed for achieving the

largest gain possible. You can draw extremely little power out of the

output. In order to achieve any high amplification of voltage, then the

requirements below has to be met by your voltage amplifier circuits.

 The transducer features a thin base i.e. beta/high transistors (higher

than 100) is utilized.

 Fairly low impedance compared to the output impedance.

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 The voltage amplifier will always function at a low current of around

1mA, in order to allow high collector loads that are required for a

high gain in voltage.

 Most of the time, the R-C couple is necessary for coupling the

different voltage amplifier circuit stages due to the fact that it is

cheaper when it comes to portability and cost.

Power amplifier circuit

The main function of this type of amplifier circuit diagram is to raise the

input signal’s power level. In order to get a large power for the output,

then there must be a large input-signal voltage. This is why for electronic

systems, voltage amplifier circuits usually precedes the power amplifier

circuits. Also, this is the reason behind power amplifier circuits called the

large-signal amplifier circuits.

The regions found behind power amplifier circuits is referred to as

large-signal amplifier circuits because it has the ability to draw power out

of the DC source, which is connected in the output and then converts it in

an appropriate AC signal or sine wave. Power amplification cannot occur

here because it doesn’t work in line with the physics’ rule. In order to

achieve greater power amplification, then the circuit has to work with the

requirements below

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 For power amplification, there is heat produced in

a transistor during an operation, to ensure large-sized power

transistors are used

 Collector resistance is made low

 Transistors with thick bases not voltage amplifier (beta/smaller) is

useful in handling large currents

 Most times the transformer-couple is useful in impedance

matching.

What are the Important Features of Amplifier Circuits?

An amplifier’s quality may be measured through some specifications

referred to as the figures of merit. Let’s consider them

 Noise: This refers to the additional information that is unwanted,

but included inside the output

 Bandwidth: This is the range of frequency where the amplifier will

be able to function

 Skew rate: This is highest rate of output change

 Linearity: degree of proportionality found in-between the output

and input signals

 Gain: This is the most significant. It is the ratio between the output

and input signals magnitudes

 Stability: Ability to provide reliable and constant output.

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 Output dynamic range: This describes the ratio between the

smallest and largest useful levels of output

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What Amplifier Types are There?

Aside from the main or basic types, amplifiers come in several types. This

is grouped by their characteristics, application or operation. Some of them

include

Power Amplifiers

Though not a type from the technical point of view, the power

amplifiers form a general term which has to do with the quantity of power

provided by your power supply circuits as well as the power that is

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delivered onto the load. This is usually utilized in a circuit’s final output

stages.

Some examples are push-pull amplifiers, servo motor amplifiers, audio

power amplifiers, as well as the RF power amplifier. Once again, we will

be considering how power amplifiers are classified, because they play a

very significant role.

Operational Amplifiers

This is another important type, also known as op-amps. This is an IC which

functions as voltage amplifiers. It also has a differential input.

Furthermore, it features a negative and positive input, as well as one

output with extremely high gain. Initially, the creation of op-amps was

done using valves.

Transistor Amplifiers

This is a popular type of amplifier that is especially designed for

engineering students. It is a well-known amplifier. It is a high output

multi-configuration amplifier which makes use of transistors as its working

base.

Vacuum (or) Valve tube amplifiers

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This type of amplifier makes use of vacuum tubes for providing increased

voltage or power output. As mentioned earlier, op-amps were initially the

valve type; however, the ICs replaced them as soon as they became less

expensive, at least, in the smaller applications. However, for high-power

applications, they are still useful due to their output quality and cost

effectiveness. Also, they are useful in military, radar, high power UHF and

radio transmitter applications.

Klystron

This is a special linear vacuum tube utilized as amplifiers in the high-radio

frequencies. Also, it is very precise and is useful in large-scale operations,

and usually categorized microwave amplifiers.

Distributed Amplifiers

These are amplifiers, which makes use of transmission lines for splitting

the input temporarily as well as amplifying each segment. You can find

them in oscilloscopes.

Instrument Amplifiers

These amplifiers are specially designed for amplifying music, voice, or

sound. It is mainly used in applications for musical instruments.

Different Circuit Currents

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Let’s consider the different circuit currents present in a full

amplifier circuit board diagram.

Base Current

Whenever there is no applied signal on a base circuit, the DC base current

will flow as a result of the biasing current. Whenever the AC signal has

been removed, the AC base current will also flow.

Emitter current

The DC emitter current will flow whenever there is no signal applied.

Collector current

Whenever there is no signal applied, the DC collector IC will flow because

of the biasing current. Whenever an AC signal has been applied, then the

AC collector current flows as well.

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Practical Circuit of the Transistor Amplifier

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The practical circuit of the transistor amplifier represents a specific voltage

divider biasing circuit. The different prominent elements of a circuit as well

as their function can be described below.

Input Capacitor

The capacitor helps in the coupling of an input signal to the transistor’s

base. Input capacitor permits an AC signal, but helps in isolating a source

of signal. When the capacitor isn’t present, then the input signal will

become applied directly, thereby changing the bias.

Biasing Circuit

Resistors RE, R2, and R1 form the stabilization and biasing circuit. This aids

in establishing the right point of operation.

Emitter by-pass capacitors

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You can employ the capacitor in the parallel form into your

emitter resistor. Thee

Coupling Capacitor

This capacitor is usually seen at the final periods of one stage and then

connects it onto the second stage. Because it helps in the coupling of two

stages, you can call it a coupling capacitor. The capacitor will block the DC

of one of the stages and make it enter the second but permits the passing

of the AC. This is why it is referred to as the blocking capacitor.

Because of the coupling capacitor, the output that forms across the

resistor is completely free from the DC voltage of the collector. When you

don’t find this, the next phase’ bias conditions would be changed

drastically as a result of the RC’s shunting effect because it would come in

a parallel form to the following stage.

Load Resistor

The resistance that is connected at its output is referred to as the load

resistor. Whenever a number of phases are utilized, then the RL

represents the next stage’s input resistance.

Conclusion

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By now, you should understand what the amplifier circuit board diagram

is and how it works. Almost all the electronic equipment out there has to

include some amplifying means for the signals. The application of the

amplifier circuit board diagram can be seen in scientific

equipment, medical devices, military tools, automation, communication

devices, as well as household equipment. Aside from the main or basic

types, amplifiers come in several types. This is grouped by their

characteristics, application or operation.

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