ANALOG ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS Unit 3 Frequency response of BJT amplifiers

Frequency Response The frequency of the applied signal can have a pronounced effect on the response of a single-stage or multistage network. At low frequencies, the coupling and bypass capacitors can no longer be replaced by the short-circuit approximation because of the increase in reactance of these elements. The frequency-dependent parameters of the small-signal equivalent circuits and the stray capacitive elements associated with the active device and the network will limit the high-frequency response of the system. For the RC-coupled amplifier, the drop at low frequencies is due to the increasing reactance of CC, Cs, or CE, while its upper frequency limit is determined by either the parasitic capacitive elements of the network and frequency dependence of the gain of the active device.

For each system, there is a band of frequencies in which the magnitude of the gain is either equal or relatively close to the midband value. To fix the frequency boundaries of relatively high gain, 0.707Avmid was chosen to be the gain at the cutoff levels. The corresponding frequencies f1 and f2 are generally called the corner, cutoff, band, break, or half-power frequencies. The multiplier 0.707 was chosen because at this level the output power is half the midband power output. PoHPF =0.5Pomid bandwidth (BW) = f2 - f1 LOW-FREQUENCY ANALYSIS In the low-frequency region of the single-stage BJT or FET amplifier, it is the R-C combinations formed by the network capacitors CC, CE, and Cs and the network resistive parameters that determine the cutoff frequencies. In fact, an R-C network can be established for each capacitive element and the frequency at which the output voltage drops to 0.707 of its maximum value determined. Once the

Session :-Aug Dec 2012 Dept :- TE, PESIT Bangalore Staff:- K.R Savithri

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ANALOG ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS Unit 3 Frequency response of BJT amplifiers

cutoff frequencies due to each capacitor are determined, they can be compared to establish which will determine the low-cutoff frequency for the system. 1 At very high frequencies, XC= 0 and the short-circuit equivalent can be substituted for the 2 fC capacitor

The output and input voltages are related by the voltage-divider rule in the following manner: RVi Vo= R + XC with the magnitude of Vo determined by Vo= For the special case where XC = R, Vo=
RVi 2R
2

RVi R + Xc 2
2

1 2

Vi and Av =

V0 1 = = 0.707 Vi 2

The frequency at which this occurs is determined from f 1 = The gain equation can also be written as :
Av = V0 R 1 1 = = = Vi R jXc 1 j ( Xc / R) 1 j (1/ 2 fRC )

1 2 RC

Using the above defined frequency,

Av = 1 1 j ( f 1/ f )

In the magnitude and phase form, Av = For the magnitude when f =f1, Av = -3 dB
Session :-Aug Dec 2012 Dept :- TE, PESIT Bangalore Staff:- K.R Savithri

1 1 + ( f 1/ f )
2

tan 1 ( f 1/ f )

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ANALOG ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS Unit 3 Frequency response of BJT amplifiers

In the logarithmic form, the gain in dB is
Av(dB) = 10 log[1 + ( f1 )] f f1 ) f

For frequencies where f<< f1, Av(dB) = 20 log( At f =f1, Av( dB ) =0 At f= f1/2, Av(dB) =-6 dB

As stated earlier, the straightline segments (asymptotes) are only accurate for 0 dB when f>> f1 and the sloped line when f1>> f. We know, however, that when f = f1, there is a 3-dB drop from the midband level. Employing this information in association with the straight-line segments permits a fairly accurate plot of the frequency response as indicated in the same figure. The piecewise linear plot of the asymptotes and associated breakpoints is called a Bode plot of the magnitude versus frequency. Once you have calculated the frequencies due to C1 and C2, the cutoff is determined by the following rules: 1) If the two frequencies are more than a decade apart then flow2 in Figure 1 (the 3db point of the amp) is simply the higher of the two values. 2) If the two frequencies are closer than one decade, then the actual cut-off frequency of the amp is somewhat larger than either of the two calculated frequencies. 3) If the amplifier has a bypass capacitor, then it can also influence the cut-off frequency. Typical, emitter bypass capacitors are chosen large enough so that their effects are negligible.
f1 f

The phase angle of is determined from = tan 1 For frequencies f <<f1, 90 For f = f1, = 45
Session :-Aug Dec 2012 Dept :- TE, PESIT Bangalore Staff:- K.R Savithri

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ANALOG ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS Unit 3 Frequency response of BJT amplifiers

For f>> f1, 0 A plot of = tan 1
f1 is provided. If we add the additional 180 f phase shift introduced by an amplifier, the phase plot will be obtained.

