Cascode Amplifier Design: Napier University

Cascode Amplifier Design:

This sheet describes a Cascode Amplifier with calculation and graphs. The Cascode
amplifier is typical used in circuit there need a high gain, its can be a high frequency
amplifier or a audio amplifier.

Requirement:
Task 1:
Design a Cascode amplifier stage using bipolar transistors to drive a load resistance of
100 Ω. The amplifier output is to be a time varying signal of +/-600mV. The overall
performance of the amplifier is specified as:

• Operation Current for collectors in transistor T1 and T2 are set to 1.2mA

• Overall gain -30 v/v (29,54dB)
• VCC 15V DC
• Input signal 20mVolt pike
• Load resistor of 100 Ω

Task 2:
Modify the Cascode amplifier to a Tuned Amplifier, with a frequency of 470 KHz
and a Band width of 20 KHz.

Description of Cascode:
The basic Cascode amplifier consists of a Common-Emitter (CE) configuration, with
a extra transistor connected between collector on transistor 1 and collector resistor
(RC) and there are insert a extra resistor in the basis network. See the diagram in
figure 1.

V1 R1 RC
Q3
C3 Vout
Q2
C2
R2
C1 R4 R5
RG
Q1
+

VG1

R3 RE1

RE2 CE

Figure 1 – Diagram over Cascode amplifier.

Benjamin Grydehoej – Napier no.: 04007714 – Electronic & Computer Engineering

-1-
Cascode Amplifier Design: Napier University

Calculation of the resistor value with DC:

The are Choose value for URC = 7.5V, URE = 1V
Transistor Data for a BC549B: HFE = 486;

Calculation of RC:
U 7.5V
RC = RC ⇒ = 6.25KΩ ≈ 6.2 KΩ E 24
IC 1.2mA

Calculation of RE:
U 1V
RE = RE = = 833.3Ω ≈ 820Ω E12
IC 1.2mA
Calculation of voltage Basis on Q1:
U Q1B = U RE + U Q1BE = 1V + 0.7V = 1.7Volt
Calculation of IQ1B:
I 1.2mA
IB = C ⇒ = 2.469µA
HFE 486
Calculation of on current plus 10% an IB:
IB ⋅ 100 2.469 µA ⋅ 100
I B _ on = ⇒ = 24.69 µA
10 10
Calculation of R3, R2 & R1 for basis current and voltage:
U 1.7V
R3 = R1 ⇒ = 68.85 KΩ ≈ 68 KΩ E12
I B _ on 24.69 µA

U R2 ((VCC − U RC ) + U BE ) − U Q1 B ((15V − 7.5V ) + 0.7V ) − 1.7V

R2 = ⇒ ⇒ = 264 KΩ ≈ 222 KΩ E12
I B _ on I B _ on 24.69µA

U R1 VCC − (VCC − U RC ) + U BE ) 15V − ((15V − 7.5V ) + 0.7V )

R1 = ⇒ ⇒ = 275KΩ ≈ 270 KΩ E12
I B _ on I B _ on 24.69µA

Circuit with ideal component value:

Figure 2 – Measurement a DC voltage in Tina

Benjamin Grydehoej – Napier no.: 04007714 – Electronic & Computer Engineering

-2-
Cascode Amplifier Design: Napier University

Calculation of AC condition:
Calculation on re:

1 1
re = ⇒ = 20.83Ω
40 ⋅ IE 40 ⋅ 1.2mA

Calculation on RE1 and RE2:

R 6.25KΩ
RE1 = C − re ⇒ − 20.83Ω = 187.5Ω
AV 30
RE 2 = RE − RE1 ⇒ 833Ω − 187.5Ω = 645.5KΩ

V1 15V R1275k RC 6,25k

Vout

T1 BC549B
C1 10uF

R2264k
RG50 C210uF
T2 BC549B
+

VG1

R369k RE1 187,5

RE2 645 C310uF

Figure 3 – Diagram with AC condition:

Figure 4 – Oscilloscope picture of gain for the circuit.

