8. Class A power amplifiers (16.1 16.

3)

Classification of Power Amplifiers Series-fed Class A Power Amplifiers Transformer Coupled Class A Amplifiers

EE2603-08

Classification of Power Amplifiers

Class A operation
VCC R2 IB
B E
VCEQ VCC IC

IC
C

RC

vin

vo

ICQ

IBQ VCE

R1

RE

In Class A operation, IC should be flowing the whole cycle (2) Q point is at the center of the operating range. IBQ>0 Here R1 and R2 provide required IBQ for class A operation. Q point is at the center of the operating range. IBQ>0
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Class A Power Amplifiers

VCC R2 IB
B

VCC RL vin R2 IB
B E

n:1
vo

IC
C vo E

RL

vin

R1

R1

RE

RE

Series-fed Class A Power Amplifier

Transformer Coupled Class A Power Amplifier

Here dc power from VCC is converted into ac output power in RL

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Class B operation
VCC IC vin
C B E

IC

RC

vo
ICQ VCEQ

IBQ=0 Q VCC VCE

IB

R1

RE

In Class B operation, IC should be flowing half cycle () Q point is at cutoff (IC=0) of the operating range. IBQ=0 Here R1 provides required IBQ =0 for class B operation. Q point is at the cutoff of the operating range. IBQ=0
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Class B Power Amplifiers

VCC R2

VCC R2
R2 Vin

VCC

Q1 D Q2 RL

R2

RL

R2 -VCC

RL

OTL Class B Power Amplifier

Output Transformer-Less

OCL Class B Power Amplifier

Output Capacitor-Less

Transformer Coupled Class B Power Amplifier

Here dc power from VCC is converted into ac output power in RL

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Class AB operation
VCC
ICQ

IC

vin D

R2
IBQ B

RC
C E

vo
180

ICQ

IBQ
Q

VCE VCC

RE

>180

In Class AB operation, IC should be flowing more than half cycle (>) Q point is at small amount above cutoff (IC>0) of the operating range. IBQ>0 Here R2 and diode D provides required small IBQ for class AB operation. Q point is above the cutoff of the operating range. IBQ>0
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Class AB Power Amplifiers

VCC R2 D D R2 RL

VCC R2 D D R2 -VCC RL
R2 Vin

VCC

Q1 D Q2 RL

OTL Class AB Power Amplifier

Output Transformer-Less

OCL Class AB Power Amplifier

Output Capacitor-Less

Transformer Coupled Class AB Power Amplifier

Here dc power from VCC is converted into ac output power in RL

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Class C operation
VCC
ICQ=0
IC

RC vo
E

vin

IBQ< 0 C B

ICQ= 0

IBQ< 0
Q

VCE

R2 -VBB RE

VCC

In Class C operation, IC should be flowing less than half cycle (< ) Q point is at below cutoff (IC< 0) of the operating range. IBQ< 0 Here RB and VBB provides required below cutoff IBQ for class C operation. Q point is below the cutoff of the operating range. IBQ<0
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Class C Power Amplifiers

ICQ=0

VCC

RA

vin RB
IBQ=0 E
IC

vo

RE

Tuned Class C RF Power Amplifier

Radio Frequency Amplifier

Here dc power from VCC is converted into ac output power in RL

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Class D Power Amplifiers

0

Sawtooth generator Amplifier

0

Low-pass Filter

t Input signal wave Feedback

Output signal wave

IC conducting only when digital version of the input wave is high ---- CLASS-D operation. digital switching of the input wave Efficiency is very high = over 90%
high low

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Series-fed Class A Power Amplifiers 

VCC R2 IB
B

IC

IC
C vo E

VCC/RL ICQ

RL

RL

IBQ VCE

vin

VCEQ Vo(PP)

R1

VCC
Maximum level Any level

RE

At max imum Vo (pp) level Vo (pp) = VCC Vo (pp) 2 2 Pac (max) = RL

2 2 VCC = 8RL

At any Vo (pp) level Pac Vo (pp) 2 2 = RL Pac Pdc

11
2

(Vo (pp))2 =
8RL

Pdc (max) = VCC ICQ = VCC

2 2 = VCC RL 2RL

VCC

Pdc = VCC ICQ =

2 VCC 2RL Pac (max) = = 2 = 0.25 = 25% Pdc 8RL VCC EE2603-08

Transformer Coupled Class A Power Amplifiers

VCC R2 IB
B E

n:1
vo

2VCC/n2RL

IC

RL
ICQ

n 2R L

RE Q IBQ VCE

vin

VCEQ=VCC Vo(PP) 2VCC

R1

RE

At max imum Vo (pp) level Vo (pp) = 2VCC Vo (pp) 2 2 Pac (max) = RL

2

At any Vo (pp) level Pac Vo (pp) 2 2 = n 2RL Pac Pdc

12
2

(2VCC )2
8n 2RL
2 VCC VCC = RL RL

(Vo (pp))2 =
8n 2RL

Pdc (max) = VCC ICQ = VCC

Pdc = VCC ICQ =

2 RL 4VCC Pac (max) = = 2 2 = 0.5 = 50% Pdc 8n RL VCC EE2603-08

Example: Transformer Coupled class A is operating with VCC=10V, RL=8, and transformer turn ratio n=3. Measurements at VCE gives VCEmin=1.7V and VCEmax=18.3V,and measurements at IC gives ICmin=25mA and ICmax=255mA. Find (a) Vo(pp) ,(b) VL(pp) (c) Pac (d) Pdc (e) efficiency at that moment. 10V

3:1

vo(PP) vin

R2 IB
B

RL=8W
E

R1

IC(pp)

At any Vo (pp) level ( a) Vo (pp) = 18.3 1.7 = 16.6V (b) VL (pp) Vo (pp) = 1 16.6V VL (pp) = = 5.33V 3 3
2

(c) Pac

Vo (pp) 2 2 = n 2RL

(18.3 1.7 )2
8 32 8

= 0.4784W

255 25 (d) Pdc = VCC ICQ = 10 mA = 1.15W 2 P 0.4784 (e) = ac = = 0.416 = 41.6% EE2603-08 Pdc 1.15

VO(pp)
13