CB Transistor Characteristics

Experiment No: 1 Date:

Objective:
Graphical measurement of h-parameters of the given transistor in CB configuration

Equipment:
‘CB Transistor Characteristics’ board, dual power supply, connection wires, and digital
multimeters

Theory:
 Transistor Model :
A Bipolar transistor (BJT) as a two port device is represented with two voltages and currents. Out
of which input voltage and the output current are treated as dependent variables, with respect to
the input current and the output voltage as independent variables. Thus the parameters which
relate these variables do not have same units, and are called Hybrid Parameters (h-parameters). A
transistor is represented with an h-parameter model defined by the two functional relationship
equations.

V1 = hi I1 + hr V2 ---------- (1)
I2 = hf I1 + ho V2 ---------- (2)

 Transistor Characteristics:
Transistor characteristics are the curves, which represent relationship between different DC
currents and voltages of a transistor. The two types of characteristics of a transistor are:
1. Input characteristic, relating the variables of equation (1)
2. Output characteristic, relating the variables of equation (2)
The transistor is biased in the active region for plotting these two sets of the curves (graphs). The
individual H-parameters in given configuration can be calculated from the transistors input and
output characteristic curves

 Common-Base Configuration:
In common base configuration, input characteristic curves are plotted between the input current I E
versus input voltage VEB for various constant values of output voltage V CB. With the input
junction forward biased, IE increases in a manner that closely resembles a forward biased diode as
VEB increases; for a fixed value of VCB. The reverse bias at the output junction affects the curves
due to the ‘early effect’.
The output characteristic curves are plotted between the output current I c versus output voltage
VCB for various constant values of input current I E. The output characteristic has three basic
regions of interest; the active region, cutoff region and saturation region. The curves plotted will
show the active region of the transistor due to the biasing voltages used in this case.

Since the terminal voltages and currents are different for different transistor configurations, H-
parameters are also different. For CB configuration these are defined by,

Ve = hib Ie + hrb Vc ---------- (a)

Ic = hfb Ie + hob Vc ---------- (b)

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 CB Transistor Characteristics

Circuit Diagram:

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 CB Transistor Characteristics

Procedure:

1. Set 5 volts and 12 volts on the dual power supply given to you.
2. Switch off the power supply
3. Carefully examine the circuit board and connect 5V and 12V DC volts with the correct
polarity (indicated on the board) using the patch cords to points shown on the board.

To plot the input characteristics proceed as follows:

1. Rotate both the potentiometer P1 and P2 fully in CCW (counter clockwise direction).
2. Connect the Ammeter between test point 2 and 3 to measure input current I E (in mA).
3. Short or connect a 2mm patch cord between test point 4 and 5.
4. Connect one voltmeter between test point 1 and ground to measure input voltage V EB and
another between test point 6 and ground to measure output voltage VCB.
5. Switch on the power supply.
6. Vary potentiometer P2 and set a value of output voltage VCB at some constant value
7. Vary the potentiometer P1 so as to increase the value of input voltage V EB from zero to
0.8V and measure the corresponding values of input current I E for different constant value
of the output voltage VCB in an observation Table 1.
8. Rotate potentiometer P1 fully in CCW direction.
9. Repeat the procedure from step 6 for different sets of output voltage V CB (1V, 5V, and
11V)
10. Plot the curves between input voltage VEB and input current IE using suitable scale with
the help of observation table 1.
11. Use these curves to calculate h-parameters as shown.

To plot the output characteristics proceed as follows:

1. Switch off the power supply.

2. Rotate both the potentiometer P1 and P2 fully in CCW (counter clockwise direction).
3. Connect the voltmeter between test point 6 and ground to measure output voltage V CB.
4. Connect one Ammeter between test point 2 and 3 to measure input current I E(mA) and
another Ammeter between test point 4 and 5 to measure output current I C(mA).
5. Switch on the power supply.
6. Vary potentiometer P1 and set a value of input current IE at some constant value
7. Vary the potentiometer P2 so as to increase the value of output voltage V CB from zero to
maximum value in steps of 1 volt and measure the corresponding values of output current
IC for a constant value of input current IE in an observation table 2.
8. Rotate potentiometer P2 fully in CCW direction.
9. Repeat the procedure from step 6 for different sets of input current I E. (1mA, 2mA,3mA)
10. Plot the curves between output voltage VCB and output current IC using suitable scale with
the help of observation table 2.
11. Use these curves to calculate h-parameters as shown

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