ECE-305: Spring 2016

BJTs:
I-V Characteristics:
Saturation, Reverse, Cut-off
Professor Mark Lundstrom
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
lundstro@purdue.edu
Pierret, Semiconductor Device Fundamentals (SDF)
pp. 371-399
Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

4/26/16

bipolar transistors
C: collector

IC
B: base

IC

(forward) active region

EB: FB, BC: RB
(reverse) active region
EB: RB, BC: FB

VBE1 , I B1

IB
E: emitter

saturation region
EB: FB, BC: FB

IE

cut-off region
EB: RB, BC: RB

VCE

NPN BJT
2
Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

NPN BJT operation (saturation)

FB
IE

I En

n+
emitter

FB

p
base

IC

I Cn

n
collector

n+

IB

FB

FB
Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

3
3

quasi-neutral base (saturation)

ni2 qVBE
n ( 0 ) =
e
(
N AB

kBT

1)

ni2 qVBC
n (WB ) =
e
(
N AB

VBE > 0

n ( x )

kBT

1)

VBC > 0
n (WB ) >> 0

WB << Ln

Dn ni2 qVBE
I C (VBE ) = qAE
(e
WB N AB

kBT

eqVBC

WB

Base

Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

kBT

Saturation region
C: collector

IC

IC

I C = I 0 eqVBE

B: base

VBE1 , I B1
saturation region
EB: FB, BC: FB

IB
E: emitter

kBT

IE

VCE
NPN BJT

I C = I 0 eqVBE

kBT

(1 e

qVCE kBT

Dn ni2
I 0 = qAE
WB N AB
5

Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

NPN BJT operation (reverse)

RB
IE

I En

n+
emitter

FB

p
base

IC

I Cn

n
collector

n+

IB

RB

FB
Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

6
6

NPN BJT operation (reverse)

RB
IE

I En

n+
emitter

FB
IC

I Cn

p
base

n
collector

n+

IB
N DE >> N AB

1
D pE N AB WB
1+
DnB N DE WE

1
D pC N AB WB
1+
DnB N DC WE

Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

N DC < N AB

<1
7
7

quasi-neutral base (reverse

n ( x )

ni2 qVBC
n (WB ) =
(e
N AB

kBT

1) >> 1

VBC > 0
ni2 qVBE
n ( 0 ) =
e
(
N AB
WB << Ln
WB

Base

1)

VBE < 0

kBT

n ( 0 ) 0

Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

bipolar transistors
C: collector

IC

IC

(forward) active region

EB: FB, BC: RB

B: base

VBE1 , I B1

IB
E: emitter

IE

saturation region
EB: FB, BC: FB

VCE
NPN BJT

Cut-off region
EB: RB, BC: FB
9
Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

outline

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

Active
Saturation
Reverse (Inverted)
Cut-off
CE vs. CB
Wrap-up

Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

10

NPN bipolar transistor

IC

saturation

active
I C = dc I B

VCE

IB

VBE
IE

BE: FB VBE > 0

BC: RB VCB = VCE VBE > 0
11

inverted
active

VCE (V )

Pierret, Fig. 10.4

cut-off

common base (active region)

IC
IE

I C = dc I E

VCB
IB

VCE

VCB > 0

VEB < 0

VBE

I B = IC
IE

12

IV characteristics
Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

common base (active region)

saturation
IC

IE

active
I C = dc I E

VEB

IB

VCB

BE: FB VEB < 0

BC: RB VCB > 0

13

VCB (V )

Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

cut-off

Pierret, Fig. 10.4

outline

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

Review
Review of PN junctions under bias
IV Characteristics (Active region)
IV characteristics (Saturation region)
CE vs. CB
Wrap-up

Lundstrom ECE 305 S16

14

bipolar transistors
C: collector

IC

Active: I C = I 0 eqV

BE

I B = I C dc

kBT

Dn ni2
I 0 = qA
WB N AB

IC

VBE1 , I B1

B: base

IB
E: emitter

IE

I C = I 0 eqVBE

Sat:

kBT

(1 e

qVCE kBT

I B > I C dc

Cut-off:

VCE

NPN BJT
15
Lundstrom ECE 305 S16