1 Electronics II Laboratory #3 Frequency Response of RC Coupled Amplifiers OBJECTIVES The purpose of this experiment is to measure the overall low-frequency response of a two-stage common emitter amplifier due to the coupling capacitors. You will be able to demonstrate the effect of each coupling capacitors on the lower cutoff frequency and learn to estimate this frequency. EQUIPMENT LIST 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. (2) 2N2222 silicone transistor 15-V DC Power Supply Signal Generator Resistors: (2) 100 kΩ, (2) 12 kΩ, (3) 10 kΩ, (2) 1 kΩ Capacitors: (2) 100 µF, (1) 0.1 µF, (1) 0.01 µF, (1) 0.0022 µF 1 Breadboard Jumper Cables Multimeter Oscilloscope with two probes DISCUSSION Whenever several amplifiers are RC coupled in order to furnish adequate gain, there will be additional coupling capacitors affecting the lower frequency response. As was the case with the single-stage amplifier in Experiment 2, there is a lower cutoff frequency associated with each coupling and bypass capacitor. The calculations for the lower cutoff frequency are the same as for the single-stage amplifier, except there are additional capacitors that must be taken into account. Figure 1 shows the equivalent circuit of a two-stage amplifier. A1 and A2 are the open-circuit (unloaded) voltage gains of each stage. The capacitors C1, C2 and C3 are coupling capacitors: C1 C2 Rsource Vs C3 Ro1 Rin1 A1 Ro2 Rin2 A2 + VL RL - By: Prof. Rubén Flores Flores, Prof. Caroline González Rivera Rev: 09/23/04 2 Electronics II Laboratory #3 The following equations are used to calculate the lower cutoff frequency due to each coupling capacitor C1, C2 and C3 . f c (C1 ) = 1 2 ⋅ π ⋅ (Rs + Rin1 ) ⋅ C1 f c (C2 ) = 1 2 ⋅ π ⋅ (Ro1 + Rin 2 ) ⋅ C2 f c (C3 ) = 1 2 ⋅ π ⋅ (Ro 2 + RL ) ⋅ C3 where Rin = R1 // R2 // (rπ + (β + 1) ⋅ RE ) Ro = RC The open-circuit (unloaded) voltage gains of each stage are calculated using the following equation: Av (unloaded ) = − β ⋅ RC rπ + (β + 1) ⋅ RE The total voltage source gain (AS) of the two-stage amplifier is given by the following equation: Rin1 Rin 2 RL ⋅ ⋅ As = A1 ⋅ A2 ⋅ R + R R + R R + R in1 s in 2 o1 L o2 Provided that fc(C1), fc(C2) and fc(C3) are not close in value, the actual lower cutoff frequency of the amplifier is approximately equal to the sum of the three individual cutoff frequencies. By: Prof. Rubén Flores Flores, Prof. Caroline González Rivera Rev: 09/23/04 3 Electronics II Laboratory #3 PROCEDURE 1) Using the digital multimeter, measure the β of both BJT transistor and the resistors values. 2) Connect the first stage of the amplifier and measure the bias currents (Icq). Remember this current is DC. Determine the value of the dynamic resistance of the transistor (rπ). 15V VCC 100kohm 10kohm 0.0022uF C2 Vout + 50ohm Rs + 50mV 35.36mV_rms Vin 15kHz 0Deg Vs 0.1uF C1 Vout 12kohm 1kohm Figure 1 3) Set the signal generator voltage and frequency to 50 mV peak and 30 kHz. Make sure that the signal generator termination is 50 Ω. 4) To determine the unloaded voltage gain of the first stage (A1) measure the Vin and Vout voltages. The unloaded voltage gain is calculated using the following equation: A1 (unloaded ) = By: Prof. Rubén Flores Flores, Prof. Caroline González Rivera Vout Vin Rev: 09/23/04 4 Electronics II Laboratory #3 5) Connect the second stage of the amplifier and measure the bias currents (Icq). Remember this current is DC. Determine the value of the dynamic resistance of the transistor (rπ). 