Comparison of the Different Amplifier

Classes

●​ Because of the cut-off biasing, the

quiescent current is zero when there is no
input signal, therefore no power is
dissipated or wasted when the
CLASS A Amplifier transistors are in the quiescent
●​ For Class A amplifier operation the condition, increasing the overall efficiency
switching transistors Q-point is located near of a Class B amplifier with respect to Class
to the center of the output characteristic A.
load line of the transistor and within the ●​ However, as the Class B amplifier is biased
linear region. This allows the transistor to so that the output current flows through
conduct for the complete 360 degrees so each transistor for only half of the input
the output signal varies over the full cycle, the output waveform is therefore not
cycle of the input signal. an exact replica of the input waveform since
the output signal is distorted. This distortion
occurs at every zero-crossing of the input
signal producing what is generally called
cross-over distortion as the two transistors
switch “ON” between themselves.
●​ This distortion problem can be easily
overcome by locating the biasing point of
the transistor slightly above cut-off. By
biasing the transistor slightly above its
●​ The main advantage of Class A is that the
cut-off point but much below the center
output signal will always be an exact
Q-point of the class A amplifier, we can
reproduction of the input signal reducing
create a Class AB amplifier circuit. The
distortion. However it suffers from poor
basic purpose of a Class AB amplifier is to
efficiency, because to bias the transistor in
preserve the basic Class B configuration
the center of the load line there must always
while at the same time improving its
be a suitable DC quiescent current flowing
linearity by biasing each switching
through the switching transistor even if there
transistor slightly above threshold.
is no input signal to amplify.

CLASS AB Amplifier Summary

CLASS B Amplifier
●​ Class AB amplifier is biased so that output
●​ For Class B amplifier operation, two
current flows for less than one full-cycle
complimentary switching transistors are
of the input waveform but more than a
used with the Q-point (that is its biasing
half cycle. The implementation of Class AB
point) of each transistor located at its
amplifiers is very similar to the standard
cut-off point.
Class B configurations in that it uses two
●​ This allows for one transistor to amplify
switching transistors as part of a
the signal over one half of the input
complementary output stage with each
waveform, while the other transistor
transistor conducting on opposite
amplifies the other half. These two
half-cycles of the input waveform before
amplified halves are then combined
being combined at the load.
together at the load to produce one full
●​ Thus by allowing both switching transistors
waveform cycle. This NPN-PNP
to conduct current at the same time for a
complimentary pair is also known as a
very short period, the output waveform
push-pull configuration.
during the zero crossover period can be
substantially smoothed reducing the
crossover distortion associated with the
Class B amplifier design. Then the

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 conduction angle is greater than 180
degrees but much smaller than 360
degrees.
●​ We have also seen that a Class AB
amplifier configuration is more efficient
than a Class A amplifier but slightly less ●​ Notice that VBB forward biases the
efficient than that of a Class B because of emitter-base junction and dc current flows
the small quiescent current needed to bias through the circuit at all times
the transistors just above cut-off. However, ●​ The class of the amplifier is determined by
the use of incorrect biasing can cause VBB with respect to the input signal.
crossover distortion spikes producing a ●​ Signal that adds to VBB causes transistor
current to increase
worse condition.
●​ Signal that subtracts from VBB causes
●​ Having said that, Class AB amplifiers are transistor current to decrease
one of the most preferred audio power
amplifier designs due to their combination Details
of reasonably good efficiency and ●​ At positive peak of input, VBB is adding to
high-quality output as they have low the input
crossover distortion and a high linearity ●​ Resistance in the transistor is reduced
●​ Current in the circuit increases
similar to the Class A amplifier design.
●​ Larger current means more voltage drop
across Rc (VRC= IRc)
CLASS C Power Amplifier ●​ Larger voltage drop across Rc leaves less
voltage to be dropped across the transistor
●​ When the collector current flows for less
●​ We take the output Vcg - as input increases,
than half cycle of the input signal, the VCE decreases.
power amplifier is known as class C
power amplifier. More details
●​ The efficiency of class C amplifier is high ●​ As the input goes to the negative peak
while linearity is poor. The conduction ○​ Transistor resistance increases
angle for class C is less than 180 degrees. ○​ Less current flows
○​ Less voltage is dropped across Rc
It is generally around 90 degrees, which
○​ More voltage can be dropped across
means the transistor remains idle for more C-E
than half of the input signal. So, the output ●​ The result is a phase reversal
current will be delivered for less time o​ Feature of the common emitter
compared to the application of input signal. amplifier
●​ The following figure shows the operating ●​ The closer VBB is to Vcc, the larger the
point and output of a class C amplifier. transistor current.

