BIPOLAR JUNCTION

TRANSISTORS (BJTS)
OBJECTIVES

• Describe the basic structure of the bipolar junction

transistor (BJT)

• Explain and analyze basic transistor bias and

operation

• Discuss the parameters and characteristics of a

transistor and how they apply to transistor circuits
 TRANSISTOR STRUCTURE

The BJT is constructed

with three doped
semiconductor regions
separated by two pn
junctions.
The three region are
called emitter (E),base
(B) and collector (C)
The BJT have 2 types:
1. Two n region separated
by a p region – called
npn
2. Two p region separated
by a n region – called
pnp
The pn junction joining
the base region and the
emitter region is called
the base-emiter junction
The pn junction joining
the base region and the
collector region is call
base-collector junction
• The base region is
lightly doped and very
thin compared to the
heavily doped emitter
and the moderately
doped collector region
4-2 Basic Transistor Operation
 To operate the transistor properly, the two pn junction
must be correctly biased with external dc voltages.
 The figure shown the proper bias arrangement for both
npn and pnp transistor for active operation as an
amplifier.
4-2 BASIC TRANSISTOR
OPERATION (CONT.)
The forward bias from base
to emitter narrow the BE
depletion region, and the
reverse bias from base to
collector widens the BC
depletion region.
The heavily doped n-type
emitter region is teeming with
conduction-band (free )
electrons that easily diffuse
through BE junction into the
p-type base region where
they become minority
carriers.
4-2 BASIC TRANSISTOR
OPERATION (CONT.)
The base region is
lightly doped and very
thin so that it has a very
limited number of holes.
Thus only a small
percentage of all the
electrons flowing
through the BE junction
can combine with the
available holes in the
base.
4-2 BASIC TRANSISTOR
OPERATION (CONT.)
A few recombined electrons
flow out of the base lead as
valence electrons, forming
the small base electron
current.
Most of electrons from the
emitter diffuse into the BC
depletion region.
Once in this region they are
pulled through the reverse-
biased BC junction by the
electric field set up by the
force of attraction between
the positive and negative
4-2 BASIC TRANSISTOR
OPERATION (CONT.)

• Once in this region they

are pulled through the
reverse-biased BC
junction by the electric
field set up by the force
of attraction between
the positive and
negative
4-2 BASIC TRANSISTOR
OPERATION (CONT.)
The electron now move
through the collector region
out through the collector
lead into the positive
terminal of the collector
voltage source.
The operation of pnp
transistor is the same as
for the npn except that the
roles of electrons and
holes, the bias voltage
polarities and the current
directions are all reversed.
4-2 BASIC TRANSISTOR
OPERATION (CONT.)
ILLUSTRATION OF BJT
ACTION:
 4-2 BASIC TRANSISTOR
OPERATION
TRANSISTOR (CONT.)
CURRENTS:
 THE DIRECTIONS OF THE CURRENTS IN NPN
TRANSISTOR AND PNP TRANSISTOR ARE SHOWN IN
THE FIGURE.
4-2 BASIC TRANSISTOR
OPERATION (CONT.)
The emitter current (IE) is the sum of the collector
I I  I
current (IC) and the base current (IB)
E B C
(4.1)

IB << IE and IC

The capital letter – dc value
4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
PARAMETERS
• DC-Beta (DC)
The ratio of the dc collector current (IC) to the dc base
current (IB) is the dc beta
Other name = dc current gain of transistor
Range: 20 < DC < 200
Usually designed as an equivalent hybrid (h) parameter,
hFE on transistor datasheet
hFE = DC IC
 DC 
(4.2) I B
4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
PARAMETERS (CONT.)
• DC Alpha (DC)
The ratio of the dc collector current (IC) to the dc
emitter current (IE) is the dc alpha (DC) – less
used parameter in transistor circuits
Range value: 0.95< DCI<0.99 or greater , but
<< 1 (IC< IE )  DC 
C
IE
 4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
PARAMETERS VOLTAGE
(CONT.)
• dc base current, IB • dc voltage at base with
CURRENT respect to emitter, VBE
• dc emitter current, IE
• Dc voltage at collector with
• dc collector current, IC
respect to base, VCB

• Dc voltage at collector with

respect to emitter, VCE
 4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
SHORT QUIZ: DRAW LOCATION
PARAMETERS (CONT.)AND DIRECTION OF
IB, IC, IE, VBE, VCB & VCE.

