An Introduction to the Amplifier Tutorial

Not all amplifiers are the same and are therefore classified according to their circuit configurations and methods of operation. In “Electronics”, small-signal amplifiers are commonly used devices as they have the ability to amplify a relatively small input signal, for example from a sensor such as a photo device, into a much larger output signal to drive a relay, lamp, or loudspeaker for example.

There are many forms of electronic circuits classed as amplifiers, from Operational Amplifiers and Small Signal Amplifiers up to Large Signal and Power Amplifiers. The classification of an amplifier depends upon the size of the signal, large or small, its physical configuration, and how it processes the input signal, which is the relationship between the input signal and the current flowing in the load.
The type or classification of an amplifier is given in the following table.

Classification of Amplifiers

Type of Signal	Type of Configuration	Classification	Frequency of Operation
Small Signal	Common Emitter	Class A Amplifier	Direct Current (DC)
Large Signal	Common Base	Class B Amplifier	Audio Frequencies (AF)
	Common Collector	Class AB Amplifier	Radio Frequencies (RF)
		Class C Amplifier	VHF, UHF, and SHF Frequencies

Amplifiers can be thought of as a simple box or block containing the amplifying device, such as a transistor, Field Effect Transistor, or Op-amp, which has two input terminals and two output terminals (the ground being common) with the output signal is much greater than that of the input signal as it has been “Amplified”.

Generally, an ideal signal amplifier has three main properties,  Input Resistance or  ( Rin ),  Output Resistance or  ( Rout ) and of course, amplification known commonly as Gain or ( A ). No matter how complicated an amplifier circuit is, a general amplifier model can still be used to show the relationship of these three properties.