Chapter 10 Amplifier Frequency Response
Objectives
Discuss frequency response of an amplifier Express the gain of an amplifier in decibels (dB) Analyze the frequency response of a BJT amplifier Analyze the frequency response of an FET amplifier Analyze the frequency response of a multistage amplifier
Introduction
Most amplifiers have a finite range of frequencies in which they will operate. We will discuss what determines the frequency response of an amplifier circuit and how it is measured.
Basic Concepts
In previous analysis of amplifier circuits we disregarded the reactance of the capacitors. You should already be familiar with the characteristics of a capacitor. We will discuss how the capacitor limits the passage of certain frequencies. This is called the frequency response of an amplifier.
Basic Concepts
Coupling capacitors C1 and C3 limit the passage of very low frequencies. Emitter bypass C2 capacitor will have high reactance to low frequencies as well, limiting the gain. Also the capacitance causes a phase shift of the signal.
Figure 102 Nonzero reactance of the bypass capacitor in parallel with RE creates an emitter impedance, (Ze), which reduces the voltage gain.
Basic Concepts
Internal capacitance of BJTs and FETs comes into play at high frequencies limiting the gain. Remember reactance is low at high frequencies.
Figure 104 AC equivalent circuit for a BJT amplifier showing effects of the internal capacitances Cbe and Cbc.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Figure 105 General case of Miller input and output capacitances. C represents Cbc or Cgd.
Thomas L. Floyd Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Basic Concepts
Millers theorem allows us to view the internal capacitances as external capacitors for better understanding of the effect they have on the frequency response.
The Decibel
The decibel is a common unit of measurement of voltage gain and frequency response. It is a logarithmic measurement of the ratio of one power to another or one voltage to another. The formulas below are used for calculation of decibels for power gain and voltage gain.
Ap(db) = 10 log Ap Av(db) = 20 log Av
Figure 107
Normalized voltage gain versus frequency curve.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Voltage gain vs Frequency curve
This typical voltage gain vs frequency curve illustrates the relationship of gain measurement in decibels. Note that every 6 dB represents a doubling or halving of gain.
The critical frequency
The critical frequency, also known as the cutoff frequency, is the frequency at which the output power drops by 3 dB, which represents one-half of its midrange value. An output voltage drop of 3 dB represents about a 70.7% drop from the midrange value. Power is often measured in units of dBm. This is decibels with reference to 1 mW of power. This means that 0 dBm = 1 mW.
Low-Frequency Amplifier Response
Low-Frequency Amplifier Response
In looking at the low frequency ac equivalent circuit of a capacitor coupled amplifier, we can see there are three RC circuits that will limit low frequency response. The input at the base, the output at the collector, and the emitter.
Low-Frequency Amplifier Response The input RC circuit
The input circuits effects on the signal at a given frequency can be more easily understood by looking at this simplified input circuit. The frequency at which the gain is down by 3 dB is called the lower critical frequency (fc). This frequency can be determined by the formula below.
fc = 1/2RinC1
Low-Frequency Amplifier Response
The decrease in voltage gain with frequency is called the roll-off. A ten times change in frequency is called a decade. The attenuation measured in dB at each decade is is the dB/decade. This typical dB Av vs frequency illustrates the relationship. Sometimes roll-off is expressed in dB/octave, which is a doubling or halving of the frequency.
Figure 1012 input RC circuit.
Phase angle versus frequency for the
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Low-Frequency Amplifier Response
Phase shifting occurs at the lower frequencies as the capacitive reactance increases. This occurs in all of the capacitive parts of the circuits at low frequencies.
Figure 1013 The input RC circuit causes the base voltage to lead the input voltage below midrange by an amount equal to the circuit phase angle, .
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Low-Frequency Amplifier Response The output RC circuit
The output RC circuit affects the response similarly to the input RC circuit. The formula below is used to determine the cutoff frequency of the output circuit.
fc = 1/2(RC + RL)C3
Figure 1014 Development of the equivalent lowfrequency output RC circuit.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Low-Frequency Amplifier Response The bypass RC circuit
The bypass RC circuit is no different in its effect on the gain at low frequencies. Thevenin analysis can be applied to the bypass circuit along with the formula below. Detailed discussion of the use of Thevenins theorem and formulas are within the text.
Figure 1016 Development of the equivalent bypass RC circuit.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
EX. 10-6
Low-Frequency Amplifier Response FET Amplifiers
The input and output capacitors limit the low frequency response of the FET just as they do with the BJT. Calculations are similar as well.
Figure 1019 Input RC circuit for the FET amplifier in Figure 1018.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Figure 1021 Development of the equivalent low-frequency output RC circuit.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
EX. 10-8
The Bode Plot Figure 1023 An RC circuit and its low-frequency response.
(Blue is ideal; red is actual.)
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Total Low-Frequency Amplifier Response
The combined effect of each capacitor is shown in this Bode plot of the frequency response.
Figure 1025 Composite Bode plot of an amplifier response where all RC circuits have the same fc. (Blue is ideal; red is actual.)
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
EX. 10-9
Figure 1027 Ideal Bode plot for the total low-frequency response of the amplifier in Figure 1026.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
High-Frequency Amplifier Response
High-frequency response is limited by internal capacitances of the transistors. These act like shunts around the transistor. Note these are undesirable. Detailed analysis using Millers theorem is discussed further within the text.
Figure 1029
High-frequency equivalent circuit after applying Millers theorem.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Figure 1030
Development of the equivalent high-frequency input RC circuit.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
EX. 10-10
Figure 1032 High-frequency equivalent input RC circuit for the amplifier in Figure 1031.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Figure 1033
Development of the equivalent high-frequency output RC circuit.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Figure 1035 Example of a JFET amplifier and its high-frequency equivalent circuit.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Figure 1036
High-frequency equivalent circuit after applying Millers theorem.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Figure 1037
Input RC circuit.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Figure 1039
Output RC circuit.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Total High-Frequency Amplifier Response
The Bode plot of the high frequency response shown shows the combined effects of each internal capacitance.
Figure 1041
A BJT amplifier and its generalized ideal response curve (Bode plot).
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Total Frequency Response
This plot shows the total combined effects of both the coupling capacitors and the internal capacitances.
Figure 1043 Simplified response curve where fcl is negligible (assumed to be zero) compared to fcu.
Thomas L. Floyd
Electronic Devices, 7e
Copyright 2005 by Pearson Education, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Total Frequency Response
In determining the total frequency response of a multistage amplifier, each stages frequency response must be considered.
When the critical frequency of each stage is different, the lowest and highest cutoff frequencies determine the bandwidth. When the critical frequencies of each stage are the same, it increases the low frequency cutoff and decreases the high frequency cutoff.
Frequency Response Measurement
Frequency response measurement can be made with a function generator and an oscilloscope by checking the output voltage across the frequency spectrum. The step-response measurement can be used by applying a step voltage, first observing the rise time for the upper cutoff frequency and the fall time for lower cutoff frequency.
Summary
Capacitances both internal and external limit frequency response. Critical frequency or cutoff is when the output voltage is at 70.7% of the mid-range value. High and low cutoff are determined by the dominant critical frequencies. The bandwidth of an amplifier is the difference between the upper and lower critical frequencies.