ECE 306 Lab 3 Single Transistor Amplifiers

ECE 306 Lab #3

Common Collector (CC) and Common Emitter (CE) Amplifiers

Objectives

1. To understand the operational characteristics of a common collector (CC) amplifier

2. To examine the gain characteristics of a CC amplifier.
3. To determine the input impedance of the CC amplifier.
4. To understand the operational characteristics of a common emitter (CE) amplifier.
5. To be able determine the maximum output available from a basic CE amplifier.
6. To examine the effect of adding an emitter bypass capacitor to the CE amplifier circuit.
7. To understand how input impedance can be measured.

Parts

Transistor: 2N3904, β = 100-400 typical.

Resistors: (2)1KΩ, (2)10KΩ, 68KΩ, 18KΩ, 100Ω, 15 k, (2)2.2KΩ, 1.2KΩ, 1KΩ, 82Ω, and 15Ω.
Capacitors: 1000µF, 100µF, 10µF, and 1µF and (2) 0.22µF

Procedure

Common Collector Configuration

1. Construct the circuit shown in Fig. 1 Note 3 values of RL will be used in the following
procedures. RL = 10KΩ, 1.0KΩ and 100 Ω. Start with RL = 1KΩ.

Vcc = +15V
R3 9.1K

+ C4 C5
C3 R2 47uF 0.1uF to 1.0uF
0.1uF to 1.0uF 25 V Cer.
9.1K
Cer.
Vc
Vin Q1
2N3904
C1 0.22uF Ve
+

Vo
Vs R1
C2 100uF
RE
68K
1K RL
1K GND

Figure 1

Use no more jumper wires than necessary to complete the circuit. Long leads will provide capacitive
coupling and/or inductive connections between different parts of the circuit and can cause oscillations
that will interfere with the measurements. Make all connections as short and as close to the
breadboard as possible. C3 and C4 are in the circuit to help eliminate high frequency oscillation,
which sometimes occur on bread-boarded circuits in the laboratory. These capacitors are not part of
the ideal amplifier circuit, but make up for some of the non-ideal characteristics of the bread-board
implementation.

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 ECE 306 Lab 3 Single Transistor Amplifiers
2. With no signal input to the circuit, measure the DC node voltages, Vc, VB = Vin, & Ve with
respect to ground.

Some of the following steps will be repeated with three different values of RL = 10KΩ, 1KΩ, and
100Ω. Start with RL = 1KΩ. We do this because sometimes the basic amplifier parameters vary with
the load impedance.

3. Set the function generator to 2KHz. Observe the input signal, Vin, and VO, the output signal
across RL. Then increase the input signal amplitude, Vs, until clipping is observed at the output.
Record the maximum output voltage that contains no visible sign of clipping or distortion of the
output waveform.

4. Record the 2 different input voltages at which transistor saturation and transistor cutoff occurs.
Saturation will cause clipping at the top of the VO waveform in this circuit. Cutoff will cause
clipping at the bottom of the VO waveform in this circuit.

5. Reduce the input level so the output is approximately one half the value of the maximum
undistorted output level and measure the input and output voltage (Vin and Vo). Calculate the
voltage gain Av. The voltage gain will be slightly less than one.

6. Using the oscilloscope determine the phase angle at 2KHz as accurately as possible.

Equivalent circuit of an Amplifier

Figure 2

Input Impedance: The input impedance is measured by creating a voltage divider using a series
resistor, R, and the Thévenin equivalent input resistance of the amplifier circuit, Rin. By providing a
sinusoidal input through a 10KΩ series resistor to the input of the amplifier circuit, you can determine
the voltage across R by subtracting Vin from VS. This voltage divided by the resistor value to obtain
the input current into the amplifier circuit. Knowing that the same current that flows through the series
resistor R also flows into the equivalent circuit, Rin, you can determine the input resistance as follows:

Iin = (Vs - Vin) / R = VR / R

then Rin = Vin / Iin
Combining the equations gives
Rin = R * Vin /(Vs - Vin) = R * Vin /VR

7. Insert a 10KΩ resistor in series with the function generator and set the frequency at 2000 Hz.
With RL = 1KΩ, set Vs to about 2 Vrms. then check the output waveform if clipping is observed
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 ECE 306 Lab 3 Single Transistor Amplifiers
on the output then reduce the voltage until no distortion is seen. Carefully measure the voltage
of Vs and Vin, Fig. 2, and use the formulas above to calculate Iin and Rin.

7a. Repeat step 7 with RL = 10KΩ

7b. Repeat srep 7 with RL = 100Ω (clipping is most likely to occur with this value of load).

Output Thévenin Equivalent

8. Remove the 10KΩ series resistor from the input of the amplifier and connect the input directly
to the function generator. With RL = 100Ω, set the generator at 2000 Hz. Observe the output
waveform. If there is distortion of the output waveform then reduce the input signal level.
Measure Vin and Vo.

