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Class AB Power Amplifier

The class AB power amplifier reduces crossover distortion by biasing the complementary output transistors with a small nonzero current at idle, allowing both transistors to conduct over the input signal range, whereas class B only has one transistor conducting at a time; this amplifier configuration results in one transistor taking over supplying the load current as the input voltage becomes more positive or negative while the other transistor's current decreases. The class AB amplifier provides similar operation to class B but with slightly lower efficiency in exchange for less distortion by having both output transistors continuously conducting a small idle current.

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2K views16 pages

Class AB Power Amplifier

The class AB power amplifier reduces crossover distortion by biasing the complementary output transistors with a small nonzero current at idle, allowing both transistors to conduct over the input signal range, whereas class B only has one transistor conducting at a time; this amplifier configuration results in one transistor taking over supplying the load current as the input voltage becomes more positive or negative while the other transistor's current decreases. The class AB amplifier provides similar operation to class B but with slightly lower efficiency in exchange for less distortion by having both output transistors continuously conducting a small idle current.

Uploaded by

ajay
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
  • Class AB Overview
  • Output Resistance
  • Example Problems

Class-AB Power Amplifier

Prof.Dr.G.Aarthi,AP(SG)
Class AB Power Amplifier
• Crossover distortion can be virtually eliminated by biasing the
complementary output transistors at a small nonzero current.

• The result is the class AB output stage shown in Figure.


Class AB Power Amplifier
• A bias voltage VBB is applied between

the bases of QN and QP.

• In the circuit VBB/2 appears across QN

and QP the base emitter junctions; for

vI = 0, vO = 0;

• At that point, iN = iP = IQ = IS eVBB/2VT; -

assuming the devices are matched.

• VBB is so chosen to supply the

required quiescent current IQ.


Class AB Power Amplifier
• When vI goes positive the voltage at the

base of QN goes up by the same value and

vO = vI + VBB/2 - vBEN;

• This positive vo causes a current iL to flow

into RL.

• This causes iN to increase to iN = iP + iL

causing vBEN to increase.

• As iN increases iP decreases in the same

proportion as IQ is constant.
Class AB Power Amplifier
• As vBEN raises above the VBB/2, a

reduction in the bias voltage of QP

ensues, leading to a drop in vBEP and iP;

• Taking the loop equation

• vBEN + vBEP = VBB; (1)

• Applying Shockley’s equation, we get

i i i
• VT ln N+ VT ln P= 2VT ln Q;
IS IS IS
• or iNiP = IQ2  (2)

• As iNiP = IQ2 an increase in iN results in a

decrease in iP and vice versa.


Class AB Power Amplifier
• When vO is at its positive maximum, iP is so

small that it can be ignored.

• From the circuit, we have iP = iN- iL;

• and (2) becomes iN2 - iNiL - IQ2 = 0

• From the equations above, we can see that

for positive input voltages, the load current is

supplied by QN, which acts as the output

emitter follower.

• Meanwhile, QP will be conducting a current

that decreases as vO increases; For large vO

the current in QP can be ignored altogether.


Class AB Power Amplifier
• For negative input voltages the

opposite occurs: The load current

will be supplied by QP, which acts

as the output emitter follower,

while QN conducts a current that

gets smaller as vI becomes more

negative.
Class AB Power Amplifier
• The class AB operation is similar to class B, the only difference being
at Q-point both QN and QP conduct a small current.

• As the signal grows positive, QN takes over and for the negative half
QP dominates.

• i.e. for vI = 0, both QN and QP conduct equally. With vI > or < 0 the
scene changes.

• The conversion  of a class AB is slightly less than a class B.

• A small price to reduce distortion!

• The transistors of class AB will have higher capacity.


Class AB Power Amplifier
• The power relationships in the class AB stage are almost identical to

those derived for the class B circuit

• The only difference is that under quiescent conditions the

class AB circuit dissipates a power of VCCIQ per transistor.

• Since IQ is usually much smaller than the peak load current, the

quiescent power dissipation is usually small.


Transfer characteristic of the class AB stage
Output Resistance
• If we assume that the source supplying vI is ideal,
then the output resistance of the class AB
stage can be determined from the circuit as

• where reN and reP are the small-signal emitter


resistances of QN and QP, respectively.

• At a given input voltage, the currents iN and iP can


be determined, and reN and reP are given by
Output Resistance
• Thus

• Since as iN increases, iP decreases, and vice versa,


the output resistance remains approximately
constant in the region around vI = 0.

• This, in effect, is the reason for the virtual absence


of crossover distortion.

• At larger load currents, either iN or iP will be


significant, and Rout decreases as the load current
increases.
Problem

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