Power amplifiers for driving inductive loads

A power amplifier circuit for driving an inductive load comprises a capacitor coupled between first and second circuit nodes, a first unidirectionally-conductive device having a first terminal coupled to the first circuit node, and a transistor having its collector coupled to the second terminal of the first unidirectionally-conductive device and having its emitter coupled to the second circuit node. The direction of conduction of the first unidirectionally-conductive device is the same as the direction of conduction through the collector-emitter path of the transistor. The circuit also comprises a second unidirectionally-conductive device connected in parallel with the first unidirectionally-conductive device for conducting current in the opposite direction from the direction of conduction of the first unidirectionally-conductive device.