CLASS-A POWER

AMPLIFIER

 A simple series fed class A amplifier with

resistive load Rc
Transistor used is power transistor
For analysis purpose we assume the static
o/p characteristic curve to be equidistance
for equal increments of i/p signal
I/p signal- sinusoidal
O/p current and voltage will be sinusoidal

 Waveforms representing class-A operation

Under ideal condition power o/p is

P= Vc Ic =Ic2 Rc
Where Vc & Ic -RMS values of o/p Voltage & o/p
current

 Graphical repr. Of class-A amplifier is given here

Ic or ICQQuas. Load ct
For AC o/p
Volt & o/p ct
swings shown
In Fig.
We can write
Vmin = Minimum instantaneous value of
collector(o/p) voltage
Vmax = Maximum instantaneous value of
collector(o/p) voltage

 VPP= Peak to peak value of ac o/p volt

across load
VPP= Vmax Vmin
Now Vm = Amplitude of ac o/p voltage
as shown in the above Fig.
Vm= VPP/2=Vmax-Vmin/2
Similarly we can write for o/p current
Imax= Max. instantaneous value of
collector(o/p) current
Imin= Minimum instantaneous value of
collector(o/p) current

 Im = Amplitude of ac o/p current as shown in

the above Fig.
Im= IPP/2= Imax-Imin/2
Hence RMS value of ac volt &current can be
obtained as
Vrms= Vm/2
Irms= Im/2
Hence we can write Vrms= Irms Rc
That is Vm= Im Rc

 Thus ac power delivered by the amplifier to the

load can be expressed by using rms maximum
value and peak to peak values of o/p volt and
current
Using RMS values
Pac= Vrms Irms= I2rms Rc = V2rms / Rc
Using Peak values
Pac= Vrms Irms= (Vm/2) (Im/2) = Vm Im/ 2
= I2m Rc/ 2 = V2m/ 2 Rc

 Using peak to peak values

Pac= Vm Im/ 2
= [(Vpp/2)(Ipp/2)/2]
= Vpp Ipp/8
= I2pp Rc/8
= V2pp/ 8 Rc
In terms of Max & Min values
Pac= [(Vmax- Vmin)(Imax-Imin)]/8

Conversion efficiency
= [signal power delivered to load/ DC power
supplied to o/p ckt] x100%
= [(Vm/2) (Im/2) / Vcc Ic] x100%
= 50 Vm Im/ Vcc Ic

For ideal conditions we assume that characteristic

curve is linear
Equal increment in i/p results equal increment in o/p
For such conditions Im= Ic and Vm= Vmax-Vmin/2

 = 50 (Vmax-Vmin/2) (Ic) /(Vcc Ic)

50 (Vmax-Vmin/2) (Ic) /(Vcc Ic)
= 25 Vmax-Vmin/Vcc
In series fed class-A amplifier
Vcc = Vmax and Vmax >> Vmin
= 25 (Vmax-Vmin/ Vmax)
= 25 %

Harmonic distortion
We assumed that in amplifier, Tr is
working in linear region
If not like that, Tr is working in
nonlinear region, o/p signal is not
same as that of i/p signal, they differ
This is called HARMONIC
DISTORTION
That is new frequencies or harmonics
present

 So o/p contains 2nd , 3rd harmonics along

with the fundamental freq

If we assume that i/p is Vi= V sint
o/p signal can be mathematically repr by

io=Io+ I1 sint+ I2 sin2t+ I3 sin3t+..

Io DC component,
I1 peak value of 1st harmonic(fundamental)
I2 peak value of 2nd harmonic

 Then harmonic distortion of each component

is defined as
D2= I2/I1
D3= I3/I1 and so on
When distortion occurs, o/p power due to
fundamental comp. of distorted signal
P1= I12 Rc/ 2
Total power
PT= (I12 + I22 + I32 + ) Rc/2
= (1+ D22+ D32+) P1

 Then total distortion or total harmonic

distortion is defined as
D= D22+ D32+D42+
PT= (1 + D2 ) P1
If distortion is 10% then
PT= (1 + (0.1)2 ) P1
PT= 1.01 P1
This shows that given power to load is
increased from 1 to 1.01 ie increased by 1%

Advantages and
disadvantages
Advantages
Circuit is simple
Load is directly connected to collector so o/p
transformer is not necessary
Less no of components are required
Disadvantages
Load resistance is directly coupled to
collector this causes considerable wastage of
DC power loss
Power dissipation is more
o/p impedance is high
is very poor due to large power dissipation

Transformer coupled class-A

power amplifier
Transformer is placed in o/p to
deliver power to load
Permits impedance matching and dc
power loss small because of small
resistance of transformer primary
winding

Transformer Impedance matching

N1(N2), V1(V2), I1(I2) number of turns.
Voltages and currents respectively in
primary(secondary) coil of transformer
We know that V1/V2=N1/N2

&

I1/I2=N2/N1
V1= V2 ( N1/N2) &

I1=(N2/N1

) I2
Hence V1/I1 = ( N1/N2)2 (V2/ I2)

 Let reflected load or Effective load on

primary side RL & O/P load resistance
or effective o/p resistance RL
RL repr- V1/I1 & RL repr- V2/I2
Therefore RL= (N1/N2)2 RL = n2 RL
Where n- turns ratio
= No of turns in primary/no of turn
in secondary
By adjusting n properly it can be possible
to match the source and load impedances

 DC & AC load lines are shown here

These load lines are drawn for ideal
conditions
ie by assuming DC resistance of
primary winding to be ZERO

 DC load line is vertical at VCC with infinite

slope
While the slope of AC load line is
-1/RL(reflected resistance) of primary windings
The intersection of AC &DC load line gives Qpt of Amplifier

 Transformer is an inductive circuit

element
Due to counter EMF effect of
transformer (Lenzs law) the current
ic collapses, a voltage is induced in
the primary in direction aid to supply
voltage
So Vcc becomes 2 Vcc & o/p signal

 Collector efficiency = Pac/ PDC x100

= [(Vmax- Vmin)(Imax-Imin)]/8 Vcc Ic
Vmax=2 Vcc Vmin=0
Imax=2 Ic
Imin= 0
= (2 Vcc-0) (2 Ic-0)/ 8 Vcc Ic x100
= 4 Vcc Ic / 8 Vcc Ic x100
= 50%
= 50%

Advantages and
Advantages
disadvantages
is higher than direct coupled amplifier
Impedance matching is possible
Disadvantages
Due to transformer ckt becomes bulkier and
costlier
Ckt implementation is complicated compared
to direct coupled

Class-B Amplifier
Device is operated at cut off region
So o/p current flows only for one half cycle
of i/p signal
ie conduction angle is 1800
Here collector current flows only in one half
cycle
To get full cycle across load a pair of
transistor is used

 Two trs conduct in alternate half cycles of I/P

signal
Depending upon the types of trs. whether n-p-n
or p-n-p, there are two configurations of Class-B
1. When both trs. are n-p-n or p-n-p, then ckt is called
PUSH PULL class-B
2. When two trs are of complementary pair ie,

one n-p-n and other p-n-p Complementary

symmetry class-B

Complementary symmetry classB amplifier

It consists of complementary pair(one n-p-n+ one
p-n-p)
Connected in
such a way
that both trs. cannot
conduct
simultaneously

 Vi- 0v, both trs are cut off & Vo= 0V

If Vi goes +ve & exceeds 0.5v(cut in
V), QN conducts and operates as
emitter follower
O/P volt. Vo follows i/p Vi
(Vo=ViVBEN)
QN supplies load current, QP cut off
If Vi goes -ve & more than 0.5v, QP
turns ON, acts as emitter follower,
again Vo follows Vi (Vo= Vi + VEBP)

 As a conclusion, Tr. in class-B are biased

at zero current ie near cut off and
conduct only when i/p is present
The ckt operates in push-pull mode
That is QN pushes source current to load when
Vi is +ve
QP pulls(sinks) the current from load when Vi
is
-ve

 Transfer characteristic curve of class

B
There exists a range of VI centered
around zero where both Trs are cut
off & Vo is zero- DEAD BAND
Dead band
results in
Cross over
distortion

Cross over distortion

There is a period between the
crossing of the half cycles of i/p
signals for which none of the
transistor is active and o/p is zero

 Hence the nature of o/p signal is not

same as that of i/p signal
Such a distorted o/p waveform due to
cut in voltage is shown in Fig.
This is called cross over distortion
Due to cross over distortion each
transistor conducts for less than a
half cycle rather than complete
cycle
Such distortion gives an unpleasant
sound in audio power amplifier

Collector efficiency
I/P DC power PDC= Vcc Idc
For half sine wave

PDC= 2 Vcc Im/

2- 2trs are used
AC o/p power
Pac= Vm Im/2
= Im/2(Vcc- Vmin)

 = PAC/PDC x100%

= {[Im/2(Vcc- Vmin)]/ [2 Vcc Im/ ]}

x100%
{[Im/2(Vcc- Vmin)]/ [2 Vcc Im/ ]}
x100%
= /4 (Vcc-Vmin/Vcc) x100%
Vcc >> Vmin & 1-Vmin/Vcc
= /4 x100% =78.5%

Class AB amplifier
Cross over distortion can be eliminated by
biasing transistors at a small non
zero current
This results class AB amplifier
A bias vol. VBB is
applied between the
bases of QN & QP
Giving rise to
Bias current IQ

