Output Stages and Power: Amplifiers

Output Stages and Power
Amplifiers
from Microelectronic Circuits Text

by Sedra and Smith
Oxford Publishing
https://www.slideshare.net/sarahkrystelle/power-
amplifiers-11169136?next_slideshow=1
Oxford University Publishing
Microelectronic Circuits by Adel S. Sedra and Kenneth C. Smith (0195323033)
Introduction
 A multistage amplifier may be required to deliver a large amount of

power to a passive load.
 This power may be in the form of a large current delivered to a

relatively small load resistance such as an audio speaker, or
 may be in the form of a large voltage delivered to a relatively large

load resistance such as in a switching power supply.
Introduction
 Power amplifier (or the output stage) is the final stage of any
practical amplifier.
 This stage deals with relatively large signal Levels
 The small-signal approximation and models are not generally

applicable for these amplifiers.
 Power amplifiers are designed for unity voltage gain and large
current gain resulting in large power gain
Introduction
 Because of the large signal currents at the output side, power

amplifiers must have very low output resistances
 Efficiency is another important design parameter of a power amplifier,

which depends on the amount of power dissipated in the output-stage
transistors.
 Lower efficiency would lead to higher power dissipation in the output

stage transistors
.
TERMS USED IN POWER AMPLIFIER:-
 DISTORTION:-
 Characteristics of power transistor is very non-linear.
Due to this non-linearity the wave shape of output
signal becomes different from waveform of input
signal.
 Distortion is defined as the change of output wave
shape from the input wave shape of the amplifier.
POWER DISSIPATION CAPACITY
(COLLECTOR DISSIPATION):-
 To keep the temperature within limit the transistor

must dissipate this heat to its surroundings. For this
Heat Sink is attached.
 The ability of transistor to dissipate heat developed
in it is called as power dissipation capacity.
Power BJTs
 Power transistors are large-area devices

Comparison of the characteristics and maximum ratings
Power MOSFETs
 Power MOSFETs differ from power BJTs transistors
 in operating principles
 performance.
 The superior performance characteristics of power MOSFETs
are:
 faster switching times,
 no second breakdown,
 stable gain and response time over a wide temperature range
Heat sinks
 Power dissipated in a transistor increases its internal temperature

above the ambient temperature
 If the device junction temperature T becomes too high,

j
transistor may suffer permanent damage.

CLASSIFICATION OF POWER
AMPLIFIER:-
Power amplifier
Primary According to mode of Based on driving output

class operation
according to Single ended P.A.
freq.) Class A
Audio amp. Double ended P.A.
Class B Push-Pull P.A.
Class AB Complementary &
Symmetry Push
Radio amp. Class C Pull P.A.
Quasi Symmetry
Class D
Push Pull PA
 Classification of Power Amplifiers
 Power amplifiers are classified on the basis of the collector current

waveform (in response to the input signal applied).
 Input signal assumed to be sinusoidal

Collector current waveforms for
Classification of transistors operating in (a) class A, (b)
Output Stages class B, (c) class AB, and (d) class C
amplifier stages.
 Output stages are

classified according
to collector current
waveform that
results when input
signal is applied.

 In class-A operation, an output transistor is biased at a quiescent
current and conducts for the entire cycle of the input signal.
 For class-B, an output transistor conducts for only one-half of each

sine wave input cycle.
 In class-AB operation, an output transistor is biased at a small

quiescent current and conducts for slightly more than half a cycle.
 In class-C operation an output transistor conducts for less than half

a cycle
 These four types of power amplifiers use the output
transistors as a current source.
 Another classification of power amplifiers, including class D,

class E, and class F, uses the output transistors as switches
Efficiency

Class A power amplifier
 The signals in the range of volts

 Power transistor capable of operating in the range of a few to tens of
watts.
 The beta of a power transistor is generally less than 100
Reference: Electronic Devices and Circuits Theory – Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky, 2006, chaper 12.
DC Bias Operation
 The dc bias set by VCC and RB fixes the dc base-bias current at
with the collector current then being
with the collector–emitter voltage then
Reference: Electronic Devices and Circuits Theory – Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky, 2006, chaper 12.
 An ac load line is drawn using the values of VCC and RC. The intersection of
the dc bias value of IB with the dc load line then determines the operating
point (Q-point) for the circuit.
AC Operation:
 When an input ac signal is applied to the amplifier the output will vary
from its dc bias operating voltage and current.
 Limiting condition:
Current : 0mA (low) to VCC/RC (high)
Voltage: 0 V (low) or VCC (high).
Calculate the input and output power for the circuit of Fig. The input results in a
base current of 5 mA rms and find the input power dissipated by the circuit. If R B is
changed to 1.5kΩ.

Calculate the input and output power for the circuit of Fig. The input results in a base
current of 5 mA rms and find the input power dissipated by the circuit. If R B is changed
to 1.5kΩ.
output power 2.6W

input power 10.12W
Efficiency = 25.7%
Power dissipation = 7.52
If RB= 1.5 k
New input power = Vcc Ic/2=
4152mW
IB = 11.5mA
Ic = 460mA

Class B power amplifier

Class B

 `

Reducing Crossover Distortion
 Crossover distortion of class B output stage may be

reduced substantially:
 Employing High-gain Op-amp
 Overall Negative Feedback
 0.7V deadband is reduced to 0.7/A0.
 Slew-rate limitation of op-amp will cause alternate
turning on and off of output transistors to be noticeable
 More practical solution is class AB stage.
Class AB Output Power Amplifier

 Determine the quiescent collector current, input power, output
power and maximum efficiency of the circuit shown in Fig



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Output Stages and Power

from Microelectronic Circuits Text

 A multistage amplifier may be required to deliver a large amount of

 This power may be in the form of a large current delivered to a

 may be in the form of a large voltage delivered to a relatively large

 This stage deals with relatively large signal Levels

 The small-signal approximation and models are not generally

 Because of the large signal currents at the output side, power

 Efficiency is another important design parameter of a power amplifier,

 Lower efficiency would lead to higher power dissipation in the output

 To keep the temperature within limit the transistor

 Power transistors are large-area devices

 Power dissipated in a transistor increases its internal temperature

 If the device junction temperature T becomes too high,

transistor may suffer permanent damage.

Primary According to mode of Based on driving output

 Power amplifiers are classified on the basis of the collector current

 Input signal assumed to be sinusoidal

 Output stages are

Oxford University Publishing

 For class-B, an output transistor conducts for only one-half of each

 In class-AB operation, an output transistor is biased at a small

 In class-C operation an output transistor conducts for less than half

 Another classification of power amplifiers, including class D,

Oxford University Publishing

 The signals in the range of volts

with the collector current then being

with the collector–emitter voltage then

Oxford University Publishing

output power 2.6W

Oxford University Publishing

Oxford University Publishing

Oxford University Publishing

Oxford University Publishing

 Crossover distortion of class B output stage may be

Oxford University Publishing

Oxford University Publishing

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