ELECTRONIC DEVICES & CIRCUITS

SKEE 1073

Chapter 5
 Multistage Amplifiers

 The output of one amplifier is the input to the

next amplifier.

 The overall voltage gain is determined by the

product of gains of the individual stages.

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 Example

A1 = (36 mV)/(900 µV) = 40

A2 = (1.25 V)/(36 mV) = 34.722
A3 = (21 V)/(1.25 V) = 16.8

Aall = v3/v1 = A1 A2 A3 = (40)(34.722)(16.8) = 23,333

or
Aall = v3/v1 = (21 V)/( 900 mV) = 23,333
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 Coupling The Multistage Amplifiers

 There are several techniques used to couple

or connect the output of one stage to the
input of the next stage. Two techniques that
highlighted in this course:

(i) Capacitor or R-C coupling

(ii) Direct coupling

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 (i) R-C Coupled Amplifiers
Example:
BJT-BJT RC-Coupled Amplifiers

RL

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 RL

Input impedance, first stage: Voltage gain:

Zi  RBB1 r A V1  gm1 Z O1 Zi2 

Output impedance, second stage: A V2  gm2 Z O RL 

Z o  R C2 A V  A V1  A V2
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 Discuss Find:
• Input and output impedance
Example:
BJT-FET RC-Coupled Amplifiers • Voltage gain

Q1:  = 120, VBE = 0.7V, VA = ∞ , VT = 26 mV

Q2: k = 0.5 mA/V2, VT = 2V
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 (ii) Direct Coupled Amplifiers
Example:
BJT-BJT Direct-Coupled Amplifiers

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  gm1 Z O1 Zi2 
Input impedance, first stage: Voltage gain: A V1 
1  gm1RE1
Zi  RBB1 rπ  (1 β1 )RE1   gm2 Z O RL 
A V2 
1  gm2RE2
Ouput impedance, second stage: A V  A V1  A V2
Z o  R C2
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 Discuss All E-MOSFETs have Cgs = 5 pF and Cgd = 1.2 pF
Q1 and Q2: k = 0.25 mA/V2; VT = ∣3∣ V
Example:
FET-FET Direct-Coupled Amplifiers Q3: k = 0.5 mA/V2; VT = 2 V

Find:
• Input and output impedance
• Voltage gain
VDD = 20 V
RS2
RD1
4.1 k C3 = 6 µF
R1 6.8 k
1.5 M
Q2
C1 = 0.15 µF
Q1
Q3
RSig
50  C4 = 0.6 µF
R2
RS1 C2 RD2
1 M RS3 RL
vs 4.7 k 7 µF 36 k
10 k 10 k

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 Notes:
 This example is a CE–CB combination. This
dedicated arrangement known as Cascode
Amplifier
Example:  Refer Additional Notes
BJT-BJT Direct-Coupled Amplifiers

RC

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Voltage gain: A V1  g m1 R C1 || Zi2 
A V2  g m2 R C2
A V  A V1  A V2
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 For both transistors:
Discuss
 = 100; VBE = 0.7 V;

Example: Cbc = 4 pF; Cbe = 10 pF

BJT-BJT Direct-Coupled Amplifiers
Find:
VCC = 20 V • Input and output impedance
• Voltage gain

RC
4.3 k
R1 Q2
8.2 k C4 = 4.7 µF RL
C1 = 2.2 µF 10k
Q1
C2 C3
RS 100 µF 10 µF R4 = 6.8 k
600  R2 VCC = 20 V
1.5 k RE R3
vs 1 k 2.7 k
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 Exercise:
Discuss
(Final Exam 2006/07 semester 2)
Given the following transistors parameters:
BJT : VBE = 0.7 V IC2 = 2 mAhfe =  = 200
E-MOSFET : k = 0.8 mA/V2 VT = VGS(Th) = 1 V
(a) Perform dc analysis to determine IDQ.
(b) Draw the mid-frequency ac equivalent circuit.
(c) Calculate Ai = iL/ii in dB and Zi2 for the amplifier system.
V1 = 15 V

R2 IC2
R4
3.9 k
C2 = 1F 20 k
Q2
IDQ C3
R5 iL
RS = 600 C1 20 k
ii
Q1 R6 RL
R1 3.3 k 10 k
vs
1M Zi2
Q3 C4

R3
6.8 k

V2 = -15 V 14
 FAQ
• Give the advantages of multistage amplifier compare to single stage amplifier
The gain provided by the multistage amplifier is greater than the gain of single stage amplifier
where the gain of two stage amplifier is the product of the gain of the individual stages.
To amplify a small signal to a sufficient level, so that it can travel to a large distance from the first
stage till the last stage.

• What is the purpose of coupling and bypass capacitors commonly used in small-signal
amplifiers?
At DC all coupling capacitors act as open circuits. This will isolate the DC signals of the biasing
circuit from the input signal vs and the load resistance RL respectively. At signal frequencies (mid-
band) all coupling capacitors and bypass capacitors are assumed to be short circuits. Input signal
vs will be coupled to the input of an amplifier and output of the amplifier will be coupled to the
load. Bypass capacitors will bypass common terminal to ground according to amplifiers
configuration.

• What is the advantage and disadvantage of having coupling capacitor in the multistage
amplifier circuit?
Advantage: DC analysis can be done separately for the two stages/The coupling capacitor isolates
the two stages from a dc viewpoint.
Disadvantage: The capacitor tends to limit the low-frequency response. 15
 FAQ
• Why MOSFET sometimes is used at the input stage?
To obtain high input resistance.

• State the advantage and disadvantage of using direct coupling method in multi-stage
amplifier circuits?
Advantage:
Simple connection using single wire and will not affect low frequency response.
Low cost because the absence of expensive coupling devices.
Disadvantage:
Any change in the DC voltage at the output of one stage produces an identical change in DC
voltage at the input to the next stage.
The operating point is shifted due to temperature variations.
It cannot be used for amplifying high frequencies (except for cascade configuration)

• Why C-E to C-B direct coupling configuration has advantage in terms of frequency response.
An arrangement of electronic active devices that combines two amplifier stages for increased
output resistance and reduced parasitic capacitance (thus reduces Miller input capacitance),
resulting in high gain with increased bandwidth making this combination suitable for high-
frequency application.
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Additional Notes

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 Cascode Amplifier
• Cascode amplifier is a two stage circuit consisting of a
transconductance amplifier followed by a buffer amplifier.
• Generally constructed using FET ( field effect transistor) or BJT
( bipolar junction transistor).
• One stage will be usually wired in common source/common
emitter mode and the other stage will be wired in common
base/ common emitter mode.
• Advantages over the single stage amplifier:
– better input output isolation,
– better gain,
– improved bandwidth, (due to reduction of Miller effect)
– higher input impedance,
– higher output impedance,
– better stability, higher slew rate etc. 18
 Examples of Cascode Amplifier

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascode 19
 Example: CE amplifier directly coupled with a CB amplifier.
 This arrangement provides high input impedance but a
low voltage gain.
 The low voltage gain of the input stage reduces the Miller
input capacitance, making this combination suitable for
high-frequency applications.
1
CMi  Cbc (1 A V ) fHi 
2πR THi Ci

If AV approach unity, CMi

will be minimum.
RC
Therefore Ci=CMi+Cbe+Cwi
will also be minimum.
Thus fHi will increase.
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 CE vs CB Amplifier

Common Emitter Common Base

• High voltage gain • High voltage gain
• High input resistance • Low input resistance
• Moderate output resistance • High output resistance
• Poor high-frequency • Good high-frequency
performance response.

If the CE is combined with the CB, a device that has good frequency
behavior and high input resistance can be obtained

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