12/11/2012

Multistage Amplifiers
Fall 12-13

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Introduction
 When we have more than one stage of amplification, we say it
is multistage amplifier. Look at the following diagram:

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The RC-Coupled Amplifier

 Look at the following figure:

A cascaded of common-emitter transistor stage

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The RC-Coupled Amplifier

 X1 -> Input of 1st transistor

 Y1 -> Output of 1st transistor
 X2 -> Input of 2nd transistor
 Y2 -> Output of 2nd transistor

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 Cb ->1st transistor connected to the 2nd transistor via capacitor

◦ Known as DC blocking capacitor.
◦ Used to block any dc component from Y1 to X2
 Rc -> Collector Resistance
 R1 and R2 -> Used to establish biasing of transistors
 Re -> Emitter Resistance; used to establish biasing of transistors
 Cg -> Emitter capacitance; used to bypass the ac signal so as to avoid negative
feedback

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The RC-Coupled Amplifier

 Look at the following figure:

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The RC-Coupled Amplifier

 X1 -> Input of 1st transistor

 Y1 -> Output of 1st transistor
 X2 -> Input of 2nd transistor
 Y2 -> Output of 2nd transistor

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 Cb ->1st transistor connected to the 2nd transistor via capacitor

◦ Known as DC blocking capacitor.
◦ Used to block any dc component from Y1 to X2
 Rd -> Drain Resistance
 Rg-> Used to establish biasing of transistors
 Rs -> Source Resistance; used to establish biasing of transistors
 Cs -> Source capacitance; used to bypass the ac signal so as to avoid negative
feedback

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Low Frequency Response of an RC-Coupled Stage

BJT
 Now, the multistage transistor can be represented

 The bypass capacitor Cs is considered to be large enough so as to short out the Re.
 Rb -> Parallel combinations of R1 and R2
 Ry -> Rc
 Ri -> Input resistance of the next stage amplifier.

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Low Frequency Response of an RC-Coupled Stage

BJT -contd
 A1 can be replaced by its low frequency model; Norton’s equivalent circuit, a current
source with its parallel resistance.

 All the shunt capacitances and junction capacitances are neglected.

 For the transistor:
◦ I = hfeIb
◦ R0 = 1/hoe
◦ Ri = hie
◦ R0’ = R0 || Ry
◦ Ri’= Ri || Rb

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Low Frequency Response of an RC-Coupled Stage

BJT -contd

 This above circuit can be rearranged for its Thevenin’s equivalent circuit for its
Cutoff 3-dB point.
 From the above figure, it can be concluded that the frequency for which we get the
cutoff is:

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Low Frequency Response of an RC-Coupled Stage

FET - contd
 Now, the multistage transistor can be represented

 The bypass capacitor Cs is considered to be large enough so as to short out the Re.
 Rb -> Rg
 Ry -> Rd
 Ri -> Input resistance of the next stage amplifier.

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Low Frequency Response of an RC-Coupled Stage

FET - contd
 A1 can be replaced by its low frequency model; Norton’s equivalent circuit, a current
source with its parallel resistance.

 All the shunt capacitances and junction capacitances are neglected.

 For the transistor:
◦ I = gmVi
◦ R0 = rd
◦ Ri = infinity
◦ R0’ = R0 || Ry
◦ Ri’= Ri || Rb

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Low Frequency Response of an RC-Coupled Stage

FET - contd

 This above circuit can be rearranged for its Thevenin’s equivalent circuit for its
Cutoff 3-dB point.
 From the above figure, it can be concluded that the frequency for which we get the
cutoff is:

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Problem

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