CHAPTER 11 Output Stages and Power Amplifiers Introduction 91 M7 Power BJTs 943 TA Classification of Output Stages 912 1.8 Variations on the Class AB M2 Class A Output Stage 915 een” Tea M13 Class 8 Output stage 918 114 Class AB Output Stage 924 M1S Biasing the Class AB Circuit 929 U6 CMOS Class AB Output Stages 933, 119 IC Power Amplifiers 955 T119MOS Power Transistors 962 Summary 967 Problems 968 WILL LEARN 1. The classification of amplifier output stages BA tHe Basis Of the fraction of the cycle of an input sine wave during Whieh the transistor eonducts 2.Ana svety of output-stage types ranging from the Simple but power-inetficient emitter follawer (elas A) to the popular push-pull class AB circuit in both Sipolatand GMOS technologies 3. Thermal onsiderations in the design and fabrication of high-output- its 4 Useful and interesting circuit techniques employed inthe design of power amplifiers 5. Special types of MOS transistors optimized for Righ+Bower applications Introduction An imporsnt function ofthe ouput stage isto provide the amplifier wth low output esi ‘ance so that it can deliver the ouput sgl tothe load without agin Since the output stage isthe final stage of the ampli, usually deals with atively large signals Ths the Soalsigal approximations and models ether are not appeable ormust be wed with ar. Nevereess, linear 16 mp! eyuiement In fasta measure of goodness of the output stage isthe total harmonic distortion (THD) it introduces. This isthe ms eof the harmonic components ofthe ouput signal excluding the fundamental expressed !sapercenage ofthe ems o the fundamental. high idly audio power amplifier etures a THD of the order of a faction ofa percent The most challenging requirement inthe design ofan ouput stage is fortwo deliver the required amount of power to the loadin an fficiont manne. This implies thatthe power di Sipted inthe opt stage transistors must be as low as possible. Thi requirement stems ‘uny from the fact thatthe power dsipted in a tansitor rises its intemal junetion temi= perature, and there is a maximum temperature (in the range of 180°C to 200°C frsilicon {vices above which the transistor is destroyed. A high powereonversion efficiency also nay he required to prolong the fe of hateies employed in batery-powered crits, o permit ‘smaller, lower-cost power supply, o to obviate the need fer cooing fans ‘We begin this chapter witha sty ofthe various outputtage configurations employed ‘n amplifiers that handle both low and igh power. In ths context, “high power” generally ‘means greater than | W. We ten consider the spevifie requirements of BJTs employed in the design of high-power output stages, called power transistors, Special tention wil be ‘ito the thermal properties of such ranssto. onee 912 chapter 1. Output Stages and Power Amplifiers N2Ciass.A Output Stage 913 ‘A power amplifier is simply an amplifier with a high-power output sage. Fag te negive halves ofthe sinusoid wil Bs Bee pera tepites vil te peuct Sucre eae eh cee aa rem Ig ater OOS evr rage se ct ctr a nee re ll ii a Sec so a a a es 11.1 Classification of Output Stages ton 30 The ls A ns fa et tha at of cee ae lr Pe xg tor are eaten tet ri in ebedin the od how a oo lr Trout sign i pplied. Figite 111 llatrates the classification forthe cae of sama in sears stain tes ee Be coat eas eens waver ors ge Fig.) shows cleo une arr ae pees eset gas gat cores, frets opie sens tt te sr cua ill i cg a a ox een recta ont bc cman fat te conduc nls a Deane Desevineeccmctwercim etowime tig | Socn'szcim towe To ssan 2 saa eee eererrtate Str cmneteemiig | incr sywicl conus imtw x ere eis yas king nd costo tgle oT 100. awk oo 2 udp ie (Ch 1) cot er luo te undnevalcnpeet he Fl Se sgsofopanps an se pore ales, fare cae resort wil ened lr (olygeeiored i wer Geen fore enna at arnten) The deg ol Teun nt cael tur ol Hoy na far ces doer! n Char oye Ktug he Bi he tom we're lc dane evan tuniston ales our ap ter he caon se te pe gal sega he connce sn or (au Gc FET cuca) suet ecu 11.2 Class A Output Stage Bec of ow apt reine he nin soar We heady auld cme lover ChB a low eS 1.2.1 Transfer Characteristic 2 shows an emiter follower Q, biased with constant curent sop by tase ie emitercutent =the bas cen ste peste than the lanes nepaive bad cuent othenvise ets ff ands A operation will no longer be maintained The transfer characteristic of the emir fllower of Fig. 11.28 deserbed by 1) Where depends onthe emitter current, and thus on the loud cure If we nels the Figure 11 Caer crn waveoms fr ans pring in cls A, cas B68 AE sane ‘ for very factor-f-10 change emit ure) the elu eetenes ering in a cs A atively smal changes it (60 mV for every f —iT {914 chapter 11 Output Stages and Power Amplifiers Figure 1.2 An emir fue (g linear transfer curve shown in Fig. 11.3 results. As indicated, the positive lit of te ner region is determined by the saturation of Q,; thus o one f In the negative direction, depending on the values of Jad R,, the imi ofthe iearen's determined eer by Omi of ° Monn = FR ns Figure 13 Tn ecto he nite ower Fg 12 Thi nn ceil ‘tan eng gy ni Th map oup een 0, nthe nepive deco of heron Semin thes , wr mE shui cepecingo is f —_— ee M12.Class A Output stage 915, “Tee 4M a) 0 he absolutely lowest (most negative) op via Ht en by (1) and Ines provided the bas ume reser than the igi fhe erespondg od Voc + Va 1 ! ats @ 11.2 For the emiter follower in Fig. 1.2, VMs FegumO.2V, Pe = 07 ted coat, sd i ‘ery high Find the value ofthat wl establish bien cel age allow the largest posible output signal swing for, = 1 KL Determine he resuing output sil Swing an he Ans. 09 1 massa emir current fo, 148 Vio +148 V,0f0296mi 112 For the emite follower of Exercise 1.1 i Whi 168 mA, consider the case in which vis the range “10 Vio +10'V Let Qh 06 Vag mA, and assume = 1. Fd i 1S and +10 teach af thse point, te sli analysis to ftermine the soa gn, Noe tt he neem volgen gives the slope of th [Ans 036 V,0.67V, 1068 V; 0.995 ViV, 098 91, 0990.V7¥ 11.2.2 Signal Waveforms Consider the operation of the emiterfalower cieait of Fig. UL2 for sinewave inp Neglecting Vs we se that the bis curent /s propely selested he ouipel vole ea sing fom —J 10+ wath the quiescent vale being 2, as shown in Fig. 1A) Fig ats foe Nowe, assuming thi tbe bis wicumeat of Wec/Ry thats caeat is selected to allow a maximum negative 1 = Ve/Ra the collector curent of @, will have the waveform shown ia Fig. 11.4). Finally, Fig 114i) shows the waveform ofthe instantaneous power dissipation in Q, nee 16 11.2.3 Power Dissipation gue 1144) indicates thatthe maximum instantaneous power dissipation in, Vc This is equal tothe power dissipation in Q, with mo input signal applied, tht is, the quiescent ower dissipation. Thus the emiter- follower transstor dsp the largest amount of power ben =O Since this condition (no inpt signal) ean ex peal for prolonged periods of tine, transistor Q, mast beable to withstand a continuous power dissipation of FI