• 5 minutes
4-3 Transistor Characteristic & Parameters (cont.)
Current and Voltage Analysis:
 When the BE junction is forward-biased, like a forward biased
diode and the voltage drop is
VBE 0.7V (4-3)
 Since the emitter is at ground (0V), by Kirchhoff’s voltage law, the
voltage across RB is: V V  V …….(1)
RB BB BE
 Also, by Ohm’s law: ……..(2)
VRB I B RB
 From (1) & (2) :
VBB  VBE I B RB
 Therefore, the dc base current is:

VBB  VBE
IB  (4-4)
RB
4-3 Transistor Characteristic & Parameters (cont.)
Current and Voltage Analysis:
 The voltage across resistor RC is
VRC VCC  VCE
 Since the drop across R is: V I R
C RC C C
 The dc voltage at the collector with respect to the emitter is:
VCE VCC  I C RC (4-5)
where I C  DC I B
 The dc voltage at the collector with
respect to the base is:

VCB VCE  VBE (4-6)

4-3 Transistor Characteristic & Parameters (cont.)
Collector Characteristic Curve:
 Using a circuit as shown in below, we can generate a set of
collector characteristic curve that show how the collector current,
Ic varies with the VCE voltage for specified values of base current,
IB.

variable voltage
4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
PARAMETERS (CONT.)
Assume that VBB is set to
produce a certain value of
IB and VCC is zero.
At this condition, BE junction
and BC junction are forward
biased because the base is
approximately 0.7V while
the emitter and the collector
are zero.
4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
PARAMETERS (CONT.)
The IB is through the BE
junction because of the low
impedance path to ground,
therefore IC is zero.
When both junctions are
forward biased – transistor
operate in saturation
region.
4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
PARAMETERS (CONT.)
As VCC is increase
gradually, IC increase –
indicated by point A to B.
IC increase as VCC is
increased because VCE
remains less than 0.7V
due to the forward biased
BC junction.
4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
PARAMETERS (CONT.)
When VCE exceeds 0.7V,
the BC becomes reverse
biased and the transistor
goes into the active or linear
region of its operation.
In this time, IC levels off and
remains constant for given
value of IB and VCE
continues to increase.
 4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
Actually,
PARAMETERSIC increase very(CONT.)
slightly as VCE increase
due to widening of the BC
depletion region
This result in fewer holes
for recombination in the
base region which
I C  DC I B
effectively caused a slight
increase in
4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
PARAMETERS (CONT.)
When VCE reached a
sufficiently high voltage,
the reverse biased BC
junction goes into
breakdown.
The collector current
increase rapidly – as
indicated at the right point
C
4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
PARAMETERS (CONT.)
The transistor cannot operate
in the breakdown region.
When IB=0, the transistor is
in the cutoff region although
there is a very small collector
leakage current as indicated
– exaggerated on the graph
for purpose of illustration.
4-3 TRANSISTOR
CHARACTERISTIC &
PARAMETERS (CONT.)
4-3 Transistor Characteristic & Parameters (cont.)
Transistor Operating Regions: leakage current is
neglected
1.Cutoff region:
• Both transistor junctions are reverse biased
• All terminal current are approximately equal
to zero

2.Active region:
• The BE junction is forward biased and the BC junction is reverse biased
• All terminal currents have some measurable value
• The magnitude of IC depends on the values of and IB
 VBE<VCE<VCC
• VCE is approximately 0.7V and VCE falls in ranges

3.Saturation:
• Both transistor junctions are forward biased
• IC reaches its maximum values- determine by
the component in the CE circuit, and independent
of the values of and IB
• VBE is approximately 0.7V and VCE < VBE

4-3 Transistor Characteristic & Parameters (cont.)
DC Load Line:
 Cutoff and saturation can be illustrated in relation to
the collector characteristic curves by the use of a load line.
 DC load line drawn on the connecting
cutoff and saturation point.
 The bottom of load line is ideal
cutoff where IC=0 & VCE=VCC.
 The top of load line is saturation
where IC=IC(sat) & VCE =VCE(sat)
 In between cutoff and saturation
is the active region of transistor’s
operation.
4-3 Transistor Characteristic & Parameters (cont.)
More About beta,  DC , hFE :
-Important parameter for BJT
-Varies both IC & temperature
-Keeping the junction temperature
constant, IC cause 
DC
-Further increase in IC beyond this
max. point cause  to decrease
DC

Maximum Transistor Ratings:

-Specified on manufacturer’s data sheet
-Given for VCE,VBE,VBC,IC & power dissipation
-The product of VCE and IC must not exceed the max. power dissipation
-Both VCE and IC cannot be max. at the same time.
PD (max)
IC 
VCE
4-3 Transistor Characteristic & Parameters (cont.)
Derating PD (max) :
-Specified at 25°C
-Data sheet often give derating factor for determining P at > 25°C
D (max)
-Example: derating factor of 2mW/°C indicates that the max. power
dissipation is reduced 2mW for each degree increase in temperature.

