Experiment No: 01

Name of the experiment: Study of Class A Power Amplifier.

Theory:
An amplifier receives a signal from some pickup transducer or other input source. This signal is
generally small and needs to be amplified sufficiently to operate an output device. At first, the
input voltage level is improved using voltage amplifier and this is then fed to power amplifier to
obtain sufficient power at the output.

In fact, a power amplifier does not amplify power. It only takes power from the dc power supply
connected to the output circuit and converts it into useful ac signal power.

Depending upon the amount of the output signal variation over one cycle of operation for a full
cycle of input signal, power amplifiers are grouped into various classes like Class A, Class B,
Class AB, Class C, Class D, etc. In class A power amplifier, the transistor conducts for the entire
cycle of the input signal and hence the output signal varies for a full 360° of the cycle. To
achieve this, the Q point on the DC Load Line is approximately half of the supply voltage. This
facilitates the swing of the output to vary up and down without being cut-off.

The average dc input power to the amplifier is given by,

Pi(dc)= VccICQ

Where, ICQ is the collector current at Q point and VCC is the supply voltage.

The ac power delivered to the load can be calculated using any of the following Po(ac)
equations: =
V2CE(r
P (ac)=V (rms) ms)/RL
o C E

Where symbols have their usual meanings.

The efficiency of a power amplifier is a measure of how well it converts dc power into useful ac
output power. Conversion efficiency of a power amplifier is defined as,

= ×100%

The maximum value of efficiency of a Class A amplifier is only 25%

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Objective:
To study Class A power amplifier.
Equipments:
Serial Component Details Specification Quantity
no.
1. Transistor BD 135 1 piece
2. Resistor 1 KΩ, 470 Ω, 10 KΩ, 2 pieces, 1 piece
2.2 KΩ ,15 KΩ each for the rest
3. Capacitors 10 µF 3 pieces
4. POT 10 KΩ 1 piece
5. Oscilloscope 1 unit
6. DC Power Supply 1 unit
7. AC Signal generator 1 unit
8. Digital Multimeter 1 unit
9. Trainer Board 1 unit

Circuit VCC
Diagram: +10 V

RB1 10 kΩ RC
470
Ω C
C R 10µF
BD
10 1 135
µF kΩ RL

Vin RB2 10 kΩ
2.2 kΩ
RE C 10
10 mV(p- 1 kΩ µF
p) 1 kHz

Fig: 1.1 Class A amplifier

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Procedure:
1. Realized the circuit of figure 1.1.
2. Without any AC input measured VCE, IC, IB. Varied the pot resistance to select the Q
point such that the circuit worked as a Class A power amplifier.
3. Applied 1 KHz 10 mV(p-p) signal at the input.
4. Measured VCE and RL with a multimeter.
5. Observed IC and VCE with an oscilloscope and took the readings of their maximum and
minimum values. Drew the wave shapes.
6. Observed IB and VCE simultaneously and noted the phase relationship between them.
Drew the wave shapes.

Report:

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Experiment No: 02
Name of the experiment: Study of Class B and Class C Power Amplifier
Theory:
Class B Power Amplifier:
A class B power amplifier circuit provides an output signal varying over one half the input
cycles. The dc bias point for class B is at 0V with the output varying from this bias point for a
half cycle. Obviously, the output is not a faithful reproduction of the input if only one half cycle
is present. Two class B operations, one to provide output on the positive half cycle and another
on the negative half cycle, are combined to obtain an output for a full 360° of operation.

In the circuit of Fig.2.1, the voltage across 560Ω resistor is approximately a quarter of 1V. This
is the voltage across two base-emitter junctions of Q1 and Q2. Thus, base and emitter of each
transistor is effectively short. This biases the transistors at cut-off region that ensures class B
operation. For positive half cycle of input signal, Q1 conducts and for negative half cycle Q2
conducts. These two class B operations are combined to an output for full 360° of operation.

Class B power amplifier have many advantages over class A. Since transistors are biased at cut-
off, greater voltage swing can be accommodated without being cut-off. This results in greater
power output. Moreover, there is negligible collector current and hence negligible power loss
when no signal is applied whereas for class A operation maximum power is dissipated at no
input. This results in higher efficiency for class B amplifier.

