Module 5

Bipolar Junction
Transistor

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 What is a Transistor?

 Transistor is a semiconductor device that

can amplify electronic signals such as radio
and television signals.
 Transistor Definition

 Transistor is a three-terminal semiconductor device in which the operation

depends on the interaction of both majority and minority carriers and hence the
name ‘Bipolar’.
 The amplification is achieved by passing input current from a region of low
resistance to a region of high resistance. This concept of transfer of resistance has
been given the name
Transfer – resistor (Transistor)
The output current, voltage, or power are controlled by its input current.
 Types of Transistors

 Unipolar Junction Transistor

Current conduction is only due to one type of carriers: majority carriers.
 Bipolar Junction Transistor
Current conduction is due to both majority and minority carriers
Types of Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT’s)

 NPN transistor
 PNP transistor
 Basic construction

NPN: It is formed by sandwiching p-type semiconductor

between 2 N-types.
PNP: It is formed by sandwiching n-type semiconductor
between 2 P-types.
 Regions of a Transistor

 A transistor has three regions namely,

 Emitter- heavily doped, so that it is able to supply majority charge carriers to the base.
The emitter is always forward-biased with respect to the base so that it is able to supply the
majority charge carriers to the base.
 Base- lightly doped and very thin (order of micrometer), so that it may pass most of the injected
charge carriers to the collector.
 Collector – It is to collect majority charge carriers. It is always reverse-biased so as to remove the
charge carriers away from its junction with the base It is moderately doped.
Transistor symbols Transistor symbols
Principle of operation of Transistor
Unbiased transistor
Principle of operation of Transistor
Biased transistor
 Transistor biasing

 The base-emitter (BE) junction is forward biased

 The base-collector (BC) junction is reverse biased.

IE = IB + IC
 Contd…
IE=IB+IC
Contd…
 Transistor Applications
Transistor as a switch
When used as an electronic switch, the transistor is normally operated
alternately in cut-off and saturation regions.
 Transistor as Amplifier

 Due to the small changes in

base current the collector
current will mimic the input
with greater amplitude
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Why do we need Configurations?

 A Transistor has 3 terminals, the emitter, the base and the collector. Using these 3
terminals the transistor can be connected in a circuit with one terminal common
to both input and output in 3 different possible configurations.
 The three types of configurations are Common Base, Common
Emitter and Common Collector configurations. In every configuration, the emitter
junction is forward biased and the collector junction is reverse-biased.

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BJT Configurations

➢ Common Emitter Configuration

➢ Common Base Configuration

➢ Common Collector Configuration

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Common Emitter CE Configuration

Using PNP Transistor Using NPN Transistor

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Input/ Output Characteristics

 Input Characteristics:
Output Voltage is kept Constant by varying output supply.
Measure input voltage and input current by varying input supply
➢ Output Characteristics:
Input Current is kept Constant by varying Input supply.
Measure Output voltage and Output current by varying the Output supply
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Characteristics of CE Configuration

 This configuration provides good current gain and voltage gain.

 Keeping VCE constant, with a small increase in VBE the base current IB increases rapidly than in CB
configurations.
 For any value of VCE above knee voltage, IC is approximately equal to βIB.

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 As the output resistance of CE circuit is less than that of CB circuit.
 This configuration is usually used for bias stabilization methods and audio frequency
applications.
•As the input resistance is of very low value, a small value of VBE is enough to produce a large
current flow of base current IB.

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IDEAL CE INPUT Characteristics
IDEAL CE INPUT Characteristics

 The plot is essentially that of a forward biased diode.

 We can thus assume VBE  0.6 V when designing our d.c. bias circuits.
 We can also assume everything we know about incremental diode resistance
when deriving our a.c. equivalent circuit.
 In the ‘non-ideal’ case IB will vary slightly with VCE. This need not concern us.
IDEAL CE OUTPUT Characteristics
IDEAL CE OUTPUT (Collector) Characteristics

Avoid this
saturation
region where
we try to
forward bias
both junctions
IDEAL CE OUTPUT

Avoid this cut-off region where we try to reverse bias both junctions
(IC approximately 0)
Common Base Configuration 28

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Characteristics of CB configuration

 This configuration provides voltage gain but no current gain.

 Being VCB constant, with a small increase in the Emitter-base voltage VEB, Emitter current IE gets
increased.
 Emitter Current IE is independent of Collector voltage VCB.
 Collector Voltage VCB can affect the collector current IC only at low voltages when VEB is kept
constant.
 As the output resistance is of very high value, a large change in VCB produces very little change in
the collector current IC.
 This Configuration provides good stability against the increase in temperature.
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 The CB configuration is used for high-frequency applications.
 As the input resistance is of very low value, a small value of VEB is enough to produce a 30
large current flow of emitter current IE.

ri

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CB Circuit diagram
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Common Collector Configuration

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Characteristics of CC Configuration

 This configuration provides current gain but no voltage gain.

 In CC configuration, the input resistance is high and the output resistance is low.
 The voltage gain provided by this circuit is less than 1.
 The sum of collector current and base current equals emitter current.
 The input and output signals are in phase.
 This configuration works as non-inverting amplifier output.
 This circuit is mostly used for impedance matching. That means, to drive a low impedance
load from a high impedance source.

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COMPARISON OF CE,CC and CB

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CE CB CC
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Comparison of input characteristics of
CE, CC and CB

CE CB
CC
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Comparison of OUTPUT characteristics
of CE, CC and CB

CE CB
CC
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Early effect in CB Configuration

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Current Equations

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𝐼1 71

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INPUT IMPEDANCE in ohms

OUTPUT ADMITTANCE in mho

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CE INPUT IMPEDANCE
CE OUPUT ADMITTANCE
CE REVERSE VOLTAGE GAIN
CE forward current GAIN

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COMMON EMITTER

𝑉𝑐

𝑖𝑐 𝑉𝑐

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COMMON BASE 80

𝑖𝑐

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Ebers-Moll Model

 Jewel James Ebers and John L. Moll introduced this mathematical model
of transistor currents in 1954.

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For NPN transistor, change VEB as VBE and VCB as
VBC in all three equations IE, IC, IB