Electronics

Principles & Applications

Sixth Edition

Charles A. Schuler

Chapter 8
Large-Signal Amplifiers

©2003 Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
INTRODUCTION
• Amplifier Class
• Class A
• Class B
• Class AB
• Class C
• Class D
 High efficiency means
HEAT = Pless heat.
IN - POUT

Input signal Output signal

Power
POUT
Amplifier

POUT
Efficiency =
PIN PIN
 Efficiency
• The dc power supplied to an amplifier is
PIN = VCC x IDC
• Efficiency = POUT/PIN x 100%
• The maximum efficiency for Class A
amplifiers with a dc collector resistance
and a separate load resistance is 25%.
• Class A is usually not acceptable when
watts of power are required.
The major classes of amplifier operation
IC IC

A B

t t
IC IC

ISAT

C D
t t
 Class and Efficiency Quiz
If POUT = 100 W and PIN = 200 W, the
efficiency is _________. 50%
The efficiency of an ideal amplifier is
__________. 100%

When efficiency is poor, too much of

the input is converted to ________. heat
An amplifier that conducts for the entire
cycle is operating Class _______. A
An amplifier that conducts for half
the cycle is operating Class _______. B
A large-signal amplifier can also be called a power amplifier.
This class A amplifier has a large quiescent collector current.
VCC 18 V
= = = 15 mA
RB 1.2 k
IC =  x IB = 60 x 15 mA = 0.9 A

RB = 1.2 k RL = 12 
VCC = 18 V
C
= 60
B
CC E
 VCC 18 V
ISAT = = = 1.5 A This is a Class A amplifier.
RL 12 
Q

1.4 25 mA
1.2 20 mA
1.0 mA
IC in A 0.8
0.6 10 mA
0.4 5 mA
0.2
0 mA
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
VCE in Volts
PC = VCE x IC = 7.2 V x 0.9 A = 6.48 W
 This is a Class B amplifier.
Its quiescent power dissipation is zero.

1.4 25 mA
1.2 20 mA
1.0 mA
IC in A 0.8 Q
0.6 10 mA
0.4 5 mA
0.2
0 mA
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
VCE in Volts
PC = VCE x IC = 18 V x 0 A = 0 W
 25 mA

sB
1.4
20 mA

as
1.2

Cl
1.0 mA
0.8
0.6 10 mA
0.4 5 mA
0.2
0 mA
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16

The collector signal

is too distorted for
linear applications.
The complementary-symmetry Class B
push-pull amplifier has acceptable
linearity for some applications.
+VCC

C
NPN
B
E

E
B
PNP
C
 Class B
NPN

PNP
 Since the base-emitter junction potential
is 0.7 V, there is some crossover distortion.

+VCC

C
NPN
B
E

E
B
PNP
C
Crossover distortion is eliminated
by applying some forward bias
to the transistors (class AB).
+VCC

C
NPN
B
E
1.4 V
E
B
PNP
C
The quiescent power dissipation is moderate for class AB.
The efficiency is much better than class A.

1.4
1.2
1.0
Q
IC in A 0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
VCE in Volts
 A bridge-tied load provides four times the output
power for a given supply voltage and load resistance.
Single-ended amplifier Bridge amplifier
+VCC +VCC

Cap. required

Max. = 2 x VCC
+VCC RL
Max. = VCC
2
RL Max.
Max.
 Class A, B, and AB Quiz
Class A amplifiers are biased to operate
near the ________ of the load line. center
Class B amplifiers have their Q-points
at ____________. cutoff

The conduction angle for class B is

_________. 180o
To reduce distortion, two class B transistors
are arranged in _____________. push-pull
Class AB is a solution for __________ crossover
distortion.
 A
1.4
1.2
1.0 AB
0.8 B
0.6
0.4
0.2 C
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
The class of an amplifier
is determined by the bias
which establishes the Q-point.

Class C is established by reverse

biasing the base-emitter junction.
 Conduction Angles
& theoretical max. efficiencies:
• Class A = 360 o
50 %*
• Class B = 180 o
78.5 %
• Class AB  200o (between A & B)
• Class C  90o 100 %

*Class A amplifiers are seldom driven to

maximum output and typically provide much
less efficiency.
 Class C Amplifier
VCC
Tank circuit

C
B The transistor is
CC E off for most of
RB
the input cycle
VBB and the conduction
angle is small.

VBB reverse biases the base-emitter junction.

0.7 V

VBB VBE waveform

Class C amplifier
waveforms
(with tank circuit)

0A IC waveform

VCE waveform

Low VCE when IC is flowing

Class C Amplifier with Signal Bias
VCC

C
B The base-emitter
CC E junction rectifies
RB the input signal
and charges CC.

Signal bias increases when the input

signal increases in amplitude.
 Three transistor operating modes:

IB = 0 IB > 0 IB >> 0

Cutoff Linear Saturation

PC = 0 in both of these modes

 A switch-mode amplifier uses a
rectangular input signal to drive the
transistor rapidly between cutoff and
saturation. The efficiency is very high.

They are also

called Class D
amplifiers. C
B
E
RB
If the switching frequency is a good deal higher
than the signal frequency, a Class D amplifier is
capable of linear amplification. Pulse-width
modulation and a low-pass filter are often used.

PWM Signal

Input Signal
PWM LPF

The low-pass filter rejects

the switching frequency.
 Class C and D Quiz
Class C amplifiers use _______ circuits tank
to restore sinusoidal signals.
The base-emitter junction in a class C
amplifier is ________ biased. reverse

The theoretical maximum efficiency for

class C is ___________. 100%
Class D amplifiers are also known as
__________ amplifiers. switch-mode
Class D amplifiers employ a varying
duty-cycle known as _________. PWM
 REVIEW
• Amplifier Class
• Class A
• Class B
• Class AB
• Class C
• Class D