Transistor Data Sheet:

-See Figure 4-20, pg. 179
-Max. VCEO = 40V – indicated that the voltage is measured from C to E
with the B is open
-The max. IC is 200mA
- for several values of IC
 DC is 0.2V max for IC(sat) = 10mA
-VCE(sat)
4-3 Transistor Characteristic & Parameters (cont.)
TRANSISTOR AS AN AMPLIFIER

1) Voltages and currents can be

amplified by bipolar
transistors in conjunction with
other elements.
2) Figure 12.11 shows an npn
bipolar transistor in a
common-emitter
configuration.
Fig. Common-emitter npn
3) The dc voltage sources, VBB
bipolar
and VCC, are used to bias the
circuit configuration with a
transistor in the forward-
time-varying signal voltage
active mode.
i included in the base
4) The voltage source Vi
emitter loop.
represents a time-varying
input voltage(such as a signal
from a satellite) that needs to
be amplified.
1) The sinusoidal voltage i induces a
sinusoidal component of base current
superimposed on a dc quiescent value.
2) Since iC = βiB, then a relatively large
sinusoidal collector current is
superimposed on a dc value of collector
current.
3) The time-varying collector current induces
a time varying voltage across the RC
resistor which, by Kirchhoff’s voltage law,
means that a sinusoidal voltage,
superimposed on a dc value, exists
between the collector and emitter of the
bipolar transistor.
4) The sinusoidal voltages in the collector–
emitter
portion of the circuit are larger than the
signal input voltage Vi , so that the
Fig.
circuit has Currentsaand
produced voltages
voltage gain existing
in the in the circuit shown . (a)
Inputsignals.
time-varying sinusoidal signal
Hence, thevoltage. (b) Sinusoidal base and
circuit is
known ascollector currents
a voltage superimposed on the quiescent dc values.
amplifier.
(c) Sinusoidal voltage across the RC resistor super imposed
on the quiescent dc value.
 TRANSISTOR AS A SWITCH
A transistor when used as a switch is simply being biased so that it
is in
1. cutoff (switched off)
2. saturation (switched on)
CONDITIONS IN CUTOFF

VCE ( cutoff ) VCC

Conditions in Saturation
VCC  VCE ( sat )
IC ( sat ) 
RC

IC ( sat )
IB (min) 
DC
TROUBLESHOOTING

Troubleshooting a live transistor circuit

requires us to be familiar with known
good voltages, but some general rules
do apply. Certainly a solid fundamental
understanding of Ohm’s law and
Kirchhoff’s voltage and current
laws is imperative. With live circuits it
is most practical to troubleshoot with
voltage measurements.
 TROUBLESHOOTING
Opens in the external resistors or connections of the base or
the circuit collector circuit would cause current to cease in
the collector and the voltage measurements would indicate
this.
Internal opens within the transistor
itself could also cause transistor
operation to cease.
Erroneous voltage measurements
that are typically low are a result of
point that is not “solidly connected”.
This called a floating point. This is
typically indicative of an open.
More in-depth discussion of typical
failures are discussed within the
textbook.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Testing a transistor can be viewed more simply if you
view it as testing two diode junctions. Forward bias
having low resistance and reverse bias having
infinite resistance.
TROUBLESHOOTING
The diode test function of a multimeter is more reliable
than using an ohmmeter. Make sure to note whether it is
an npn or pnp and polarize the test leads accordingly.
TROUBLESHOOTING

In addition to the traditional DMMs there are

also transistor testers. Some of these have
the ability to test other parameters of the
transistor, such as leakage and gain. Curve
tracers give us even more detailed
information about a transistors
characteristics.
SUMMARY
 The bipolar junction transistor (BJT) is
constructed of three regions: base, collector, and
emitter.
 The BJT has two p-n junctions, the base-emitter
junction and the base-collector junction.
 The two types of transistors are pnp and npn.
 For the BJT to operate as an amplifier, the base-
emitter junction is forward biased and the collector-
base junction is reverse biased.
 Of the three currents IB is very small in comparison
to IE and IC.
 Beta is the current gain of a transistor. This the
ratio of IC/IB.
 A transistor can be operated as an electronics
switch.
 When the transistor is off it is in cutoff condition
(no current).
 When the transistor is on, it is in saturation
condition (maximum current).
 Beta can vary with temperature and also varies
from transistor to transistor.