BJT FREQUENCY RESPONSE

Logarithmic Function
• Used in plotting of a variable between wide
limits,
• comparing levels without having to deal with
unwieldy numbers,
• identifying levels of particular importance in
the design, review, and analysis procedures
Properties of Logarithm
 Sample Problem1
• Determine the value of the point appearing in
the logarithmic plot in figure using
measurement made by the ruler.
Decibels and Power Level
 Sample Problem
1. Find the magnitude gain for the
corresponding voltage gain of 100dB
2. The input power to a device is 10,000 W at a
voltage of 1000V. The output power is 500 W
and the output impedance is 20 ohm
a. Find the power gain in decibels
b. Find the voltage gain in decibels
c. Explain why part (a) and (b) agree or disagree
General Frequency Consideration

A larger capacitor of a system A smaller capacitor of a system

will have an important impact
on the response of a system
in the low frequency range
and can be ignored for the
high frequency region
will have an important impact on
the response of a system in the
high-frequency range and can be
ignored for the low-frequency
region.

The effect of the capacitive elements in an amplifier are ignored for the mod
frequency range when important quantities such as the gain and impedance
level are determined
Typical Frequency Response
 The Normalization Process
To determine the fixed frequency boundary with relatively high gain, 0.707Avmid was
chosen to be the gain cut-off levels. The corresponding frequencies are called corner,
cut-off band, breaks or half power frequencies
The Normalization Process
 Sample Problem
1. Given the frequency response in the figure below.
a. Find the cut-off frequencies fL and fH using the
measurement provided.
b. Find the bandwidth response
c. Sketch the normalized response
Solution
 Low Frequency Response
Voltage divider bias Equivalent circuit for low frequency
analysis

At very high frequencies

At very low frequencies

 Low Frequency Response
Using voltage divider rule

At very high frequencies

Solving for the lower critical frequency

Sample Problem
Solution
Lower Frequency Response
Bode Plot for the Low Frequency Region
 Roll-Off of Gain in the Bode Plot
The Bode plot not only
indicates the cutoff
frequencies of the various
capacitors it also indicates
the amount of attenuation
(loss in gain) at these
frequencies.

The amount of attenuation

is sometimes referred to as
roll-off.

The roll-off is described as

dB loss-per-octave or dB
loss-per-decade.
 Roll-off Rate (-dB/Decade)
-dB/decade refers to the
attenuation for every 10-fold
change in frequency.

For attenuations at the low-

frequency end, it refers to
the loss in gain from the
lower cutoff frequency to a
frequency that is one-tenth
the cutoff value.

In this example:

fLS = 9kHz gain is 0dB

fLS/10 = .9kHz gain is –20dB
Thus the roll-off is 20dB/decade
The gain decreases by –20dB/decade
 Sample Problem
For the network below
a. Determine the break frequency
b. Sketch the asymptotes and locate the -3dB point
c. Sketch the frequency response curve.
d. Find the gain at AV(dB)= -6dB
Solution
 BJT Amplifier with RL

At low frequencies,
coupling capacitor (CS,
CC) and bypass
capacitor (CE)
reactances affect the
circuit impedances.
 Coupling Capacitor (CS)
The cutoff frequency due to CS can be calculated by
f Ls 
1 where R i  R 1 || R 2 || βre
2(R s  R i )Cs
 Coupling Capacitor (CC)
The cutoff frequency due to CC can be calculated with
1
f LC 
2π(R o  R L )Cc

where R o  R C || ro
 Bypass Capacitor (CE)
The cutoff frequency due to CE can be calculated with

where R  R || ( R s  r ) and
1
f LE  Rs  R s || R1 || R 2
2πR e C E e E
β
e
BJT Amplifier Low-Frequency Response

The Bode plot indicates

that each capacitor may
have a different cutoff
frequency.

It is the device that has

the highest lower cutoff
frequency (fL) that
dominates the overall
frequency response of the
amplifier.

27
 Sample Problem
Determine the critical frequency of the RC bypass
circuit for the amplifier where re = 12ohm
Solution
 Sample Problem
Determine the cut-off frequencies for the network on figure below
using the following parameters
Solution
Solution
Solution
 Miller Capacitance
Any p-n junction can develop capacitance. In a BJT amplifier,
this capacitance becomes noticeable across:

• The base-collector junction at high frequencies in

common-emitter BJT amplifier configurations

• The gate-drain junction at high frequencies in common-

source FET amplifier configurations.

These capacitances are represented as separate input and output

capacitances, called the Miller Capacitances.
 Miller Input Capacitance (CMi)

CMi  (1  A v )Cf

Note that the amount of

Miller capacitance is
dependent on inter-
electrode capacitance
from input to output (Cf)
and the gain (Av).
 Miller Output Capacitance (CMo)

If the gain (Av) is

considerably greater
than 1, then
CMo  Cf
BJT Amplifier High-Frequency Response
Capacitances that affect the
high-frequency response are

• Junction capacitances
Cbe, Cbc, Cce

• Wiring capacitances
Cwi, Cwo

• Coupling capacitors
CS, CC

• Bypass capacitor
CE
 Input Network (fHi) High-Frequency Cutoff
where R Thi  R s || R 1 || R 2 || R i Ci  CWi  Cbe  CMi
1
f Hi   CWi  Cbe  (1  A v )Cbc
2πR Thi Ci
Output Network (fHo) High-Frequency Cutoff

1
f Ho 
2πR Tho Co

where

R Tho  R C || R L || ro
and
Co  C Wo  Cce  CMo
 Sample Problem
1. Derive the input RC circuit for the BJT amplifier in the
figure below. Also determine the critical frequency.
The transistor’s data sheet provides the following βac
= 125, Cbe=20pF and Cbc = 2. 4 pF
Solution
Solution
 Seatwork
Using the figure, determine the critical
frequency of the amplifier due to its output RC
circuit.
 Gain-Bandwidth Product
• A figure of merit to the amplifiers to indicate
the design process that provides important
relationship between the gain of the amplifier
and expected operating frequency.
• Indicates that the lower end of the amplifier is
called DC gain.
 Sample Problem
Using the figure below with the give parameters:

Determine: (a) FHi and Fho (b) sketch the frequency

response for the high frequency region
Solution