The gain is measurement to 554mVpp, but this circuit have no load and then well pull
the signal to a lower one, so this gain is okay. Before the buffer circuit is added.

Benjamin Grydehoej – Napier no.: 04007714 – Electronic & Computer Engineering

-3-
Cascode Amplifier Design: Napier University

Calculation on Buffer circuit:

Calculation of the buffer circuit, with a load resistor on 100 Ω:

R4 is choose to 100KΩ

U RC 7.5V
RC ' = ⇒ = 6.25KΩ
IC 1.2mA

RC '⋅R4 6.25KΩ ⋅ 100 KΩ

new _ RC = ⇒ = 6.667 KΩ
R4 − RC ' 100 KΩ − 6.25KΩ
Control calculation:
RC ' = R4 // new _ RC ⇒ 100 KΩ // 6.667 KΩ = 6.25KΩ

Calculation of RL’
RL ' = RC ' // RL ⇒ 5.25 KΩ // 100Ω = 98.4Ω

RL ' 98Ω
new _ RE1 = − re ⇒ − 20.83Ω = 17.55Ω
AV 30

V1 15 R1276k RC 6,67k
Q3BC549B
C310u Vout
Q2BC549B
C210u
R2264k
C110u R4100k R5100
RG50
Q1BC549B
+

VG1

R369k RE1 17

RE2 645 CE 100u

Figure 5 – Cascode amplifier with buffer.

Benjamin Grydehoej – Napier no.: 04007714 – Electronic & Computer Engineering

-4-
Cascode Amplifier Design: Napier University

Figure 6 – Gain for the Cascode Amplifier with buffer circuit:

The gain is showed on figure 6, and this elucidate at the gain is 600mVpp.

Figure 7 - Frequency characterize for the Cascode circuit.

Benjamin Grydehoej – Napier no.: 04007714 – Electronic & Computer Engineering

-5-
Cascode Amplifier Design: Napier University

Calculation on Tuned Amplifier:

The are used the same circuit for the Tuned Amplifier, the are just change a resistor
RC to a coil L1 and a capacitor C5 call a oscillatory circuit.

L is chosen to 1mH:

Calculation of Q:
ωL f 470 KHz
Q= ⇒ C ⇒ = 23.5
RS BW 20 KHz

2π ⋅ f ⋅ L 2π ⋅ 470 KHz ⋅ 1mH

RS = ⇒ = 125.7Ω
Q 23.5

RP = RS ⋅ (1 + QL2 ) ⇒ 125.7Ω ⋅ (1 + 23.5 2 ) = 69.5KΩ

Q 23.5
C= ⇒ = 114.5 pF ≈ 100 pFE 6
2π ⋅ f C ⋅ RP 2π ⋅ 470 KHz ⋅ 69.5KΩ

L11mH

C5 100pF
V1 15V R1 270k
T3 BC549B
C4 10uF Vout
T1 BC549B
C1 10uF

R2 222k
C2 10uF R4 100k R5 100
RG50
T2 BC549B
+

VG1

R3 68k RE118

RE2560 C3 100uF

Figure 8 – Diagram for Tuned Amplifier:

This circuit is the same as Cascode amplifier, but they are adding an oscillatory. To
make a frequency on 470 KHz, with a bandwidth on 20 KHz. See the graph on next
page for this circuit.

Benjamin Grydehoej – Napier no.: 04007714 – Electronic & Computer Engineering

-6-
Cascode Amplifier Design: Napier University

Figure 9 - Frequency characterize for the Tuned circuit.

This graph view the frequency characterize for the Tuned amplifier, with a bandwidth
on 20 KHz and a frequency on 467.5 KHz, because the component is chosen to non
ideal components from the E12 series.

Benjamin Grydehoej – Napier no.: 04007714 – Electronic & Computer Engineering

-7-