9. Replace RL with 1KΩ and repeat the measurements of Vin and Vo, making sure the input level
to the amplifier, Vin, has not changed (adjust if necessary).

10. Replace RL with 10KΩ and repeat the measurements of Vin and Vo, making sure the input level
to the amplifier has not changed.

RL should be 10KΩ now.

11. Set the function generator at 2 kHz. Connect an oscilloscope to observe the input signal, Vin,
and VO, the output signal across RL. Then increase the input signal amplitude, Vs, until clipping
is observed at the output. Record the maximum output voltage that contains no sign of clipping
or distortion of the output waveform.

12. Record the 2 different input voltages at which transistor saturation and transistor cutoff occurs.
Saturation will cause clipping at the top of the VO waveform in this circuit. Cutoff will cause
clipping at the bottom of the VO waveform in this circuit.

13. Reduce the input level so the output is approximately one half the value of the maximum
undistorted output level and measure the input and output voltage (Vin and Vo). Calculate the
voltage gain Av. The voltage gain should be slightly less than one.

14. Using the oscilloscope determine the phase angle at 2 kHz as accurately as possible.

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 ECE 306 Lab 3 Single Transistor Amplifiers

Common Emitter (CE) configuration

Construct the circuit shown in Fig. 3

The emitter resistor bypass capacitor, CE, will not be used for the first set of measurements.

Vcc = +12V
R3 5.6K

C3 + C4 C5
0.1uF to 1.0uF R2 Rc 47uF 0.1uF to 1.0uF
Cer. 25 V Cer.
6.2K 2.2K

C2 1uF
Vc
C1 10uF Vo
Vin
+

Q1
RL
2N3904
2.2K

R1
Ve GND

Vs 1.2K
RE1
15 Ohm

CE
RE2
+
1000uF
82 Ohm
16V

Figure 3

1. With no ac signal input to the circuit, measure the DC node voltages Vcc, Vc, VB = Vin, &
Ve with respect to ground. Next calculate the actual Q-point current, ICQ = (VCC - VC)/ RC, and
voltage VCEQ.

Procedures 2 – 7 will be completed without, CE, the emitter resistor bypass capacitor,
connected in parallel with the lower emitter resistor, RE2. Procedure 8-13 are the same as 2-7
except with CE in place as shown in Fig.3.

2. Set the function generator at 2 KHz. Connect an oscilloscope to observe the input signal, Vs,
and the output signal, VO, and increase the input signal amplitude, Vs, until clipping is
observed. Then reduce the input until the maximum output voltage that contains no sign of
clipping is found.

3. Next record the input voltage at which the effects of transistor saturation and transistor cutoff
are first seen on the output. For this circuit saturation effects will be seen as clipping at the
bottom of the waveform and cutoff effects will be seen as clipping or distortion at the top of the
waveform.

4. Reduce the input level to about half the value that first caused distortion. Then measure and
record Vin and Vout, the ac input and output voltages. You can use the oscilloscope or the DMM
for these measurements since the Agilent 34401A DMMs are accurate up to 300KHz. Also
measure the period, T, and the time between the rising edge zero crossings of Vin and Vout.
Then calculate the voltage gain, Av = Vout / Vin, and the phase shift, θ = 360Δt / T, at each of
the following frequencies: 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1K, 2K, 5K, 10K, 20K, 50K and 100K Hz.
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 ECE 306 Lab 3 Single Transistor Amplifiers

Make sure there is no sign of distortion or clipping on the output waveform before each
measurement. The gain should be about 10 at the higher frequencies without the bypass
capacitor and about 30 to 50 with the bypass capacitor across RE2. The phase angles should be
between 0 degrees and -200 degrees.

Input Impedance: Measure the input impedance just as you did for the CC amplifier.

5. Insert a 1KΩ resistor in series with the signal generator and set the frequency at 2KHz.
Measure the voltages. Then remove the resistor and measure its actual value. Use these
measurements to calculate Rin. Make sure there is no distortion in the output voltage
before making these measurements.

Thévenin Equivalent Equivalent circuit of an Amplifier

Figure 4

6. Remove the extra resistor R to return to the original circuit configuration and set the function
generator tp 2KHz. Increase the amplitude until the output is approximately 500mV RMS
making sure there is no distortion on the output.

7. Measure Vout with RL in place. Next remove RL and re-measure Vout making sure no change
has been made to Vin. The measurement with RL removed gives you the open circuit output
voltage, AVOCVin, which when divided by Vin gives the open circuit voltage gain, AVOC. The
measurement with RL connected gives you enough information to calculate the output
resistance. The only thing left unknown is Rout after you make the measurements.

Put capacitor CE in the circuit now.

