Frequency Response of a Common-Emitter Amplifier

EE 3313L, Electronics I
Audrey Dearien

Carmen de los A. Selva Lpez

John Brown University

Siloam Springs, USA
DearienA@jbu.edu

John Brown University

Siloam Springs, USA
SelvacC@jbu.edu

Abstract The purpose of this lab was to become familiar with

Low- and High-Frequency filters through the analysis of two
circuits. In order to do this, it was necessary to build two circuits,
each with a capacitor and a resistor. On the first, the output
voltage was measured across the capacitor, and the second was
measured across the resistor. The AC input was generated with
the AWG, and the frequency was varied from 50 Hz to 500 kHz to
observe the magnitude and phase gain over the output.

I.

INTRODUCTION

R
+
Vin
-

+
Vout
-

+
Vin
-

Fig. 1. Low-Frequency and High-Frequency Filters

In this lab, Low- and High-Frequency filters were studied in

order to gain a better understanding of the different uses of
circuits. Low-Pass filters only allow signals with lower
frequency to pass and cuts out frequencies higher than the
cutoff frequency. On the other hand, High-Pass filters only
allow high-frequency signals to pass and reduces the amplitude
of the frequencies lower than the cutoff. An application of a
high-pass filter would be in the use of audio crossover, in
directing the frequencies to avoid damage to the speaker. They
can also be used in AC coupling to prevent DC currents from
being amplified. To observe the operating characteristics of
these filters, the circuits were tested with frequencies in the
range of 50 Hz to 500 kHz. This was done in order to create the
Bode plots of the phase and magnitude to observe the operation
regions for the circuits.

In order to analyze the Low-Pass filter, the Arbitrary

Waveform Generator (AWG) was used to produce vi with a
constant amplitude of 1 VPP. The frequency for vi was then
varied manually from 50 Hz to 500 kHz and as the frequency
changed within that range, the voltage across the output of the
filter also changed. The meaurements in output voltages at
different signal frequencies were used to calculate the ratio of
how much bigger the output was than the input. The results in
voltage gain at different frequencies were used to plot the
voltage gain vs. frequencies and phase vs. frequencies graphs
using MS EXCEL. The Bode plot of the magnitude and phase
of the gain at different frequencies using MS EXCEL are shown
in Fig. 2.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE AND RESULTS

A. Low and High-Frequency Filters
In order to analyze the characteristics of Low and HighFrequency Filters, the circuits in Fig. 1 were assembled. The
resistor and capacitor used for this lab were determined
theoretically, so that the cutoff frequency was 5 kHz. The
measured values of the resistance and capacitance were then
used to recalculate the low cutoff freuquency. All the circuit
components used for the circuit analysis were measured and
their values are shown in TABLE I.
TABLE I. Measurement Values of Circuit Components
Resistor

Nominal Resistance

Measured Resistance

Resistor (R)

3 k

2.94 k

Capacitor (C)

0.001 F

0.00192 F

Cutoff Frequency

5 kHz

5.3 kHz

Fig. 2. Low-Pass Filter Gain (Blue) and Phase (Orange) Bode Plot using MS
EXCEL

Fig. 3. High-Pass Filter Gain (Blue) and Phase (Orange) Bode Plot using MS
EXCEL

Fig. 4. LTSPICE Simulation of Gain (Solid) and Phase (Dotted) Bode Plot of
Low-Pass Filter

