Laboratory Activity 3

Transformer Coupled Multistage BJT Amplifier

I.

Objective
To design and simulate a transformer coupled multistage BJT amplifier.

II.

Basic Concept
A transistor circuit containing more than one stage of amplification is known
as multistage transistor amplifier. In a multistage amplifier, a number of single
amplifiers are connected in *cascade arrangement i.e. output of first stage is
connected to the input of the second stage through a suitable coupling device
and so on. This is one example of multistage cascaded Transistor Amplifier
The purpose of coupling device (e.g. a capacitor, transformer etc.) is (i) to
transfer ac output of one stage to the input of the next stage and (ii) to isolate the
dc conditions of one stage from the next stage.
In transformer coupling, transformer is used as the coupling device. The
transformer coupling provides the same two functions (viz. to pass the signal on
and blocking dc) but permits in addition impedance matching.

III.
IV.

Simulation
Circuit Description:
In this circuit simulation some characteristics and capabilities of a
transformer coupled multistage bipolar junction transistor amplifier is being
examined. Specifically designed with a two stage BJT amplifier consisting of a
voltage divider to voltage divider bias configuration for the two stages with
transformers at the input of the first stage and one at each output of each stage.
The circuit to be simulated and analysed shown in Figure A. below
consists of a function generator labelled as XFG1 which is linked to a transformer
using a ratio of 1:10, another transformer with ratio 1:5 which is connected to the
collector of the first stage (or the output of the first stage) and another connected
at the collector of the second stage (or the output of the second stage). The final
output or the over-all circuit output is extracted from the 75 resistor (Load
resistance) connected to the transformer at the end of the second stage. The
oscilloscope named XSC1 consists of first probe labelled channel A which is
directly connected to the function generator and channel B to the output (load
resistance segment). The oscilloscope labelled as XSC2 evaluates the voltage
taking place after the input transformer (channel A) and collector voltage of the
first stage (channel B). Oscilloscope labelled XSC3 measures the input of the
second stage (channel A) and collector voltage of the second stage. The function
generator was set to a sine wave with frequency of 30 kHz and amplitude of 1
mVp.

Figure A.

IV. Results

Figure B.
Figure B. shows the readings on XSC1 (which measures the overall output and
input ratio).
Results show that the input voltage from the function generator at a certain time
is Vin = 1.985 mV (peak to peak) represented by the green graph and the second stage
output voltage is Vo = 105.749 mV (peak to peak) represented by the blue graph which
results to an overall voltage gain (AvT) of Vo/Vi= 105.749 mV/1.985 mV = 52.27 which is
a big positive gain.

Figure C.
Figure C. shows the readings on XSC2 (which measures the gain or the ratio of
output and input of the first stage).
The voltage amplified by the first transformer V 1 = -39.725 mV (peak-to-peak)
represented by the violet graph. The collector voltage of the first stage is V 2 = 4.794 mV
(peak-to-peak) represented by the yellow graph. The first stage produces a negative
gain in this circuit (approximately -8, which is far smaller than the overall gain).

Figure D.
Figure D. shows the readings on XSC3 (which measure the gain or the ratio of
output and input of the second stage).
The voltage amplified by the second transformer is V 3 = 23.780 mV (peak-topeak) represented by the yellow graph. The collector voltage of the second stage is V 4 =
-21.231 mV (peak-to-peak) represented by the red graph.

Figure E. and Figure F. show the bode plot of the designed multistage amplifier.

Figure E.

Figure F.

Bode plot readings shows a high cut-off frequency of f H = 1.6773 MHz and low
cut off frequency of fL = 151.9911 Hz.

V.

Manual Computations

DC Analysis:
From the simulation the emitter current of the first stage I E1 = 1.31 mA and the
emitter current of the second stage IE2 = 11.8 mA.
Then rE1 = 26 mV/1.31 mA = 19.84732824 and rE2 = 26 mV/11.8 mA = 2.203389831.
AC Analysis
Assuming a value of at least 100, the input impedance of the second stage is;
Zi2 = R1| rE2 = 217.9379715
Zo1 = (1/5)2Zi2 = 8.717518862
Av1 = -(Zo1/ rE1) = -0.4392288351 = V2/V1
Vi/V1 = 1/10 => V1 = 10Vi
V2 = V1Av1 = 10ViAv1
V2/V3 = 1/5 => V3 = 5V2 = 50 ViAv1
AvT = V3/Vi = 50Av1
Zo2 = (1/5)2RL = 3
Av2 = -(Zo2/rE2) = -1.361538461= V4/V3
V4 = V3Av2 = 50ViAv1Av2
V4/Vo = 1/5 => Vo = 5V4 = 250ViAv1Av2
AvT = Vo/Vi => AvT = 250Av1Av2 = 149.506738

VI.

Discussion and Conclusion

Here it showed two stages of transformer coupled amplifier. A coupling

transformer which is used to feed the output of one stage to the input of the
next stage. The resistance on the secondary side of a transformer reflected
on the primary depends upon the turn ratio of the transformer.
In multi stage amplifiers, the main reason for low voltage and power
gain of cascaded amplifiers is that the effective load of each stage is
decreased due to the low resistance presented by the input of each stage to
the preceding stage. If the effective load resistance of each stage could be
increased, the voltage and power gain could be increased. This is achieved
here transformer coupling.
When an a.c. signal is applied to the base of first transistor, it isolates
the DC part of the signal, it appears in the amplified form across primary coil
of the coupling transformer. The voltage developed across primary is
transferred to the input of the next stage by the transformer secondary. The
second stage renders amplification in an exactly similar manner.
The computed value is hardly close from the result of simulation for
AvT with 64.37% error. The cause might be the choice of value, manual
calculation errors or circuit simulation errors or the amplifier design.
Checking the design of the amplifier and reviewing the manual computations
might be a viable solution on the high % error.
Transformer coupling are not capable of managing signals over a wide
range of frequencies. Using transformer coupling is also like using capacitor
coupling. One of the benefits of using transformer coupling is the impedance
matching between the load and the transistor circuit as mentioned earlier.
Transformer coupling works considerably well. Based on the graphs
shown before, for a 2 stage BJT amplifier, the output is amplified and inphase with the input signal. In measuring the collector voltage of the first
stage, the polarity is reversed when connecting the oscilloscope.

Conclusively, the amplifier fails at higher input signals. Since the

transformer coupling is generally employed when the load is small. It must
be likely to be used for power amplifications.