8. Repeat step 2.
9. Repeat step 3.
10. Repeat step 4.
11. Repeat step 5.
12. Repeat step 6.
13. Repeat step 7.

Calculations/ Questions:

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 ECE 306 Lab 3 Single Transistor Amplifiers
For the CC configuration:
1. Calculate the voltage gain for each load resistor used.
2. Calculate the theoretical maximum undistorted output swing available from this circuit. (How far is
the Q-point from the saturation and cutoff points?) Remember parts of the ac current flow through
both the emitter resistor and the load resistor. Compare with the experiment results for each
value of RL.
3. Calculate the input impedance, Rin = Vin / Iin, of the amplifier for each value of load resistor.
4. Plot a graph of Vout vs. IL (use IL = Vout / RL) using the data obtained with the three different values
of RL. This graph gives a straight line Vout = VOC - ILRout. The slope of this line is -Rout. The value of
VOC can be found by extending the line to IL = 0 or by using regression analysis (available in the
spreadsheet) to find both the slope and intercept.
5. Determine the Thévenin equivalent circuit of the amplifier output.

NOTE: The Thévenin equivalent of the output can be found by solving for VOC and Rout. VOC =
AVOC*VIN. Note: you did not take measurements for determining the open circuit voltage gain, AVOC.
You must find AVOC from the values of VOC and VIN.

RL VOC
Vout  VOC and IL 
RL  Rout RL  R out

Rout

Vin Rin Vout

AVOCVin

Small Signal Mid-Band Model of the Amplifier

6. Using your calculated values of, Rin, and the voltage gain for each load resistance, calculate the
current gain for each case.

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 ECE 306 Lab 3 Single Transistor Amplifiers
For the CE configuration:

7. Calculate all the DC currents in the circuit. Then calculate the DC power dissipated in each
resistor and the power supplied by the “battery”.

8. Calculate the voltage gain, AV = Vout / Vin, at each frequency tested. Convert the gain to dB,
20log10, Plot a graph of voltage gain(dB) vs. frequency for both circuits

9. From the graph created in the previous step, determine the mid-band gain. This should be where
the gain levels off in the frequency range above 1 kHz. Then determine the lower cutoff, -3dB,
frequency. Make sure you plot the graph large enough to get an accurate estimate of this
frequency. In this experiment, the highest frequencies should be in the mid-band range. How
does the circuit with the bypass capacitor across RE2 compare to the circuit without the bypass
capacitor?

10. Plot a semi-log graph of phase angle vs. frequency for both circuits. How does the phase shift
compare between the two circuits? What is the approximate phase shift at the lower cutoff
frequency?

11. Using the DC voltage measurements and calculated currents draw a graph of the DC load line for
the collector emitter loop. Mark the Q-point on this load line. Draw the ac load line through the Q-
point at a slope of -1/Rac, where Rac = RL||RC + the un-bypassed part of RE. From this graph you
can determine the theoretical maximum undistorted output swing available from this circuit. Look
at the voltage difference between VCEQ and the saturation voltage (approx. 0.2 V) and the
difference between VCEQ and the cutoff voltage (where the ac load line crosses the VCE axis). The
maximum symmetrical peak to peak voltage swing will be approximately twice the minimum of
these two differences. Compare this value with the experimental results. Remember
VRMS  VPP ( 2 2 )  VP 2 for sine waves.

12. How does the input impedance compare between the two amplifiers?

13. Determine the Thévenin equivalent circuit of each amplifier.

RL
NOTE: From the Thévenin equivalent of the output circuit Vout  VOC : Solve for Rout
RL  Rout

Rout

Vin Rin Vout

AVOCVin

Small Signal Mid-Band Model of the Amplifier

14. How do the two equivalents compare?

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 ECE 306 Lab 3 Single Transistor Amplifiers

Questions:
1. Summarize the main differences in performance between the CE amplifier and the CC
amplifier.
2. Summarize the difference between voltage gain and current gain in the two amplifier
configurations and give a possible use for each.
3. Does the CC amplifier provide greater current gain or greater voltage gain?
4. What is the maximum voltage gain achieved from the CC amplifier configuration? When did it
occur?
5. What is the maximum current gain achieved from the CC amplifier configuration? When did it
occur?
6. For the CE configuration, explain how the input signal is amplified and why it is inverted at the
output.
7. For the CE configuration, explain the purpose of the two capacitors, C1 and C2.
8. For the CE configuration, why does the emitter resistor bypass capacitor increase the voltage
gain?
9. For the CE configuration, why does the emitter resistor bypass capacitor decrease the input
impedance?
10. What effect does the emitter resistor bypass capacitor have on the output impedance of the
CE amplifier and why?

Reference:
Hambley, Allan R., "Electronics," 2nd Ed. Prentice Hall, 2000, pp.258-266
Sedra and Smith, "Microelectronic Circuits," 5th Ed. Oxford University Press, 2004, pp. 467-483

Acknowledgement:
Original lab material developed by J. David Gillanders, Arkansas State University.

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