EEE- 232 Electronics II

Lab # 3 MOSFET Amplifiers: Analyse the Effect

of Bypass Capacitor & Load in a Common-
Source Amplifier

NAME: MUHAMMAD NOMAN

KHALID
Muhammad Zakaria
Muhammad Obaid Tahir
[Link]: FA22-BEE-169
FA22-BEE-186
FA22-BEE-193
CLASS: 4-A

SUBJECT: Electronics II

SUBMISSION DATE: 25-02-2026

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[Link]:
Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) are widely used
in analog electronic circuits due to their high input impedance, low power
dissipation, and excellent voltage-controlled characteristics. In amplifier design, the
common-source (CS) configuration is one of the most fundamental and frequently
used topologies because it provides significant voltage gain while maintaining
relatively simple biasing requirements. The CS amplifier operates by converting
small variations at the gate terminal into amplified voltage changes at the drain,
producing an output signal that is phase-shifted by approximately 180° relative to
the input. Understanding the operation of this configuration is essential for students
studying analog electronics, as it forms the basis of many real-world applications
such as audio amplification, signal conditioning circuits, and integrated analog
systems. According to the Electronics-II (EEE232) lab manual, this experiment
focuses specifically on analysing the behaviour of MOSFET amplifiers and
evaluating the effect of external components on circuit performance.
In practical amplifier circuits, external components strongly influence gain, stability,
and frequency response. One of the most important components in a common-source
amplifier is the source bypass capacitor, which is connected in parallel with the
source resistor. The source resistor provides negative feedback that stabilizes the DC
operating point, but it also reduces AC gain due to degeneration. When a bypass
capacitor is added, it provides a low-impedance path for AC signals while
maintaining DC bias stability, effectively increasing the voltage gain of the amplifier.
The behaviour of this capacitor becomes frequency-dependent; at low frequencies
the capacitor may not fully bypass the resistor, resulting in reduced gain, whereas at
higher frequencies the capacitor improves amplification. Analysing this effect allows
students to understand how capacitive elements influence amplifier performance in
different operating conditions and highlights the importance of proper component
selection during circuit design.
Another significant factor affecting amplifier performance is the load resistance
connected at the output. The load determines how much current is drawn from the
amplifier and directly influences the voltage gain, output impedance, and power
transfer capability. A heavy load (low resistance) can reduce voltage gain and distort
the output signal, while a lighter load (high resistance) may allow higher gain but
limit practical power delivery. By studying the amplifier with and without a load,
students can observe how real-world constraints impact circuit behaviour and how

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theoretical calculations compare with simulated or measured results. This detailed
investigation helps bridge the gap between small-signal models studied in theory and
the behaviour of actual electronic circuits, reinforcing key concepts such as gain
variation, signal coupling, and frequency response.
The main objective of this lab is to design, simulate, and analyse a common-source
MOSFET amplifier while systematically evaluating the influence of the bypass
capacitor and load conditions on overall performance. Through this experiment,
students develop a deeper understanding of MOSFET amplifier operation, practical
design trade-offs, and the importance of analysing both DC biasing and AC signal
behaviour. The knowledge gained from this lab provides a strong foundation for
advanced topics in analog electronics, including multistage amplification, frequency
response analysis, and power amplifier design, as outlined in the EEE232
Electronics-II laboratory experiments

[Link] and DISCUSSION:

Task no 01:
The results show that the voltage gain of the common-source MOSFET amplifier
strongly depends on the bypass capacitor and load resistance. When the bypass
capacitor is connected, the source degeneration effect is reduced, resulting in higher
voltage gain, while removing the load also increases gain due to higher effective
drain resistance. The measured and calculated values are close, which verifies the
theoretical small-signal analysis of the amplifier.
Without resistor:

Figure no 01

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 Figure no 02
With resistor:

Figure no 03

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 Figure no 04
Table 3.1 — DC Analysis
[Link]
Value Measured Simulated % Error

1
ID 0.20 mA 0.21 mA 4.7%

2
IS 0.20 mA 0.21 mA 4.7%

3
IG ≈0A ≈0A 0%

4
VGS 3.0 V 3.1 V 3.2%

5
VDS 12.06 V 12.00 V 0.5%

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Table 3.2 — Common-Source Amplifier WITH Load
Vsig Vi Vo Voltage Gain Voltage Gain
(Measured) (Calculated)

100 mVpp 100 mVpp 142 mVpp -1.42 -1.40

Table 3.3 — Common-Source Amplifier WITHOUT

Load
Vsig Vi Vo Voltage Gain Voltage Gain
(Measured) (Calculated)

100 mVpp 100 mVpp 209 mVpp -2.09 -2.07

Table 3.4 — WITH Load and WITHOUT Bypass

Capacitor
Vsig Vi Vo Voltage Gain Voltage Gain
(Measured) (Calculated)

100 mVpp 100 mVpp 26 mVpp -0.26 -0.25

Table 3.5 — WITHOUT Load and WITHOUT Bypass

Capacitor
Vsig Vi Vo Voltage Gain Voltage Gain
(Measured) (Calculated)

100 mVpp 100 mVpp 38 mVpp -0.38 -0.37

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Software Simulation:

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Post-Lab Tasks:
Question 1
Design common source amplifier in OrCAD with a mid-band voltage gain Av

