UNIT- V

Small Signal Low Frequency Transistor Amplifier Models

BJT: Two port network, Transistor hybrid model, determination of h-parameters, conversion of h-parameters, generalized analysis of transistor amplifier model using h-parameters, Analysis of CB, CE and CC amplifiers using exact and approximate analysis, Comparison of transistor amplifiers.FET: Generalized analysis of small signal model, Analysis of CG, CS and CD amplifiers, comparison of FET amplifiers.

Comparison of transistor amplifiers:

Transistor CB (Common Base) configuration:

It is transistor circuit in which base is kept common to the input and output circuits.
Characteristics:
•It has low input impedance (on the order of 50 to 500 Ohms).
•It has high output impedance (on the order of 1 to 10 Mega Ohms).
•Current gain(alpha) is less than unity.

Transistor CE (Common Emitter) configuration:

It is transistor circuit in which emitter is kept common to both input and output circuits.
Characteristics (applications):
•It has high input impedance (on the order of 500 to 5000 Ohms).
•It has low output impedance (on the order of 50 to 500 Kilo Ohms).
•Current gain (Beta) is 98.
•Power gain is upto 37 dB.
•Output is 180 degree out of phase.

Transistor CC (Common Collector) configuration:

It is transistor circuit in which collector is kept common to both input and output circuits. It is also called as emitter follower.
Characteristics:
•It has high input impedance (on the order of about 150 to 600 Kilo Ohms).
•It has low output impedance (on the order of about 100 to 1000 Ohms).
•Current gain (Beta) is about 99.
•Voltage and power gain is equal to or less than one.

Following table summarizes important points about CB,CE,CC transistor configurations.

Parameter / Common Base / Common Emitter / Common Collector
Voltage Gain / High, Same as CE / High / Less than Unity
Current Gain / Less than Unity / High / High
Power Gain / Moderate / High / Moderate
Phase inversion / No / Yes / No
Input Impedance / Low (50 Ohm) / Moderate
(1 KOhm) / High (300 KOhm)
Output Impedance / High (1 M Ohm) / Moderate (50 K) / Low (300 Ohm)

Generalized analysis of small signal model of FET:

Fig. (a) CS Amplifier and (b) Small Signal Model

Field-effect transistor amplifiers provide an excellent voltage gain with the added feature of a high input impedance. They are also considered low-power consumption configurations with good frequency range and minimal size and weight. Both JFET and depletion MOSFET devices can be used to design amplifiers having similar voltage gains. The depletion MOSFET circuit, however, has a much higher input impedance than a similar JFET configuration.

While a BJT device controls a large output (collector) current by means of a relatively small input (base) current, the FET device controls an output (drain) current by means of a small input (gate-voltage) voltage. In general, therefore, the BJT is acurrent-controlleddevice and the FET is avoltage-controlleddevice. In both cases, however, note that the output current is the controlled variable. Because of the high input characteristic of FETs, the ac equivalent model is somewhat simpler than that employed for BJTs. While the BJT had an amplification factor(beta), the FET has a transconductance factor,gm.

While the common-source configuration is the most popular, providing an inverted, amplified signal, one also finds common-drain (source-follower) circuits providing unity gain with no inversion and common-gate circuits providing gain with no inversion. As with BJT amplifiers, the important circuit features described in this chapter include voltage gain, input impedance, and output impedance. Due to the very high input impedance, the input current is generally assumed to be 0A and the current gain is an undefined quantity. While the voltage gain of an FET amplifier is generally less than that obtained using a BJT amplifier, the FET amplifier provides a much higher input impedance than that of a BJT configuration. Output impedance values are comparable for both BJT and FET circuits.

Analysis of CG, CS and CD amplifiers:

Comparison of FET amplifiers: