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EE3020 Design Laboratory 5 – Common-Emitter

Amplifier
Dayne, Bauer

Abstract—This document covers the design, testing, and

analysis of a common-emitter amplifier circuit with the goal of Using the emitter current and the value for early voltage ro3 was
reaching a gain greater than 30 dB, having an output voltage swing found using (7).
of 2 volts peak-to-peak with minimal clipping, and have the second
harmonic be relatively small compared to the first when a small- 𝑉𝐴
signal voltage is input into the circuit. The results garnered from 𝑟𝑜3 = (7)
𝐼𝐸
testing were marginally close to the anticipated outcomes with the
major issue being that the output signal clips at any given input
and any given frequency, this is due to a lack of gain in the circuit, Using all of the previously calculated values gain was then
however, attempts to rectify the issue proved unsuccessful. The determined using (8).
design for the common-emitter amplifier followed specifications
based on the limitations in gain, voltage swing, and maximum (𝑟𝑜3 ||𝑅𝐵 ||𝑟𝜋 )
𝐺𝑉 = 𝑔𝑚 (𝑟𝑜 ||𝑅𝐿 ||𝑅𝐶 ) (8)
current draw from VDD. The cost of the project amounted to $2.77, (𝑅𝑠𝑖𝑔 +𝑟𝑜3 ||𝑅𝐵 ||𝑟𝜋 )
and it took 15 hours to complete when accounting for time
designing, constructing, testing, and documenting.
Finally the capacitor values were calculated using previously
Index Terms— gain, small-signal, collector current, emitter
current, common-emitter amplifier. calculated values and an assumption that the frequency was 100
Hz in (9) - (11).
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I. INTRODUCTION 𝑓𝐶𝐶1 = 100 = ||𝑟
(9)
2𝜋𝐶𝐶1 (𝑅𝑆𝑖𝑔 +𝑅𝐵 ||𝑟𝑜 𝑜3 ||𝑟𝜋 )

T
1
HIS project consists of the construction and testing of a 𝑓𝐶𝐶2 = 100 = (10)
2𝜋𝐶𝐶2 (𝑅𝐿 +𝑅𝐶 ||𝑟𝑜 ||𝑟𝑜3 )
common-emitter amplifier. It began with calculating the
component values required to achieve the desired gain 1
for the circuit while maintaining design parameters. To 𝐶𝐸 = 𝑟𝜋+ 𝑅𝐵 ||𝑅𝑠𝑖𝑔 (11)
200𝜋( )
𝛽+1
accomplish this the value for the collector current was chosen
to be 6 mA so that the base current would be 60 µA and other
component values such as rπ, ro, RREF, and transconductance
(gm) could be found using (1) - (4).
Using the above equations, the component values were found
𝐼𝑐 to be 820 Ω, 1.5 kΩ, and 39 kΩ with the capacitor values being 1
𝑔𝑚 = (1) µF, 4.7 µF, and 470 µF which after testing were changed to be 820
𝑉𝑇
𝑉𝑇
𝑟𝜋 = (2) Ω, 1.5 kΩ, and 51 kΩ and capacitors 10 µF, 47 µF, and 680 µF
𝐼𝐵
𝑉𝐴 and gain was determined to be 38 dB.
𝑟𝑜 = (3)
𝐼𝑐
𝑉𝐶𝐶 −0.7 II. PROCEDURE
𝑅𝑅𝐸𝐹 = (4)
𝐼𝑐 ∗2𝐼𝐵
The design for the circuit created during this project was
done by hand calculation using predictive math solutions as a
starting point. The following circuit was then constructed.
The collector current was then used to calculate RC and RB
using (5) and (6) as well as a modified rule of thirds to assist in
determining RB.

5
𝑅𝐶 = (5)
𝐼𝑐
0 = 5 − 0.7 − 2 − 𝐼𝐵 𝑅𝐵 (6)

Paper was submitted to canvas May 8th ,2023. University of Wisconsin Platteville student. Current email is
bauerday@uwplatteville.edu
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Fig. 1. displays a common-emitter amplifier circuit with a

gain of 38 dB. Fig. 2. Displays the output signal (in blue) of the common-
emitter amplifier at 2 volts peak-to-peak.

III. EQUIPMENT/PARTS LIST

TABLE I
COST SUMMARY

Unit Description Quantity Unit Price Unit Total Part Number

($) [1][2] ($)
2N3904 BJT 3 0.42 1.26 2N3904
10 µF Capacitor 1 0.28 0.28 667-ECA-
1VM100
51 kΩ Resistor 1 0.10 0.10 CF14JT51K0
1.5 kΩ Resistor 1 0.10 0.10 CF14JT1K50
1 kΩ Resistor 2 0.10 0.20 CF14JT1K00
47 µF Capacitor 1 0.36 0.36 581-
REH0611470
M050B
820 Ω Resistor 1 0.10 0.10 CF14JT820R
100 Ω Resistor 1 0.10 0.10 CFM12JT100
R
680 µF Capacitor 1 0.30 0.30 EY1C680HP2 Fig. 3. Displays the gain of the common-emitter amplifier at
0511EU 37 dB.
Total 12 - 2.77

IV. RESULTS
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the corner being 34.4 dB and the frequency being roughly 1.6
MHz.

V. DISCUSSION
The laboratory results for the circuit were off from predicted
values with a gain of roughly 37 V/V which is 1 dB lower than
predicted however, the output signal of the circuit had
considerable levels of clipping at almost every input leading to
data where clipping wasn’t present being unavailable for this
project. Several steps were taken to attempt to reduce the levels
of clipping those being swapping out resistors to attempt to
increase gain, making capacitors larger to get a more stable
circuit, swapping out transistors to determine if they were of
poor quality, and adding a voltage divider to attempt to stabilize
the circuit further. While these attempts did mitigate some of
the clipping some clipping was still present and ultimately
rebuilding the circuit on another board produced results that
were within specifications.

VI. TIME ALLOCATION

Task Time Taken (Hours)
Design/Calculations 1
Construction 1
Fig. 4. Displays the harmonics of the common-emitter
Testing 11
amplifier where the difference between the first and second
Report 2
harmonics is 19.8 dB.
Total 15

VII. CONCLUSION
This project had the purpose of familiarizing students with
the design and use of a BJT amplifier circuit as well as the use
of a current mirror. The knowledge gained will assist students
in further use with biasing BJTs, controlling their gain, and
learning about harmonics.

Fig. 5. Displays the lower 3 dB corner of the bode plot VIII. REFERENCES
generated from the common-emitter amplifier with the gain at [1] Mouser (2023). Mouser Electronics, Available:
the corner being 33.6 dB and the frequency being roughly 55 Electronic Components Distributor - Mouser Electronics
Hz. [2] DigiKey (2023). DigiKey Electronics, Available:
DigiKey Electronics - Electronic Components Distributor

[3] Onsemi (2021, August). General Purpose Transistors,

Available: 2N3903 - General Purpose Transistors
(onsemi.com)

Fig. 6. Displays the upper 3 dB corner of the bode plot

generated from the common-emitter amplifier with the gain at