Chapter Overview

This chapter deals with gain. Gain is the ability of an electronic circuit to increase the level of a signal. As you will see, gain can be expressed as a ratio or as a logarithm of a ratio. Transistors provide gain. This chapter will show you how they can be used with other components to make amplifier circuits. You will learn how to evaluate a few amplifiers using some simple calculations. This chapter is limited to small-signal amplifiers. As mentioned before, these are often called voltage amplifiers.

This chapter will help you to:

1. Calculate decibel gain and loss.

2. Draw a load line for a basic common-emitter amplifier.

3. Define clipping in a linear amplifier.

4. Find the operating point for a basic common-emitter amplifier.

5. Determine common-emitter amplifier voltage gain.

6. Identify common-base and common-collector amplifiers.

7. Explain the importance of impedance matching.

Study Outline

6-1 Measuring Gain

6-2 Common-Emitter Amplifier

6-3 Stabilizing the Amplifier

6-4 Other Configurations

6-5 Simulation and Models