Amplifiers

Amplifiers, often referred to as an “amp,” is an electronic device designed to increase the power of a signal, which can be a varying voltage or current. They operate by drawing power from a supply and adjusting the output to replicate the input signal’s shape but with greater amplitude. Essentially, they modulate the power supply output based on the characteristics of the input signal. They serve as the opposite of attenuators: providing gain, while attenuators introduce loss.

Amplifiers can be standalone devices or integrated circuits within other hardware. They are crucial to modern electronics and find applications in nearly all electronic devices.

Amplifiers can be classified in various ways:

Frequency Range:

-Audio Amplifiers: Handle signals below 20 kHz.

-RF Amplifiers: Amplify frequencies between 20 kHz and 300 GHz.

Quantity Amplified:

-Voltage Amp

-Current Amp

-Transconductance Amp

-Transresistance Amp

Output Type:

-Linear or nonlinear representations of the input.

Physical Placement:

-Based on their position within the signal chain.