Common Base and Common Collector Amplifiers

Reminder: BJT Small Signal Model

B C ic

ib

ie

Definition of input and output voltage and current directions

iin vin Amplifier

iout
vout

Common Base Amplifiers

Uses the same stabilised bias scheme as CE configuration.

Common Base Amplifiers

Uses the same stabilised bias scheme as CE configuration. The base is grounded for a.c. signals using a large capacitor. Signal input at the emitter (between the emitter and the common base) Signal output at the collector (between the collector and the common base)

Common Base Amplifiers

+VCC

R1

RC

RL R2 CB R E vin
GND

vout

Common Base Amplifiers

We will ignore the a.c. coupled load RL
+VCC

R1

RC

vout

R2

CB R E

vin
GND

CB Amplifier, a.c. equivalent. i

in

ie

E
i b

ic= iout

vin

RE

RC
ib r

vout

Common Base Amplifier

iout ic Current gain 1 iin - ie

Common Base Amplifier

vout - ic RC i c vin - r ib - r
vout Rc Voltage gain vin r

Common Base Amplifier

Input impedance to transistor

vin - ib r r - ie - ie (1 )

Common Base Amplifier i

in

ie

E
i b

ic= iout

vin

RE vin

RC
ib r

vout

Common Base Amplifier

Input impedance to stage (whole amplifier)

r RE // (1 )

Common Base Amplifier i

in

ie

E
i b

ic= iout

vin

RE

RC
ib r

vout

Common Collector Amplifier

Signal input between base and common collector. Signal output between emitter and common collector.

Common Collector Amplifier

VCC R1

vin

R2

RE

vout

CC Amplifier, a.c. equivalent circuit

B ib r RS vin vs C io E

ie

RB = R1//R2

i b

vout RE

Common Collector Amplifier

ie ib ic (1 )ib

vin ib r ieRE ib[r (1 )RE]

Common Collector Amplifier

Transistor input impedance =

v in Rib [r (1 )RE] ib

Common Collector Amplifier

vout ie RE ib (1 )RE

vin ib[r (1 )RE]

vout (1 ) ib RE Voltage gain vin ib [r (1 ) RE]

Common Collector Amplifier

(1 ) RE Voltage gain 1 [r (1 ) RE]

iout ie Current gain (1 ) iin ib

Common Collector Amplifier

To find the output impedance we note that:

vout - ib RS // RB - ib r
Hence

vout (R S // RB r) Rout low ie (1 )

Common Collector Amplifier

The voltage gain is slightly less than unity.
The CC circuit is sometimes known as an emitter follower since the output voltage at the emitter follows the input voltage at the base.

Common Collector Amplifier

The prime function of this circuit is to connect a high resistance source to a low resistance load (a buffer amplifier).
Since voltage gain is approximately one this is achievable as the current gain is high.