High-Gain 15-W Monolithic Power Amplifier with Internal Fault Protection

A combination of circuit and device innovations has resulted in the development of a 15-W integrated-circuit power amplifier that incorporates a preamplifier on the same chip to give an overall closed-loop gain of 60 dB. Two novel devices used are a new high-frequency drift-lateral p-n-p to improve stability and a new 3-A n-p-n power transistor design with individual emitter ballasting to achieve a larger safe-operating area. Other interesting features are an externally adjustable short-circuit current limit, a built-in thermal shutdown circuit that automatically limits the junction temperature to 175°C, an electronic shutdown control to mute the amplifier; a supply voltage range of 10-40 V, excellent power-supply rejection (55 dB), and a unique biasing technique that ensures that the output quiescent point remains at one-half the supply voltage with the total bias current changing only 3 mA over the complete supply voltage range (10-40 V).