Basic Electronics

Unit 3
Bipolar Junction Transistors
 Transistor structure

• The BJT is constructed with three doped semiconductor regions separated by two
pn junctions, as shown in the epitaxial planar structure.
• The three regions are called emitter, base, and collector.
• Physical representations of the two types of BJTs are shown in Figure (b) and (c).
• One type consists of two n regions separated by a p region (npn), and the other
type consists of two p regions separated by an n region (pnp).
• The term bipolar refers to the use of both holes and electrons as current carriers
in the transistor structure.
• The pn junction joining the base region and the emitter region is called the base-
emitter junction.
• The pn junction joining the base region and the collector region is called the base-
collector junction.
• These leads are labeled E, B, and C for emitter, base, and collector, respectively.
• The base region is lightly doped and very thin compared to the heavily doped
emitter and the moderately doped collector regions.
• the schematic symbols for the npn and pnp bipolar junction transistors.
Design hierarchy for digital circuit
 Transistor operation

• Just as in the case of the PN junction diode, the N material comprising the two end
sections of the NPN transistor contains a number of free electrons, while the
center P section contains an excess number of holes. depletion regions develop
and the junction barrier appears.
• To use the transistor as an amplifier, each of these junctions must be modified by
some external bias voltage.
• The first PN junction (emitter-base junction) is biased in the forward, At the same
time the second PN junction (base-collector junction) is biased in the reverse.
• Inside npn transistor, the forward bias from base to emitter BE narrows depletion
region. Reverse bias from base to collector BC widens the depletion region.
• The heavily doped n type Emitter that easily diffuse through the forward BE
junction into p type base region, they become minority carriers. The base region is
lightly doped and very thin so it has limited number of holes, that leads to small
base current.
• Most electrons flowing through from E to lightly doped B, donot recombine but
diffuse into BC junction.They are pulled through BC junction by the attraction of
collector supply voltage.
• This forms collector current which is larger than base current.
 Transistor currents

• The arrow on the emitter of transistor symbol points to direction of conventional

current.
• IE is Emitter current
• IB is Base current
• IC is Collector current
• Then, IE = IC + IB
 Transistor Characteristics and Parameters

• When a transistor is connected to dc bias voltages for both npn and pnp types,
Vbb forward biases the BE junction and Vcc reverse biases the BC junction.
 Parameters – DC Beta(βDC) and DC Alpha(αDC)

• The ratio of dc collector current (IC) to the dc base current (IB) is called dc Beta
(βDC), which is the dc current gain of the transistor.
• βDC = IC / IB

• Typical values of βDC ranges from 20 to 200 or higher.

• The ratio of dc collector current (IC) to the dc Emitter current (IE) is called dc Alpha
(αDC ).
• αDC = IC / IE

• Typical values of αDC ranges from 0.95 to 0.99 , but always less than 1.
Voltage and Current Analysis
• The nominal forward voltage drop across BE is V BE ~ 0.7 V
Collector Characteristic curve
( Output characteristics)
• The Active Region of the Transistor
• The active region of the Transistor is the area on the Output curve where the Output
Current is almost constant and independent of the Output Voltage. A Transistor can
only be used as an amplifier if it is in the active region. In addition, the emitter junction
should be in forwarding bias, and the collector junction should be in reverse bias for
operation in the active region.
• Saturation Region of the Transistor
• The saturation region of the Transistor is the area where the collector Current rapidly
increases with a little increase in Output Voltage Both emitter and collector junctions
should be in forwarding bias for operation in the saturation region. The Transistor works
like the ON stage of a switch in the saturation zone.
• Cut-off Region of the Transistor
• The base Current is effectively zero in the Cut-Off region. As a result, even at higher
Output Voltage, collector Current becomes zero. To operate a Transistor in the cut-off
region, both the emitter and collector junctions must be in reverse-biased condition. A
Transistor operates like the OFF stage of a switch in the cut-off region.
DC load Line
• Cutoff and Saturation can be defined by using a load line.
• A DC Load Line is drawn on family of curves connecting the Cutoff point and
Saturation point.
• In between Cutoff and Saturation along the load line is the Active region of the
transistor operation.
Transistor as an Amplifier
Analysis
Transistor as switch
 Analysis

• The areas of operation for a transistor switch are known as the Saturation
Region and the Cut-off Region. This means then that we can ignore the operating
Q-point biasing and voltage divider circuitry required for amplification, and use the
transistor as a switch by driving it back and forth between its “fully-OFF” (cut-off)
and “fully-ON” (saturation) regions.