CLASSIFICATION OF AMPLIFIERS

BY G.PREETHI ECE-B 11P61A0464

CONTENTS
Amplifier Classification of Amplifiers Class A amplifier, its characteristics . Class B amplifier, its characteristics . Class AB amplifier, its characteristics . Class D amplifier, its characteristics . Class G & H amplifiers .

AMPLIFIER
An Amplifier is a device for increasing the power of a signal by use of an external energy source.

Amplifiers may be classified in a variety of ways depending on the applications , frequency range, etc.

 Practical amplifiers have finite distortion and noise which they invariably add to signal. Electronic amplifiers are used in radio & television transmitters and receivers, micro computer and guitar and other instrument amplifiers .

example

CLASS A AMPLIFIER
An amplifier is said to be class A amplifier if the Q point and the input signal are selected such that the output signal is obtained for a full input cycle, so this is the most linear of all the classes.

 For this , position of the Q point is approximately at the mid point of the load line. For all the values of the input signal, the transistor remains in the active region and never enters into cut-off or saturation region.

 These class A amplifiers run hot , as the transistor in power amplifier are on and running at full power all the time. Class A amplifier is the most inefficient of all power amplifier designs . There are many factors for the inefficiency.

FACTORS FOR INEFFICINECY

For every watt of output power , they usually waste at least 4-5 watts as heat . They are usually large and heavy. They run very hot, needs lot of ventilation. All this is due to amplifier constantly operating at full power.

DISADVANTAGES
They are most accurate of all amplifiers available but at significant cost to manufacture, because of tight tolerances and additional components for cooling and heat regulation.

CLASS B AMPLIFIER and negative In this amplifier , the positive

value of the signal are dealt with by different parts of circuit. The input signal has to be a lot larger, it needs to be stepped up in a gain voltage , so that signals will allow the output transistors to operate more efficiently.

 There have to be at least two output devices with this type of amplifier This output stage employs two output devices , so that each side amplifies each half of the waveform. Each output device is on for completely one half of complete signal cycle.

 These amplifier run cooler than class A amplifier, but the sound quality is not pure , as there is a lot of cross over distortion. This type of amplifier design, or topology, gives us the term PUSH-PULL, as one device pushes the signal, the other pulls the signal.

CLASS AB AMPLIFIER

Class AB operation has some of the best advantages of both class A and class B built in. In fact many class AB amplifier operate in class A at lower output levels, again giving the best of both worlds.

 The output bias is set so that current flows in specific output devices for more than half cycle but less than the entire cycle. There is enough current flowing through each device to keep it in operating so they respond instantly to input voltage demands.

 There are many implementations of class AB design . A benefit is that the inherent non linearity of class B designs is almost eliminated, while avoiding the heatgenerating and wasteful inefficiencies of class A design.

CLASS D AMPLIFIER These amplifiers are erroneously called

DIGITAL amplifiers by the press and many audio experts. While class D amplifiers do run in true digital mode, using coherent binary data.

 They are better termed switching amplifiers because here the output devices are rapidly switched on and off at least twice for each cycle. Depending on the switching frequency they may be switched on or off millions of times a second.

 Class D operation is theoretically 100% efficient , but in practice , they are closer to 80-90%. Class D amplifier uses fixed frequency signal having pulses that vary in width based on input signal amplitude. The efficiency gain is at the cost of high fidelity.