EE 342

Design Project I
Description
Design a single stage transistor amplifier which has an overall gain (vo/vsig) of Gv = -15 V/V and an input impedance (Rin) of
4 k. The input voltage source has a source impedance (Rsig) of 2 k and operates at a frequency of 1 kHz. The load
resistance (RL) is 6 k. The amplifier must operate from a single 15 V supply and requires maximum output voltage swing.
Theoretical Results
Include a schematic of your design. Describe how you decided on an amplifier structure and found each component value used
in your design.
Based on your design, calculate the theoretical values of Av, Gv, Ai, Rin, Ro, and vo,max.
Simulation Results
Simulate your design. Use AC analysis to determine the capacitor values that should be used in your circuit. Start with very
large capacitors (1000 F) and plot Gv from 10 Hz to 10 MHz. Decrease each capacitance value separately while keeping the
lower - 3 dB frequency below 100 Hz. (The goal is to use the smallest possible capacitances in the real circuit.)
Once the proper capacitances have been selected, use transient analysis to determine vo,max and verify Gv at an input frequency of
1 kHz. Use AC analysis to plot Av, Gv, Ai, Rin, and Ro from 10 Hz to 10 MHz.
Experimental Design
Develop procedures for measuring Av, Gv, Ai, Rin, and Ro. Your report must include a section labeled Experimental Design in
which you describe your measurement procedures. Note: Rin and Ro are not DC resistances and can not be measured using an
ohmmeter. (The DC resistances are very large, theoretically infinite, due to the presence of the input and output coupling
capacitors.)
Measurement Results
Construct and test the amplifier. Use the capacitance values that you found when simulating the circuit. Measure Av, Gv, Ai, Rin,
Ro, and vo,max at an input frequency of 1 kHz.
Measure the overall voltage gain (Gv) as a function of frequency.
Either I or Jeff Cron must be able to verify that your amplifier works. (Include a signature page in your final report.)
Report
The report must be written using a word processor. No hand-drawn equations or graphs should be present in the report.
Your report should contain separate Problem Description, Design, Experimental Design, Theoretical Results, Simulation
Results, Measurement Results, and Conclusion sections. Include all requested design details (sketches, equations, calculations,
etc) and graphs. Your Conclusions section should include a table comparing your theoretical, simulated, and measured results
at an input frequency of 1 kHz. You should also discuss whether or not the amplifier meets the specifications. Be sure to
indicate which team members worked on each section.
Notes/Hints
In amplifier construction you should normally try to avoid using electrolytic capacitors. (They are fine for power supply
filtering, but they add a lot of noise to amplifier circuits.) They do have two advantages though: (1) they are cheap and (2)
there are a lot of them available in the stock room. You will probably be forced to use them when building your amplifier.
A lot of students hook up polarized input coupling capacitors backwards. Draw the DC equivalent circuit (with the
capacitors) and let the DC voltages across the capacitors guide you when determining the proper polarities of the capacitors.