Electronics I lab EE277

Objectives:
1. To learn how to measure the amplifier characteristics.
2. To investigate the common base amplifier.

Equipments Required:
1. 2N222 NPN transistor.
2. Resistors (82kΩ , 11kΩ , 330Ω , 2.2kΩ).
3. Capacitors (22µF) (3-capacitors).
4. DC-voltage source.
5. Potentiometer.
6. Digital multimeter (DMM).
7. Function generator (Oscillator).
8. Oscilloscope.
9. Probs.
10. Coupling wires.
11. Project board.

Theory:
The circuit shown in Figure 6-1 shows a common base amplifier network.

Figure 6-1
- DC-analysis:
Since R1//R2 << βre then, I B ≅ 0 A
R2
∴V B = VTh = VCC
R1 + R 2
& V BE = V B − V E ⇒ V E = V B − V BE
VE
IC = I E = ⇒ VC = VCC − I C RC
RE
0.026
re =
IE
- AC-analysis:
The AC equivalent model for the common base configuration shown in Figure 6-1 is as
shown in Figure 6-2.
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Figure 6-2
The AC-parameters ( Z i , Z o , Av , Ai ) can be calculated as follows:
• To find Z i make the input voltage open circuit, then ib is zero, so the circuit will be
as in Figure 6-3.

Figure 6-3
So the input resistance (resistance seen at the input terminals) is:
Z i = R E // re , since re << RE B Z i ≅ re
• To find Z o (the resistance seen at the output terminals), from Figure 6-3, we see
that:
Z o = rc // RC , since ( rc ≅ ∞ ) >> RC , so: Z o ≅ RC .
• The voltage gain ( Av ):
V
Av = o
Vi
But V i = I e ( R E // r e ) = (1 + β )I b ( R E // r e )
And Vo = I c RC = βI b RC
β I b RC
∴ Av = , but β>>1 and re << RE so:
(1 + β )I b (R E // re )
RC
Av =
re
• The current gain ( Ai ):
I
Ai = o
Ii
I i = I e = (β + 1)I b
I o = I c = βI b
βI b β
∴ Ai = = , since β>>1 then:
(β + 1)I b β + 1
Ai ≅ 1

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How to find the AC-parameters of a common base amplifier practically?

• How to find input resistance?
We connect a potentiometer between the emitter and the input capacitance (Ci) as shown
in Figure 6-4.

Figure 6-4
Then we start to change the resistance of the potentiometer box until the emitter voltage
(VE) reduced to half of the first value (when Rpotentiometer = 0Ω).
We should change the resistance from 0 up to the value which obtains the last condition,
then; these resistance indicates the input resistance.
• How to find the output resistance?
We connect the potentiometer box between the output capacitor (Co) and ground as in
Figure 6-5.

Figure 6-5
The we start to change the potentiometer box resistance from high value down to some
value at which the output voltage equal to half of that value before connecting the
potentiometer. At this point; the resistance of the potentiometer box is equal to the output
resistance.
• How to find voltage gain?

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Electronics I lab EE277
We measure the input voltage and the output voltage, then the voltage gain is the ration
between the output voltage to the input voltage.
Experimental Procedure:
• We connected the circuit shown in Figure 6-6.

Figure 6-6
We measured the resistance and found that:
Measured value Labeled value
R1 82 kΩ 82.15 kΩ
R2 11 kΩ 11.175 kΩ
RC 330 Ω 328.9 Ω
RE 2.2 kΩ 2.207 kΩ
• We measured the dc-voltages and currents and found that:
Parameter Measured value
VCE 13.61 V
VE 1.21 V
V
IE = E 0.55 mA
RE
Compared with the theatrical values:
R2 11.175 × 10 3
V B = VTh = VCC = ( 15 ) = 1.8V
R1 + R 2 ( 82.15 × 10 3 ) + ( 11.175 × 10 3 )
V E = V B − V BE = 1.8 − 0.7 = 1.1V
VE 1 .1
IE = = = 0.5 mA
R E 2.207 × 10 3
VCE = VC − V E = VCC − I C RC − V E = 15 − ( 0.5 × 10 − 3 )( 328.9 × 10 3 ) − 1.1 = 13.73V
0.026 0.026
B re = = = 52 Ω
IE 0.5 × 10 − 3
• The voltage gain:
We measured the input voltage (Vi = 100 mV) and output voltage (Vo = 600 mV), so the
voltage gain Av is:
V 600 mV
Av = o = =6
V i 100 mV

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Electronics I lab EE277
RC 328.9
Compared with theoretical voltage gain: Av = = = 6.325
re 52
• The input resistance:
We connected the potentiometer as shown in Figure 6-7.

Figure 6-7
Then we varied the potentiometer resistance starting from zero up to 100Ω where the
emitter voltage became half of its initial value, but: 100Ω = Z i + R S and the source
resistance is 50Ω, so the input resistance of the amplifier is:
Z i = 100 − R S = 100 − 50 ⇒ Z i = 50Ω
Compared with:
Z i ≅ re = 52Ω
• The output resistance:
We connected the circuit shown in Figure 6-8.

Figure 6-8
The we started to decrease the potentiometer resistance from high initial value to less
values, until we read 334Ω, which indicates the output resistance, compared with
theoretical value: Z o = RC = 328.9Ω .

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In general; the ac parameters were as follows:
Parameter Measured value Theoretical value % error
Av 6 6.325 5.14 %
Zi 50 Ω 52 Ω 4%
Zo 334 Ω 328.9 Ω 1.55 %
• Then we connected a 10-kΩ load as in Figure 6-9.

Figure 6-9
And measure the AC-parameters, So:
B Theoretical values:
Z i = re = 52Ω
Z o = RC // R L = ( 330 ) //( 10 k ) = 319Ω
RC // R L
Av = = 6.14
re
B Measured values:
Z i = 49Ω
Z o = 311Ω
Av = 3
• Then we exchanged the 10-kΩ load by 100Ω and measure the AC-parameters, so;
B:Theoretical values:
Z i = re = 52Ω
Z o = RC // R L = ( 330 ) //( 100 ) = 76 ,7 Ω
RC // R L
Av = = 1.47
re
B:Measured values:
Z i = 53Ω
Z o = 81Ω
Av = 0.8
• To find the maximum input voltage that can produce an undistorted output we started to
increase the input voltage and note the output. Some distortion appeared when the input
voltage became larger than 140 mV pp.
• At this input voltage the output has maximum swing equals to 380 mV pp.

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Conclusions:
1. The common base amplifier is used to increase the output voltage within some range, and
then any higher input value will cause a distortion in the output signal.
2. To get high voltage gain, we need to decrease the load resistance, but we can use a trans-
former to get high voltage gain when high load is connected.
3. The gain decreases as the load resistance increases.
4. There is no relation between the input resistance and the connected load resistance.
5. The output resistance will decreases as the load resistance decreases.
6. In this amplifier, the input resistance is high and output resistance is low, which make
little uses of this amplifier.

There are some errors which affect on the readings in this experiment. These errors related
to:
1. Thermal effect on the transistors and the resistors.
2. Personal errors.
3. The internal capacitance in the transistors.
4. Errors in the used devices.
5. The resolution in the measurement devices.

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