One of the most important features for this circuit is crossover distortion. For low values of
input, the transfer characteristics of transistors are not linear. Therefore, noticeable output is not
obtained until the input exceeds the cut-in voltage of the base-emitter junction of each transistor.
The effect of crossover distortion is most pronounced when the input signal is small.
The dc power input to class B power amplifier can be calculated using

The ac power output is given by,

Then conversion efficiency is given by,

Maximum value of theoretical efficiency is 78.5%. Class B power amplifiers are used where the
power supply is limited.

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Class C power amplifier:
For class C operation, the transistor conducts for an interval shorter than a half cycle. The result
is periodically pulsating current waveform. To obtain a sinusoidal output voltage, this current is
passed through a parallel LC circuit. This circuit acts as band pass filter and provides an output
voltage proportional to the amplitude of the fundamental component in the Fourier series
representation of the current waveform. The resonant frequency of the LC combination is = 1/(2
π(LC)); where, L and C are the inductance and capacitance respectively of the LC combination.
The Quality Factor (Q=XL/RL) of the tank circuit is assumed to be high. Voltage gain at resonant
frequency is a maximum while it drops on either side of resonance.

The average collector current for class C operation is much less and as a result, the collector
losses are less and efficiency is very high. Class C operation is used with resonant or tuned
circuits as for example, in radio and television transmitters where efficiency is of utmost
importance.

Objective:
To study the operation of class B and class C power amplifier.

Equipments:
Serial Component Details Specification Quantity
no.
1. Transistors BD135, BD136, C828 1 piece each
2. Resistor 10 KΩ, 1 KΩ, 560 Ω, 2 pieces, 1 piece
120 Ω each for the rest
3. Capacitors 2.2 µF, 0.01µF, 10 µF, 2 pieces, 1 piece
22 µF, 100 µF each for the rest
4. Inductor 2.7mH 1 unit
5. Oscilloscope 1 unit
6. AC Signal generator 1 unit
7. DC Power Supply 1 unit
8. Digital Multimeter 1 unit
9. Trainer Board 1 unit

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 Circuit
Diagram:
VCC VCC
+ 10V + 10V

RC 120Ω
0.01µF C L 2.7mH

R2 10 kΩ
C2
C1 V0 C1 100µF
Q1 BD135 Q C828
2.2µF C3 22 µF
2.2µF 560 Ω V P
out R1 10µF Q
Q2 BD136 RB 10kΩ
RE 1 kΩ
C2 10kΩ
RL 1kΩ Vin
in

Fig 2.1: Class B Amplifier Fig 2.2: Class C Amplifier

Procedure:
Class B power amplifier:
1. Connected the circuit as shown in figure 2.1. Applied a sinusoidal signal at the input of
frequency 1 kHz. The peak-to-peak value was 2V.
2. Observed the output. If distorted, varied the frequency and the amplitude of the input signal
to obtain an undistorted output. Crossover distortion occurred as the output switched from
positive cycle to negative cycle and vice versa. Drew the waveshape.
3. Varied the frequency keeping the amplitude fixed and observed its effect on crossover
distortion.
4. Varied the amplitude keeping the frequency fixed and observed its effect on crossover
distortion.
5. For any undistorted output took readings of peak output voltage. This was V0max.
6. Disconnected the oscilloscope probe from the output as well as from the input and ground
and then connected one of the channels of the oscilloscope across RCC. Drew its
waveshape and took readings of its maximum value. Divided it by RCC to obtain Imax.
7. Repeated steps 2, 3, and 4 for a square wave input.

Class C power amplifier:

1. Connected the circuit as shown in figure 2.2. Connected point P to ground.
2. Applied a sinusoidal signal having a peak-to-peak value of 80mV. Varied the frequency
until a distortion-free output was obtained. Drew the output wave shape.

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 3. Varied the frequency above and below cut-off. Took readings of output voltages at different
frequencies.
4. Disconnected P from ground and connected it to Q. Observed the current wave shape by
observing the voltage wave shape across RE. Drew the wave shape.
5. Applied a square wave signal of resonant frequency at the input. Observed the output.

Report:

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