ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

EXPERIMENT 3: Darlington and Cascode Amplifier Circuits

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 parameters of a Darlington Configuration
b. calculate different standards of a Cascode Amplifier circuits
c. evaluate the precision of the experiment conducted

OBJECTIVE

-To measure DC and AC voltages in Darlington and cascode connection circuits.

EQUIPMENTS

Instruments

Oscilloscope
DMM
Function Generator
DC Supply

Components

Resistors
100-Ω 5.6-kΩ
51-Ω, 1 W 6.8-kΩ
1-kΩ 50-kΩ pot
1.8-kΩ 100-kΩ
4.7-kΩ
 Capacitors

0.001-µF
(4) 10-µF

Transistors

(2) 2N3904, (or equivalent general purpose npn.)

TIP120 (npn Darlington)

RESUME OF THEORY

Darlington Circuit: A Darlington connection (as shown in fig. 23.1) provides a pair of
BJT transistors in a single IC package with effective beta (βD) equal to the product of the
individual transistor betas.

βD= β1 β2

The Darlington emitter-follower has higher input impedance than that of an emitter-
follower. The Darlington emitter-follower input impedance is

Zi=RBII(βDRE)

The output impedance of the Darlington emitter-follower is

Zo=re

The voltage gain of a Darlington emitter-follower circuit is

Av=RE/(RE+re)

Cascode Circuit: A cascode circuit, as shown in fig. 23.2, provides a common-emitter

amplifier using Q1 directly connected to a common-base amplifier using Q2. The voltage
gain of stage Q1 is approximately 1, with the voltage Vo1 being opposite in polarity to that
applied as Vi.

Av1=-1

The voltage gain of stage Q2 is non-inverted and of magnitude

Av2=RC/re2

Resulting in an overall gain

Av=Av1Av2=-RCre2
PROCEDURES
Part 1. Darlington Emitter-Follower Circuit
a. For the circuit of fig. 23.1 calculate the DC bias voltages and currents.

Calculated VB=_______________
Calculated VE=_______________

Calculate the theoretical values of voltage gain, input and output impedance.

Calculated Av=_______________
Calculated Zi=_______________
Calculated Zo=_______________
 b. Construct the Darlington circuit of fig. 23.1. Adjust the 50-kΩ potentiometer (RB)
to provide an emitter voltage, VE=5V. Using a DMM, measure and record the DC
bias values:

Measured VB=_______________
Measured VE=_______________

Calculate the base and emitter DC currents.

Calculated IB=_______________
Calculated IE=_______________

Calculate the values of transistor beta at this Q-point:

Calculated βD=_______________

c. Apply an input signal Vsig=1V, peak at f=10kHz. Using the oscilloscope observe
and record the output voltage to assure that the signal is not clipped or distorted.
(Reduce the input signal amplitude if necessary.)

Measured Vi=_______________
Measured Vo=_______________

Calculate and record the AC voltage gain.

Av=Vo/Vi=_______________

Part 2. Darlington Input and Output Impedance

a. Calculate the input impedance

Calculated Zi=_______________

Calculate the circuit output impedance

Calculated Zo=_______________

b. Connect a measurement resistor. Rx=100-kΩ, in series with Vsig. Measure and

record input voltage, Vi.

Measured Vi=_______________

Calculate the circuit input impedance using

 Zi=(Vi/Vsig+Vi)(Rx)

Calculated Zi=_______________

Remove measurement resistor, Rx.

c. Measure the output voltage Vo with no load connected.

Measured Vo=______________

Connect load resistor, RL=100-Ω. Measure and record resulting output voltage.

Measured Vo=VL=_______________

Calculate the output impedance using

Zo=[(Vo-VL)/VL][RL]

Calculated Zo=_______________

Compare the calculated and measured values of Zi and Zo.

Part 3. Cascode Amplifier

a. Calculate DC bias voltages and currents in the cascode amplifier of fig. 23-2
(assuming base currents are less than the voltage divider current.)

Calculated VB1=_______________
Calculated VE1=_______________
 Calculated VC1=_______________
Calculated VB2=_______________
Calculated VE2=_______________
Calculated VC2=_______________

Calculate the DC bias emitter currents

Calculated IE1=_______________
Calculated IE2=_______________

Calculate the transistor dynamic resistances

Calculated re1=_______________
Calculated re2=_______________

b. Connect the cascode circuit of fig. 23.2. Measure and record DC bias voltages.

Measured VB1=_______________
Measured VE1=_______________
Measured VC1=_______________
Measured VB2=_______________
Measured VE2=_______________
Measured VC2=_______________

Calculate the values of emitter current

IE1=_______________
IE2=_______________

And the values of dynamic resistance

Calculated re1=_______________
Calculated re2=_______________

c. Using eqs. (23.5) and (23.6) calculate the AC voltage gain of each transistor stage:

Calculated Av1=_______________
Calculated Av2=_______________

d. Apply input signal, Vsig=10mV, peak at f=10kHz. Using the oscilloscope observe
the output waveform Vo to make sure that no signal distortion occurs. If the
output is clipped or distorted reduce the input signal until the clipping or
distorting disappears.

Using the DMM measure, record the AC signals.

 Measured Vi=_______________
Measured Vo1=_______________
Measured Vo2=_______________

Calculate the measured voltage gains.

Av1=Vo1/Vi=_______________
Av2=Vo2/Vo1=_______________
Av=Vo2/Vi=_______________

Compare the measured voltage gains with those calculated in step c and d.

e. Using the oscilloscope, observe and record waveforms for the input signal, Vi,
output of stage 1, Vo1, and output of stage 2, Vo2. Show amplitude and phase
relations clearly.