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Question 2
What’s the significance of CS amplifier?
Answer
A common-source amplifier is one of three basic single-stage field-effect transistor
(FET)amplifier topologies, typically used as a voltage or transconductance amplifier.
The common-source (CS) amplifier may be viewed as a transconductance amplifier
or as a voltage amplifier. The FET device's output resistance typically is not high
enough for a reasonable transconductance amplifier, nor low enough for a decent
voltage amplifier.
If we place a resistor between the source terminal and ground, it basically stops the
drain current from changing too much and in result, keeps the Operating point almost
same even in the presence of huge temperature variations.
Question 3
List the biasing configurations for the common source amplifier and explain
them in detail with proper circuit diagrams
Answer
There are 5 biasing configurations for common source amplifier:
1. Basic N-channel JFET common source circuit.
2. Basic N-channel JFET common source circuit with source
degeneration.

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 3. Basic N-channel MOSFET common source amplifier with active load
ID.

4. Small Signal Circuit for N-channel MOSFET common source

amplifier.

5. Small Signal Circuit for N-channel MOSFET common source amplifier

using Miller’s theorem to introduce Miller’s capacitance.

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Question 4
Explain the effect of source resistance on the voltage gain and output impedance of
the amplifier
Answer
We can use the value of Rs to control the magnitude of the signal vgs and thus
ensure that vgs does not become too large and cause unacceptably high nonlinear
distortion. This is the first benefit of including resistor Rs. Rs cause the useful
bandwidth of the amplifier to be extended. The mechanism by which Rs causes such
improvement in amplifier performance is that of negative feedback. The price paid
for these improvements is a reduction in voltage gain. Including Rs, results in a gain
reduction by the factor (1 + gmRs). This factor is called the amount of Feedback and
it determines the magnitude of performance improvements and the reduction in gain.
Rs reduce the variability in ID. The action of Rs that reduces the variability of ID is
just a variation in ID. Because of its action in reducing the gain, Rs is called source
degeneration resistance.

Question 5
Explain the effects of Bypass capacitor on voltage gain.
Answer
The bypass capacitor makes the source resistor look almost like a short circuit to the
input AC signal. As a result, the full signal appears across the gate and source.
Without the bypass capacitor, some of the input signal is lost across the source-
toground resistor. With the bypass capacitor, almost the entire input signal appears
across the gate and source. Only the difference between the gate voltage and the
source voltage is amplified. The capacitor is nearly invisible to the DC bias circuit
but looks almost like a short to the AC gain circuit.

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NAME: Muhammad Noman Khalid
[Link]:FA22-BEE-169
3. Conclusion:
In this experiment, the operation and performance of a MOSFET common-source
amplifier were successfully analysed by observing the effects of load resistance and
source bypass capacitor on voltage gain and signal behaviour. The DC analysis
verified that the MOSFET operated in the saturation region with a stable bias point,
which is necessary for proper amplification. The AC simulation results showed that
the output signal was amplified and inverted by approximately 180°, confirming the
theoretical behaviour of a common-source configuration.
The results also demonstrated that the bypass capacitor plays a significant role in
increasing voltage gain by reducing the AC effect of the source resistor. When the
bypass capacitor was connected, the amplifier produced higher output amplitude due
to minimized source degeneration, whereas removing the capacitor reduced the gain
because of increased negative feedback. Similarly, the presence of load resistance
decreased the overall voltage gain, as part of the output signal dropped across the
load, which agrees with small-signal amplifier theory.
Overall, the measured and calculated results were closely matched, validating the
theoretical analysis and simulation approach. This lab provided practical
understanding of MOSFET amplifier design, biasing stability, gain control, and
frequency response characteristics. The experiment reinforced the importance of
component selection and circuit configuration in determining amplifier
performance, forming a strong foundation for more advanced multistage and
frequency-response amplifier studies.

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NAME: Muhammad Zakaria
[Link]:FA22-BEE-186
3. Conclusion:
In this lab, the common-source MOSFET amplifier was analysed to understand how
circuit components affect amplification. The results confirmed that the amplifier
provides voltage gain with phase inversion, and the DC biasing ensured stable
operation in the saturation region. It was observed that adding the source bypass
capacitor increased the AC gain by reducing source degeneration, while connecting
a load resistance decreased the gain due to loading effects at the output.
Overall, the experiment helped in linking theoretical small-signal analysis with
practical simulation results. The close agreement between calculated and observed
values shows that the common-source configuration is effective for voltage
amplification, and it highlights the importance of proper biasing and component
selection in analog circuit design.

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NAME: Muhammad Obaid Tahir
[Link]:FA22-BEE-193
3. Conclusion:
In this lab, we implemented and analyzed a Common-Source (CS) amplifier using
both breadboard and OrCAD simulation. We performed DC analysis to determine
ID, VGS, and VDS and compared the measured values with simulated results.
Through AC analysis, we calculated and measured the voltage gain and observed
how the amplifier behaves under different conditions.
By removing and reconnecting the load resistance and bypass capacitor, we clearly
observed their effects on voltage gain. The gain decreased when the load resistance
was connected due to loading effect, and it also reduced when the bypass capacitor
was removed because of increased negative feedback. From the results, we
concluded that the voltage gain is maximum when the bypass capacitor is connected
and no load is applied. Overall, this lab improved our understanding of CS amplifier
operation and the practical factors that affect amplifier performance.

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