 For Vi=0, Vo= 0 & a voltage of VBB/2

appears across the base-emitter jn.
Of each QN & QP.
Assuming both devices are matched,
iN=iP= IQ= Is e VBB/2VT
The value of VBB is selected to yield
the reqd. Ques. Current IQ

Biasing the Class-AB

amplifier
There are two approaches for

generating volt. VBB reqd. for biasing

Class-AB amplifier
Biasing using diodes
Biasing using the VBE multiplier

Biasing using diodes

Biasing volt. Is generated by passing a
constant current IBias thro a pair of
diodes D1&D2
Ques. Current is established in QN&QP
will be
IQ= n IBias
where n-ratio of
emitter jn. Area of
o/p devices to the jn.

Biasing using VBE multiplier

It is an alternate arrangement for
diodes
Provides more flexibility in both
discrete & integrated designs
Consists of Tr.Q1 with a resistor R1
placed between base and emitter

 And a feedback resistor R2 connected

between collector & base

 The resulting two terminal n/w is fed with

constant current source Ibias
If we neglect base ct. of Q1
Then R1&R2 will carry same ct. IR which is
given by
IR = VBE1/ R1
Then voltage drop across bias n/w
VBB= IR(R1+R2)
= VBE1(R1+R2)/ R1= VBE1(1+R2/ R1)

 So the ckt. will simply multiplies VBE1

by the factor (1+R2/ R1)
And it is known as VBE multiplier
Multiplication factor is under designer
control
It can be changed according to the
requirement of IQ

Class-C amplifier
Class-A amplifier is biased at linear active
region to produce o/p with minimum
distortion
Due to biasing arrangement the Tr. remains
ON even for No I/P signal
This results poor efficiency
To improve efficiency, Class-C amplifier is
used

 Tr. is biased such that it remains OFF

for NO SIGNAL conditions
And operates in the saturation
region when an I/P signal is present
When Tr. Is OFF, the current thro it
is very small and hence Tr. dissipates
negligible power

 Similarly when the Tr. Operates in

saturation region the voltage across it is
very small, again power dissipation is very
small
Therefore in class-C amplifier as the Tr.
dissipates less power, its efficiency is
higher than that of Class-A amplifier
However Class-C amp. is highly non-linear
and produces distorted o/p

 This can be overcome by connecting

low pass filter at the o/p
LPF blocks all the high-freq
harmonics and passes only signal
freq to the load

 When i/p is +ve, & above cut-in volt of

Tr. the Tr. Operates in saturation region
During this period, the o/p volt is equal
to the saturation volt
Fig shows i/p &o/p
Waveforms of class-c

 Remains constant as long as the I/P

signal is above cut-in volt
When I/p volt. Is less than the cut in
volt. the Tr. is remains off
The output volt is fed to LPF, it suppress
the high freq. harmonics presents in
collector and produces o/p similar to I/P
signal

Class-D amplifier
It is designed to operate with digital
or pulse type of signals
It becomes necessary to convert
I/p signal- pulse type signal back
to sinusoidal signal

 Fig shows that the conversion of

sinusoidal waveform into pulse type signal
using sawtooth or chopping waveform

This is
Obtained
using
OP-AMP
COMPARATOR

Block diagram of Class-D

amplifier
Comparator, Amplifier and LPF

 Tr. amplifier is either ON or OFF, it

provides current only when it is

tuned ON with little power loss
A Pulse Width Modulation(PWM)

technique is used
I/p signal is converted into series of

pulses whose averaged value is directly

proportional to the amplitude signal at
that instant

 Class-D amplifier is switching amplifier, o/p tr.

are switched ON & OFF, modulating the i/p
signal
When Tr. is in saturation, that is ON, Tr.
behaves as low value resistor
Hence volt. drop across it is very small
If it is OFF state, Tr. acts like a very high
value resistor allowing a very small current
to flow
In either case, power dissipation is minimum
So it has high

Operation of Class-D
amplifier
There are 3 stages of operation:
generation of pulses, modulation
and filtering

 Ist stage: comparator- has two i/pstriangular & audio sinusoidal signal
Its o/p is rectangular wave with duty cycle
according to amplitude of i/p sinusoidal signal
It generates i/p modulated pulses

2nd stage: modulation: consists of

complementary symmetry pair of p-channel
and an n-channel device in push pull operation
PWM o/p of comparator is fed to
complementary stage

 p-channel and an n-channel devices turn

ON and OFF alternately as PWM signal

amplitude goes high and low
O/p of this stage has pulses with unwanted

spectral components
O/P signal with pulse freq and its harmonics
3rd stage : Filter: removes these

unwanted spectral components

Applications of class D
In general application for audio power
amplifier
High powered sub-woofer amplifiers