Output Transistors

Current gain / input impedance is

a vital parameter of a power
amplifier.
In the class A analysis, the load
impedance is scaled by a factor
of .
High power transistors often
have a value of of the order of
tens rather than hundreds.
 Multiple Transistor Units

To realise a high current gain with

low transistors, use two
cascaded emitter follower stages.

I C 2 2 I B 2 2 I C1 1 2 I B1
i.e. Total 1 2
Darlington Pair

Darlington Pair
configuration is
available in a single
integrated package.
VBE is double that of a
normal transistor.
is typically between
1000 & 10000.
 Efficiency
The efficiency of a power amplifier is the
ratio between the power delivered to
the load and the power drawn from the
supplies.
Power supply requirements and
transistor power dissipation ratings
depend on the efficiency.

Power Dissipation
All power which is not delivered to the
load must be dissipated by the output
device(s) in the form of heat.
As a result, the temperature of the
device rises.
Temperature rise changes the
properties of a transistor and may, in
extreme cases, destroy it.
 Transistor Power Dissipation

Ambience / Air, TA

Case, TC
Power
dissipation
Junction, TJ

Heat travels only from a hot to a cold body

TJ > T C > T A
 Thermal Resistance

Temperature difference between the junction

and ambience depends on the power dissipation
and the thermal resistance between them.

TJ TA PD JA

JA is the thermal resistance between the

junction and ambience measured in C per Watt.
 Power-Derating Curve

Junction temperature must not exceed Tjmax. Also,

power dissipation must not exceed PD0. Combining
these limitations gives the power derating curve.
PDmax

PD0
TJ max TA
PD max
JA

0
TA0 TA TJmax TA

= -1/Slope
 Using the Power Derating
Curve
Example : TIP 120

PDmax [W]
TA 25 PD max 2 W
2
TA 50 PD max 1.6 W
1.6

0
25 50 150 TA [C]
Find:
Increasing Power
Dissipation

The only fixed point on the

power-derating curve is TJmax.
To increase power dissipation,
slope of power-derating curve
must be steeper.
Thermal resistance must be
lowered.
 Heat-Sinks
JA can be broken down into a pair of series resistances.
JA JC CA
JC = thermal resistance between junction and case
(fixed)
CA = thermal resistance between case and
ambience.

CA can be lowered by increasing the surface area of

the transistor case, i.e. by adding a heat-sink.
CA CS SA
 Power-Derating Curve
with respect to Case Temp

Maximum allowable power dissipation

Versus transistor case temperature.

PDmax

Pdmax(TCO)
TJ max TC
PD max
JC

0
TC0 TC TJmax TC
EXAMPLE 9.5

Solution:
With a heat sink max. allowable power dissipation increases
From 1.6W to 13.1W.