BJT AMPLIFIER

Since Cs is normally connected between the applied source and the active device, the general form of the R-C configuration is established. The total resistance is now Rs + Ri. Fls=
1 2 ( Rs + Ri ) Cs

For the network, when we analyze the effects of Cs we must make the assumption that CE and CC are performing their designed function or the analysis becomes too unwieldy, that is, that the magnitude of the reactance of CE and CC permits employing a short-circuit equivalent in comparison to the magnitude of the other series impedances. The value of Ri is determined by Ri=R1||R2|| re
Session :-Aug Dec 2012 Dept :- TE, PESIT Bangalore Staff:- K.R Savithri Page 4 of 8

ANALOG ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS Unit 3 Frequency response of BJT amplifiers

Since the coupling capacitor is normally connected between the output of the active device and the applied load, the R-C configuration that determines the low cutoff frequency the total series resistance is now Ro + RL and the cutoff frequency due to CC is determined by 1 where Ro =RC||ro flc = 2 ( R 0 + RL ) Cc To determine fLE, the network seen by CE must be determined 1 Rs Fle = with Re = RE || + re 2 Re Ce And Rs = Rs||R1||R2 For a typical example with Cs=10 F Ce=20 F Cc=1 F Rs=1k R1=40k R2=10k =100 ro= Vcc=20 V The bode plot comes like this :

RE=2k

RC=4k

RL=2.2k

MILLER EFFECT CAPACITANCE In the high-frequency region, the capacitive elements of importance are the interelectrode (between terminals) capacitances internal to the active device and the wiring capacitance between leads of the network. The large capacitors of the network that controlled the low-frequency response have all been replaced by their short-circuit equivalent due to their very low reactance levels. For inverting amplifiers (phase shift of 180 between input and output resulting in a negative value for Av), the input and output capacitance is increased by a capacitance level sensitive to the interelectrode capacitance between the input and output terminals of the device and the gain of the amplifier.

Session :-Aug Dec 2012 Dept :- TE, PESIT Bangalore Staff:- K.R Savithri

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ANALOG ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS Unit 3 Frequency response of BJT amplifiers

Applying Kirchhoffs current law gives Ii = I1 + I2 Using Ohms law yields Vi Vi Ii = I1 = Zi Ri Vi Vo Vi AvVi (1 Av ) Vi I2 = = = Xcf Xcf Xcf Substituting, Vi Vi (1 Av ) Vi = + Zi Ri Xcf 1 1 1 = + Zi Ri Xcf / (1 Av) Xcf 1 But = = Xcm 1 Av (1 Av ) Cf
1 1 1 = + Zi Ri Xcm In general, therefore, the Miller effect input capacitance is defined by Cmi = (1 Av ) Cf

Therefore

The Miller effect will also increase the level of output capacitance, which must also be considered when the high-frequency cutoff is determined. Applying Kirchhoffs current law will result in

Io =I1 +I2 With

Vo Vo Vi and I 2 = Ro Xcf The resistance Ro is usually sufficiently large to permit ignoring the first term of the equation compared to the second term I1 =
Session :-Aug Dec 2012 Dept :- TE, PESIT Bangalore Staff:- K.R Savithri Page 6 of 8

ANALOG ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS Unit 3 Frequency response of BJT amplifiers

Vo Vi Xcf Vo (1 1/ Av ) Io = Xcf Io (1 1/ Av ) And = Vo Xcf Vo Xcf 1 1 Or = = = Io 1 1/ Av Cf (1 1/ Av ) Cmo Hence the output Miller capacitance is given by Cmo = (1 1/ Av ) Cf Cf BJT AMPLIFIER In the high-frequency region, the RC network of concern has the configuration appearing like this : Io =

At increasing frequencies, the reactance XC will decrease in magnitude, resulting in a shorting effect across the output and a decrease in gain. 1 Av = 1 + j ( f / f 2) which results in a magnitude plot such as shown

For high frequency response, the various parasitic capacitances (Cbe, Cbc, Cce) of the transistor have been included with the wiring capacitances (CWi, CWo) introduced during construction. Note the absence of the capacitors Cs, CC, and CE, which are all assumed to be in the short-circuit state at these frequencies. The capacitance Ci includes the input wiring capacitance CWi, the transition capacitance Cbe, and the Miller capacitance CMi. The capacitance Co includes the output wiring capacitance CWo, the parasitic capacitance Cce, and the output Miller capacitance CMo. In general, the capacitance Cbe is the largest of the parasitic capacitances, with Cce the smallest. For the input network, the -3 dB frequency is defined by 1 fhi = 2 RthCi With Rth = Rs || R1|| R 2 || Ri And Ci = Cwi + Cbe + Cmi = Cwi + Cbe + (1 Av ) Cbc
Session :-Aug Dec 2012 Dept :- TE, PESIT Bangalore Staff:- K.R Savithri Page 7 of 8

ANALOG ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS Unit 3 Frequency response of BJT amplifiers

At very high frequencies, the effect of Ci is to reduce the total impedance of the parallel combination of R1, R2, Ri, and Ci For the output network, 1 fho = 2 RthCo With Rth = Rc || Rl || ro And Co = Cwo + Cce + Cmo At very high frequencies, the capacitive reactance of Co will decrease and consequently reduce the total impedance of the output parallel branches. The net result is that Vo will also decline toward zero as the reactance XC becomes smaller. The frequencies fHi and fHo will each define a -6 dB/octave asymptote such as depicted

Session :-Aug Dec 2012 Dept :- TE, PESIT Bangalore Staff:- K.R Savithri

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