CLASS B PUSH PULL AMPLIFIER
The circuitry for the Class B Push-Pull amplifier operation is the same as that for the Class A
operation except that the device are biased at cutoff.
ADVANTAGES OF CLASS B PUSH PULL AMPLIFIER OVER CLASS A
It is possible to obtain greater power output. Class B power amplifier provides practically 4
times the power supplied by a single ended amplifier provided load resistance remains the same
It gives higher operating efficiency (theoretically 78.5%). It is primarily due to the fact that no
power is drawn by the circuit under Zero signal condition.
Because of above advantages, a push-pull class B transistor circuit is preferred in systems Where
the power supply is limited, such as those operating from solar cells or battery. The automatic
cancellation of all even order harmonics from the output makes class B push-pull amplifiers
highly desirable communication sound equipment.
DRAWBACKS OF CLASS B PUSH-PULL AMPLIFIER
The Harmonic distortion is Higher.
Self Bias cannot be used
Supply Voltage must have good regulation
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM OF CLASS B PUSH-PULL AMPLIFIER
CIRCUIT OPERATION OF CLASS B PUSH-PULL AMPLIFIER
When the input signal is applied, the center tapped secondary of the input transformer develops
two signals which are identical but in phase opposition. The transistors Q1 and Q2 are driven by
these two signals. Thus when V1 is going positive, V2 going negative, so that transistor Q2 is
being biased further off when transistor Q1 is being biased on. As the collector current in Q1
increases from Zero, it produces a half sine wave of Voltage across the upper half of the primary
of the output transformer. When the positive half cycle of the input signal to Q1 begins to go
negative, the signal at Q2 base is commencing to go to positive. Thus as Q1 becames biased off
again, Q2 is biased on and a half cycle of Voltage wave form is generated across the lower
primary winding of output transformer. The effect of the two half cycles in separate halves of the
primary of output transformer is to produce a magnetic flux in the transformer core, which flows
first in one direction and then in opposite direction. This flux links with the secondary of the
output transformer and generates a complete sine wave output and passed on to the load.
Class B push pull amplifier.
The Class B push pull amplifier is almost similar to the Class A push pull amplifier and the only
difference is that there is no biasing resistors for a Class B push pull amplifier. This means that
the two transistors are biased at the cut off point.The Class B configuration can provide better
power output and has higher efficiency(up to 78.5%). Since the transistor are biased at the cutoff
point, they consumes no power during idle condition and this adds to the efficiency. The
advantages of Class B push pull amplifiers are, ability to work in limited power supply
conditions (due to the higher efficiency), absence of even harmonics in the output, simple
circuitry when compared to the Class A configuration etc. The disadvantages are higher
percentage of harmonic distortion when compared to the Class A, cancellation of power supply
ripples is not as efficient as in Class A push pull amplifier and which results in the need of a well
regulated power supply.The circuit diagram of a classic Class B push pull amplifier is shown in
the diagram below.
Class B push pull amplifier
The circuit arrangement of the Class B push pull amplifier is similar to the Class A push pull
amplifier except for the absence of the biasing resistors. T1 is the input coupling capacitor and
the input signal is applied to its primary. Q1 and Q2 are two identical transistors and their emitter
terminals are connected together. Center tap of the input coupling transformer and the negative
end of the voltage source is connected to the junction point of the emitter terminals. Positive end
of the voltage source is connected to the center tap of the output coupling transformer. Collector
terminals of each transistor are connected to the respective ends of the primary of the output
coupling transformer T2. Load RL is connected across the secondary of T2.
The input signal is converted into two similar but phase opposite signals by the input transformer
T1. One out of these two signals is applied to the base of the upper transistor while the other one
is applied to the base of the other transistor. You can understand this from the circuit diagram.
When transistor Q1 is driven to the positive side using the positive half of its input signal, the
reverse happens in the transistor Q2. That means when the collector current of Q1 is going in the
increasing direction, the collector current of Q2 goes in the decreasing direction. Anyway the
current flow through the respective halves of the primary of the T2 will be in same direction.
Have a look at the figure for better understanding. This current flow through the T2 primary
results in a wave form induced across its secondary. The wave form induced across the
secondary is similar to the original input signal but amplified in terms of magnitude.
Cross over distortion.
Cross over distortion is a type of distortion commonly seen in Class B amplifier configurations.
As we said earlier ,the transistor are biased at cut off point in the Class B amplifier. We all know
a Silicon transistor requires 0.7V and a Germanium diode requires 0.2V of voltage across its
base emitter junction before entering in to conducting mode and this base emitter voltage is
called cut in voltage. Germanium diodes are out of scope in amplifiers and we can talk about a
Class B push pull amplifier based on Silicon transistors. Since the transistors are biased to cut
off, the voltage across their base emitter junction remains zero during the zero input condition.
The only source for the transistors to get the necessary cut in voltage is the input signal itself
and the required cut in voltage will be looted from the input signal itself. As a result portions of
the input wave form that are below 0.7V (cut in voltage) will be cancelled and so the
corresponding portions will be absent in the output wave form too. Have a look at the figure
below for better understanding.
