Semiconductor Devices, Analog and Digital

Electronics
BLOCK – I SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES, TRANSISTORS AND AMPLIFIERS

UNIT 5: RC Coupled amplifier

Dr. Meenakshi Rana

Department of Physics
Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani
 Content

1. Amplifier
2. Amplifier Classification
3. RC Coupling Amplifier
4. Construction of RC Coupling Amplifier
5. Operation of RC Coupling Amplifier
6. Frequency Response of RC Coupled Amplifier
7. Advantages of RC Coupled Amplifier
8. Disadvantages of RC Coupled Amplifier
9. Application of RC Coupled Amplifier
 Objective
After studying this unit students can:

•Define Amplifier
•Classified amplifier based on different types
•Define RC Coupling Amplifier
•Define operation and construction of RC Coupling Amplifier
•Describe frequency Response of RC Coupled Amplifier
•Define advantages, disadvantages and applications of RC Coupled
Amplifier

•
 Amplifiers
An Amplifier circuit is one which strengthens the signal. The amplifier action and
the important considerations for the practical circuit of transistor amplifier were
also detailed in previous chapters.
Amplifiers Classification

Let us now try to understand the classification of amplifiers. Amplifiers are

classified according to many considerations.

Based on number of stages

Depending upon the number of stages of Amplification, there are Single-stage
amplifiers and Multi-stage amplifiers.
Single-stage Amplifiers − This has only one transistor circuit, which is a single
stage amplification.
Multi-stage Amplifiers − This has multiple transistor circuit, which provides
multi-stage amplification.
 Based on its output
Depending upon the parameter that is amplified at the output, there are voltage
and power amplifiers.
Voltage Amplifiers − The amplifier circuit that increases the voltage level of the
input signal, is called as Voltage amplifier.
Power Amplifiers − The amplifier circuit that increases the power level of the
input signal, is called as Power amplifier.
Based on the input signals
Depending upon the magnitude of the input signal applied, they can be categorized as
Small signal and large signal amplifiers.
Small signal Amplifiers − When the input signal is so weak so as to produce small
fluctuations in the collector current compared to its quiescent value, the amplifier is
known as Small signal amplifier.
Large signal amplifiers − When the fluctuations in collector current are large i.e.
beyond the linear portion of the characteristics, the amplifier is known as large signal
amplifier.
 Based on the frequency range
Depending upon the frequency range of the signals being used, there are audio and
radio amplifiers.
Audio Amplifiers − The amplifier circuit that amplifies the signals that lie in the
audio frequency range i.e. from 20Hz to 20 KHz frequency range, is called as audio
amplifier.
Power Amplifiers − The amplifier circuit that amplifies the signals that lie in a
very high frequency range, is called as Power amplifier.

Based on Biasing Conditions

Depending upon their mode of operation, there are class A, class B and class C
amplifiers.
Class A amplifier − The biasing conditions in class A power amplifier are such
that the collector current flows for the entire AC signal applied.
Class B amplifier − The biasing conditions in class B power amplifier are such
that the collector current flows for half-cycle of input AC signal applied.
Class C amplifier − The biasing conditions in class C power amplifier are such
that the collector current flows for less than half cycle of input AC signal applied.
Class AB amplifier − The class AB power amplifier is one which is created by
combining both class A and class B in order to have all the advantages of both the
classes and to minimize the problems they have.
 Based on the Transistor Configuration
Depending upon the type of transistor configuration, there are CE CB and CC
amplifiers.
CE amplifier − The amplifier circuit that is formed using a CE configured transistor
combination is called as CE amplifier.
CB amplifier − The amplifier circuit that is formed using a CB configured transistor
combination is called as CB amplifier.
CC amplifier − The amplifier circuit that is formed using a CC configured transistor
combination is called as CC amplifier.
Based on the Coupling method
Depending upon the method of coupling one stage to the other, there are RC
coupled, Transformer coupled and direct coupled amplifier.
RC Coupled amplifier − A Multi-stage amplifier circuit that is coupled to the
next stage using resistor and capacitor (RC) combination can be called as a RC
coupled amplifier.
Transformer Coupled amplifier − A Multi-stage amplifier circuit that is
coupled to the next stage, with the help of a transformer, can be called as a
Transformer coupled amplifier.
Direct Coupled amplifier − A Multi-stage amplifier circuit that is coupled to the
next stage directly, can be called as a direct coupled amplifier.
 RC Coupling Amplifier

The resistance-capacitance coupling is, in short termed as RC coupling. This is the

mostly used coupling technique in amplifiers.

