BJT

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 Abipolar junction transistor(BJTorbipolar transistor) is a type oftransistor that relies on the contact of two types ofsemiconductorfor its operation. BJTs can be found either as individual discrete components, or in large numbers as parts ofintegrated circuits. Bipolartransistorsare so named because their operation involves bothelectronsandholes. These two kinds of charge carriers are characteristic of the two kinds ofdoped semiconductormaterial. In contrast, unipolar transistors such as thefieldeffect transistorshave only one kind of charge carrier. Charge flow in a BJT is due to bidirectionaldiffusionofcharge carriersacross a junction between two regions of different charge concentrations. The regions of a BJT are calledemitter,collector,

Current Flow
Current flows across the junction due to the forward bias on the emitterbase junction.Current consists of two components --Electrons injected from the emitter into the base --Holes injected from the Base into the emitter

Collector Current (Ic)

The collector current is the output current of a BJT.Most of the diffusing electrons will reach the boundary of the collectorbase depletion region.Because the collector is more positive than the base (by vCB volts), saturation current Is

 magnitude of IC is independent of VCB.Considering magnitudes only, The collector current is controlled by the base emitter voltage; that is, the current at one terminal of the device is controlled by the voltage applied to the other two terminals of the device. This is the basic transistor action.

Base Current (IB)

Whenever the baseemitter junction is forward biased, some holes are injected from the P-type base into the N+ emitter. These holes are provided by the base current, IB

is called the common-emitter current gain.

Emitter Current
is a constant (for the particular transistor) that is less than but very close to unity. For instance,if = 100, then 0.99

 Small changes in correspond to very large changes in . is called the common-base current gain. because and characterize the operation of the BJT in the forward active "mode, they are often denoted F and F

Modes of Operation
Cutt Off Forward active Region Operation Saturation

Cut Off
In cutoff, both junctions reverse biased (biasing conditions opposite of saturation) are present. There is very little current, which corresponds to a logical "off", or an open switch.

Forward active region

This occurs when the baseemitter junction is forward biased and the basecollector junction is reverse biased.

Saturation
With both junctions forward-biased, a BJT is in saturation mode and facilitates high current conduction from the emitter to the collector (or the other direction in the case of NPN, with negatively charged carriers flowing from emitter to collector). This mode corresponds to a logical "on", or a closed switch.

Current-Voltage relationship of BJT