15V VCC 100kohm 10kohm 0.01uF C3 Vout + 50ohm Rs + 50mV 35.36mV_rms Vin 30kHz 0Deg Vs 0.0022uF C2 Vout 12kohm 1kohm Figure 2 6) Set the signal generator voltage and frequency to 50 mV peak and 30 kHz. Make sure that the signal generator termination is 50 Ω. 7) To determine the unloaded voltage gain of the second stage (A2) measure the Vin and Vout voltages. The unloaded voltage gain is calculated using the following equation: A2 (unloaded ) = Vout Vin 8) Now connect both stages as is illustrated in Figure 3. By: Prof. Rubén Flores Flores, Prof. Caroline González Rivera Rev: 09/23/04 5 Electronics II Laboratory #3 VCC 15V 100kohm 10kohm 100kohm 10kohm 0.0022uF C2 50ohm Rs 50mV 35.36mV_rms 15kHz 0Deg Vs 0.01uF C2 0.1uF C1 + VL 12kohm 1kohm 12kohm 1kohm 10kohm RL - 9) To verify that the amplifier is working. Measure with the oscilloscope the peak-to-peak voltages of Vs, and VL. These values can be used to determine the midband voltage gain from load-to-source AS = VL VS . 10) Now decrease the frequency of the signal generator until the peak-to-peak voltage of the load decreases to 0.707 times the value at 30 kHz. This is the overall lower cutoff frequency of the amplifier. 11) Return the signal generator frequency back to 30 kHz. Decrease the frequency of the generator to each frequency in Table 4 measuring values of VL at each frequency. These voltage values will be used to plot the low-frequency response of the amplifier. 12) By making two capacitors very large, the effects of those capacitors on the lower cutoff frequency can be made negligible. The cutoff due to the third capacitors can then be measured. With this in mind, change the capacitor values to measure the individual cutoff frequency of each capacitor. To measure the cutoff frequency due to the input coupling capacitor (C1) change the following capacitors values (observe polarities as shown in Figure): C1 = 0.1 µF, C2 = 100 µF, C3 = 100 µF By: Prof. Rubén Flores Flores, Prof. Caroline González Rivera Rev: 09/23/04 6 Electronics II Laboratory #3 13) Return the signal generator frequency back to 30 kHz and again start decreasing the frequency until the peak-to-peak voltage of the load decreases to 0.707 times the value at 30 kHz. This frequency is fc(C1). 14) To measure the cutoff frequency due to the output coupling capacitor (C2) change the following capacitors values (observe polarities as shown in Figure): C1 = 100 µF, C2 = 0.0022 µF, C3 = 100 µF 15) Return the signal generator frequency back to 30 kHz and again start decreasing the frequency until the peak-to-peak voltage of the load decreases to 0.707 times the value at 30 kHz. This frequency is fc(C2). 16) To measure the cutoff frequency due to the coupling capacitor (C3) change the following capacitors values (observe polarities as shown in Figure): C1 = 100 µF, C2 = 100 µF, C3 = 0.01 µF 17) Return the signal generator frequency back to 30 kHz and again start decreasing the frequency until the peak-to-peak voltage of the load decreases to 0.707 times the value at 30 kHz. This frequency is fc(C3). 18) Calculate the overall cutoff frequency summing the individual cutoff frequencies from steps 10, 12 and 14. 19) Using table 3, plot the amplifier frequency response (AV (dB) vs. freq.). The VL . From the Vs voltage gain in decibels is equal to Av ( dB) = 20 ⋅ log graph identify the overall cutoff frequency. Remember this happen when the gain drops 3 dB from the midband voltage gain in decibels. By: Prof. Rubén Flores Flores, Prof. Caroline González Rivera Rev: 09/23/04 7 Electronics II Laboratory #3 DATA Amplifier’s Parameters R1 R2 RC RE RL β ICQ Table 1: Steps 1, 2 and 5 Measured Values 1st Stage 2nd Stage Table 2: Midband Voltage Gain (f = 30 kHz). Step 9 Measured Parameters Voltages Vs VL As = VL Vs Table 3: Unloaded Voltage Gain (f = 30 kHz). Step 4 & 7 Voltages (Vp-p) Parameters 1st Stage 2nd Stage Vin Vout As = Vout Vin Table 4: Frequency Response (Step 6) Frequency (Hz) VL (peak-to-peak) As = VL VS 10 k 8k 6k 4k 2k 1k 950 900 850 800 700 600 500 400 300 By: Prof. Rubén Flores Flores, Prof. Caroline González Rivera Rev: 09/23/04 8 Electronics II Laboratory #3 Table 5: Amplifier’s Cutoff Frequencies Lower cutoff Step Number frequency 5 (overall) 10 12 14 15 (overall) By: Prof. Rubén Flores Flores, Prof. Caroline González Rivera Rev: 09/23/04