PNP Common Emitter Amplifier

NPN Common Base Transistor Amplifier

●​ This kind of biasing gives a much improved

efficiency of around 80% to the amplifier,
but introduces heavy distortion in the output
signal. Using the class C amplifier, the
pulses produced at its output can be ●​ Signal that adds to VBB causes
converted to complete sine wave of a transistor current to increase
particular frequency by using LC circuits in ●​ Signal that subtracts from VBB causes
its collector circuit. transistor current to decrease
●​ At positive peak of input, VBB is adding to
the input
Common Emitter Transistor Amplifier ●​ Resistance in the transistor is reduced

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●​ Current in the circuit increases ●​ 1941: First patent for vacuum tube
●​ Larger current means more voltage drop Op-Amp
across Rc (VRC = IRc) ●​ 1953: First commecial Op-Amp available
●​ Collector current increases
●​ 1961: First discrete IC Op-Amps
●​ No phase reversal.
●​ 1965: First commecially successful
Monolithic Op-Amps
PNP Common Base Amplifier ●​ 1967: Present: Last design of modern IC
Op-Amps

OPERATIONAL AMPLIFIER
●​ Operational amplifiers also known as
OpAmps are integrated circuit,
NPN Common Collector Transistor Amplifier
constructed mostly out of transistors,
resistors, capacitors and diodes. These
integrated circuits multiply an input signal
to a larger output. You can use these
components with voltage and current in both
DC and AC circuits.
●​ Also called an Emitter Follower circuit
●​ An operational amplifier has two input pins
○​ output on emitter is almost a
replica of the input and one output pin. Its basic role is to
●​ Input is across the C-B junction amplify and output the voltage difference
○​ this is reversed biased and the between the two input pins.
impedance is high
●​ Output is across the B-E junction
○​ this is forward biased and the
impedance is low.
●​ Current gain is high but voltage gain is
low. 741 Op-Amp

PNP Common Collector Transistor Amplifier

Enables substantial amplification of an input

signal
Gain Factors ●​ When an operational amplifier is combined
with an amplification circuit, it can amplify
weak signals to strong signals. It
behaves like a megaphone where the input
signal is a person’s voice and the
megaphone is the operational amplifier
circuit. For example, such a circuit can be
used to amplify minute sensor signals.
Processing of sensor signals can be further
improved by inputting the amplified signal to
a microcontroller* unit (MCU).
OPERATIONAL AMPLIFIER
Enables elimination of noise from an input
Who was the inventor? signal
●​ Karl Dale Swartzel Jr. (June 19, 1907 – ●​ By operating as a filter of input signals, the
April 23, 1998) was the inventor of the operational amplifier circuit is able to
operational amplifier (or 'opamp'). He filed extract the signal with the target
the patent for the 'summing amplifier' in frequency. For example, when an
1941 when working at Bell Labs operational amplifier circuit is used for voice
recognition or in a voice recorder, it can
Brief History of Op-Amp extract frequencies close to the targeted

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 sound while shutting out all other
frequencies as noise.

Output Saturation
●​ Naturally, an op-amp can only output
voltages contained within the range of its
power supply. When the output voltage
implied by the circuit would exceed the
possible range, the op-amp is said to
saturate, and it just outputs its maximum
or minimum possible voltage instead.
●​ We often call the supply voltages the rails.
When op-amp output saturation causes
the signal to be cut off close to the rails,
we say that the signal is clipped.

●​