The Bode Plot result in Fig. 2 shows the frequency response

of the Low-Frequency Filter to be nearly flat for low
frequencies, therefore allowing all of the input signal to be
passed directly to the output. This response is due to the
capacitor which is at high reactance at low frequencies and
therefore blocks any current flow through the capacitor, but
allows a voltage drop. When any high-frequency signal above
the cutoff frequency of 5 kHz is applied to the Low-Filter, the
circuit response will become attenuated and it rapidly decreases.
At this point, the reactance of the capacitor becomes so low that
it acts as a short circuit on the output terminals resulting in zero
output, and no voltage drop.
The High-Frequency Filter shown in Fig. 1 was assembled
and analyzed accordingly. A constant amplitude of 1 VPP was
inputted in the circuit, and a set of five different frequencies
were changed in order to see the changes across the ouput
voltage of the filter. The results of different output voltages at
different frequencies were used to plot the Bode Plot Magnitude
and Phase of the gain at different frequencies using MS EXCEL.
The graphs results are shown in Fig. 3.
The Bode Plot result in Fig. 3 shows that the frequency
response was flat for the higher frequencies, seen from the blue
line which is the magnitude. This meant that the high frequency
was allowed to pass to the output, creating the most stable DC
output. The capacitor in this case acted as a filter in the way it
stopped current from flowing while the frequency was low. But
once the cutoff frequency was exceeded, the current was
allowed to pass, and the voltage across the resistor was
stabilized, and a voltage drop occurred.
As shown in Fig. 4, the Bode plot that was made in EXCEL
matches the one simulated in LTSPICE. Just as the measured
values showed, the Low-Pass circuit attenuated the high
frequency, as seen by the drop in the plot. Only the low
frequencies were passed through to the output. The solid line
represented the magnitude plot, while the dotted line
represented the phase plot. The phase plot showed how much
of the signal would be shifted due to the frequency.

Fig. 5. LTSPICE Simulation of Gain (Solid) and Phase (Dotted) Bode Plot of
High-Pass Filter

Figure 5 shows the Bode plot of the High-Pass filter

simulated in LTSPICE. This plot also agreed with the plot made
in EXCEL, and verifies the results. As seen from the magnitude
plot, the lower frequencies are attenuated, while the high
frequencies are passed. The phase plot shows that the low
frequencies were shifted more in order to let the high frequency
pass.
After simulating the filters in LTSPICE, the magnitude and
frequency plots were graphed using MATLAB. The LowFrequency filter plots are shown in Fig. 6. These plots match
the ones found through the LTSPICE simulation. The HighFrequency filter was then graphed in MATLAB and the results
reveal the same plot as LTSPICE, as well. MATLAB is a very
useful tool for engineers, and serves as a way for engineers to
simulate circuits mathematically to verify results and analyze
the behavior of circuits.

specific cutoff frequency. By varying the frequency input, it was

visible that each circuit responded as predicted, by either passing
the low or the high frequency, and was shown by graphing the
Bode plot. Engineers must first understand the basic function of
circuits in order to design ones with a specific function. Through
the design and analysis of filters, an engineer can take a specific
need of a customer and create a circuit that fits that need,
whether they want to filter high or low frequencies. Overall, this
lab served as useful experience in the design and analysis of
filters, which is an application that engineers use in industry.

Low-Frequency Filter

Magnitude (dB)

-5
-10
-15
-20
-25

Phase (deg)

-30
0

-45

-90
5
10

10

10

10

Frequency (rad/s)

Fig. 6. Matlab Simulation of Low-Frequency Filter

High-Frequency Filter

Magnitude (dB)

-5
-10
-15
-20
-25

Phase (deg)

-30
90

45

0
-8
10

-7

-6

10

10

-5

10

Frequency (rad/s)

Fig. 7. Matlab Simulation of High-Frequency Filter

III. CONCLUSION
The purpose of this lab was to analyze the effects of
frequency changes on the circuits given, which were Low- and
High-frequency filters. The results were obtained through the
use of the oscilloscope to measure the output based on the
frequency changes made with the AWG. LTSPICE and
MATLAB were also used to simulate the circuits and MS
EXCEL was used to graph. The results that were found using
the oscilloscope and LTSPICE agreed. Both the graphs from MS
EXCEL and LTSPICE, in addition to the one in MATLAB, were
found to have the same general waveform, or Bode plot.
The measurement and result analysis in this lab were
important in understanding the function of low- and highfrequency filters. This lab was essential to gain basic knowledge
of the proper way to create filters through the calculations made
to find the values for the resistor and the capacitor when given a