Construction of a Two-stage RC Coupled Amplifier

The constructional details of a two-stage RC coupled transistor amplifier circuit are

as follows. The two stage amplifier circuit has two transistors, connected in CE
configuration and a common power supply VCC is used. The potential divider network
R1 and R2 and the resistor Re form the biasing and stabilization network. The emitter
by-pass capacitor Ce offers a low reactance path to the signal.
The resistor RL is used as a load impedance. The input capacitor Cin present at the
initial stage of the amplifier couples AC signal to the base of the transistor. The
capacitor CC is the coupling capacitor that connects two stages and prevents DC
interference between the stages and controls the shift of operating point. The figure
below shows the circuit diagram of RC coupled amplifier.
 Operation of RC Coupled Amplifier
When an AC input signal is applied to the base of first transistor, it gets amplified
and appears at the collector load RL which is then passed through the coupling
capacitor CC to the next stage. This becomes the input of the next stage, whose
amplified output again appears across its collector load. Thus the signal is amplified
in stage by stage action.
The important point that has to be noted here is that the total gain is less than the
product of the gains of individual stages. This is because when a second stage is
made to follow the first stage, the effective load resistance of the first stage is
reduced due to the shunting effect of the input resistance of the second stage. Hence,
in a multistage amplifier, only the gain of the last stage remains unchanged.
As we consider a two stage amplifier here, the output phase is same as input.
Because the phase reversal is done two times by the two stage CE configured
amplifier circuit.
 Frequency Response of RC Coupled Amplifier

Frequency response curve is a graph that indicates the relationship between voltage
gain and function of frequency. The frequency response of a RC coupled amplifier is
as shown in the following graph.
From the above graph, it is understood that the frequency rolls off or decreases for the
frequencies below 50Hz and for the frequencies above 20 KHz. whereas the voltage gain
for the range of frequencies between 50Hz and 20 KHz is constant.

XC=1/2πfc

It means that the capacitive reactance is inversely proportional to the frequency.

At Low frequencies (i.e. below 50 Hz)

The capacitive reactance is inversely proportional to the frequency. At low

frequencies, the reactance is quite high. The reactance of input capacitor Cin and
the coupling capacitor CC are so high that only small part of the input signal is
allowed. The reactance of the emitter by pass capacitor CE is also very high
during low frequencies. Hence it cannot shunt the emitter resistance effectively.
With all these factors, the voltage gain rolls off at low frequencies.
 At High frequencies (i.e. above 20 KHz)

Again considering the same point, we know that the capacitive reactance is low at
high frequencies. So, a capacitor behaves as a short circuit, at high frequencies. As a
result of this, the loading effect of the next stage increases, which reduces the
voltage gain. Along with this, as the capacitance of emitter diode decreases, it
increases the base current of the transistor due to which the current gain (β)
reduces. Hence the voltage gain rolls off at high frequencies.

At Mid-frequencies (i.e. 50 Hz to 20 KHz)

The voltage gain of the capacitors is maintained constant in this range of

frequencies, as shown in figure. If the frequency increases, the reactance of the
capacitor CC decreases which tends to increase the gain. But this lower capacitance
reactive increases the loading effect of the next stage by which there is a reduction
in gain.
Due to these two factors, the gain is maintained constant.
 Advantages of RC Coupled Amplifier

The following are the advantages of RC coupled amplifier.

•The frequency response of RC amplifier provides constant gain over a wide

frequency range, hence most suitable for audio applications.

•The circuit is simple and has lower cost because it employs resistors and

capacitors which are cheap.

•It becomes more compact with the upgrading technology.

 Disadvantages of RC Coupled Amplifier

The following are the disadvantages of RC coupled amplifier.

•The voltage and power gain are low because of the effective load resistance.
•They become noisy with age.
•Due to poor impedance matching, power transfer will be low.
 Applications of RC Coupled Amplifier

The following are the applications of RC coupled amplifier.

•They have excellent audio fidelity over a wide range of frequency.
•Widely used as Voltage amplifiers.
•Due to poor impedance matching, RC coupling is rarely used in the final stages.
 Some Useful links

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSR26SU3R2U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwvg5VfHiYE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B0oz6cBnnQ
Thanks