`~ivjvcbx t Telephone :

wc,G,we,G·, 9661920-73/4980 PABX : 9661920-73/4980

dwjZ c`v_© weÁvb, B‡jKUªwb· I DEPT. OF APPLIED PHYSICS, ELECTRONICS &

COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
KwgDwb‡Kkb BwÄwbqvwis wefvM
UNIVERSITY OF DHAKA
XvKv wek¦we`¨vjq DHAKA-1000, BANGLADESH
XvKv-1000, evsjv‡`k FAX: 880-2-8615583
E-MAIL: APECE@univdhaka.edu

Ref. No............................ August 03, 2010

Dated, the………………………….

[Continuation of Circuit Operations (previous lecture)]

+5V

R1 R2 R4
4k 1.6k 130

OFF Q3
+5V D2 D4 ON
Y
A Q2
OFF
OFF D1
B X
D3
ON Q4
OFF
R3 VOH≥2.4V
1k

Fig.: The NAND gate in its HIGH output state.

With input B is connected to ground, D3 is forward-biased so that current will flow from the +5V source terminal,
through R1 and D3, and through terminal B to ground.
The forward voltage across D3 will hold point Y at approximately 0.7V. This voltage is not enough to forward-bias D4
and the E-B junction of Q2.
With Q2 off, there is no base current for Q4, and it turns off.
Since there is no Q2 collector current, the voltage at Q3’s base will be large enough to forward-bias Q3 and D1, so that
Q3 will conduct.
With no load connected from point X to ground, VOH will be around 3.4 to 3.8V.
Thus, HIGH output can be produced by connecting either or both inputs Low.
Totem-Pole Arrangement:
Transistors Q3 and Q4 constitute what is known as a totem-pole output arrangement. In such an arrangement, either
Q3 or Q4 conducts at a time depending upon the logic status of the inputs. A totem-pole connection is that it offers
low-output impedance in both the HIGH and LOW output states.
In the HIGH state, Q3 acts as an emitter follower and has an output impedance of about 70Ω. In the LOW state, Q4 is
saturated and the output impedance is approximately 10Ω. Because of the low output impedance, any stray
capacitance at the output can be charged or discharged very rapidly through this low impedance, thus allowing quick
transitions at the output from one state to the other.
Again, in the logic LOW state, transistor Q4 would need to conduct a fairly large current if its collector were tied to VCC
through R4 only. With Q3 in the circuit, there will be no current through R4 and it will keep the circuit power dissipation
down.
A disadvantage of the totem-pole output arrangement occurs during the transition from LOW to HIGH. Unfortunately,
Q4 turns off more slowly than Q3 turns on. So there is a period of a few nanoseconds during which both transistors
are conducting and a relatively large current will be drawn from the 5V supply. So whenever a totem-pole TTL output
goes from LOW to HIGH, a high-amplitude current spike is drawn from the VCC supply. The most common technique
uses small radio-frequency capacitors connected from VCC to GROUND essentially to short out these high-frequency
spikes. This is called power-supply decoupling.

Lec-17, Pg-01 In case of any query or suggestion please contact Sazzad, Lecturer, APECE, DU (url: sazzadmsi.webs.com)
 `~ivjvcbx t Telephone :
wc,G,we,G·, 9661920-73/4980 PABX : 9661920-73/4980

dwjZ c`v_© weÁvb, B‡jKUªwb· I DEPT. OF APPLIED PHYSICS, ELECTRONICS &

COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
KwgDwb‡Kkb BwÄwbqvwis wefvM
UNIVERSITY OF DHAKA
XvKv wek¦we`¨vjq DHAKA-1000, BANGLADESH
XvKv-1000, evsjv‡`k FAX: 880-2-8615583
E-MAIL: APECE@univdhaka.edu

Ref. No............................ August 03, 2010

Dated, the………………………….

Current-Sinking Action:
LOW output
+5V
+5V
R4
130

R1
4k
Q3
OFF

D1 IIL
X
Q1
Q4 ON
ON VOL

Output circuit of driving gate Input circuit of load gate

Fig.: Current sinking action of TTL NAND gate.
A TTL output acts as a current sink in the LOW state in that it receives current from the input of the gate that it is
driving. Figure shows one TTL gate driving the input of another gate for LOW output voltage.
Transistor Q4 of the driving gate is on and essentially shorts point X to ground. This LOW voltage at X forward-biases
the emitter-base junction of Q1, and current flows back through Q4.
Thus, Q4 is performing a current-sinking action that drives its current from the input current IIL of the load gate.
Q4 is often referred to as the current-sinking transistor or as the pull-down transistor because it brings the output
voltage down to its LOW state.
Current-Sourcing Action:
HIGH output
+5V
+5V
R4
130

R1
4k
Q3
ON

D1 IIH
X
Q1
Q4 OFF
OFF VOH

Output circuit of driving gate Input circuit of load gate

Fig.: Current sourcing action of TTL NAND gate.

Lec-17, Pg-02 In case of any query or suggestion please contact Sazzad, Lecturer, APECE, DU (url: sazzadmsi.webs.com)
 `~ivjvcbx t Telephone :
wc,G,we,G·, 9661920-73/4980 PABX : 9661920-73/4980

dwjZ c`v_© weÁvb, B‡jKUªwb· I DEPT. OF APPLIED PHYSICS, ELECTRONICS &

COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
KwgDwb‡Kkb BwÄwbqvwis wefvM
UNIVERSITY OF DHAKA
XvKv wek¦we`¨vjq DHAKA-1000, BANGLADESH
XvKv-1000, evsjv‡`k FAX: 880-2-8615583
E-MAIL: APECE@univdhaka.edu

Ref. No............................ August 03, 2010

Dated, the………………………….

A TTL output acts as a current source in the HIGH state. Figure shows one TTL gate driving the input of another gate
for HIGH output voltage. Here, transistor Q3 is supplying the input current IIH required by the Q1 transistor of the load
gate.
With Q1 off, Q3 have to supply only a very small diode reverse-bias leakage current which is only around 10µA. Q3 is
referred to as the current-sourcing transistor or pull-up transistor.
[Ref.: Digital Systems Principles and Applications, R.J. Tocci and N.S. Widmer]

Lec-17, Pg-03 In case of any query or suggestion please contact Sazzad, Lecturer, APECE, DU (url: sazzadmsi.webs.com)