THE BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR

A Report Presented to the Faculty of Electronics Engineering Department,

School Of Engineering and Architecture, Saint Louis University

In Partial Fulfillment of the Course, Basic Electronics (EE 413A)

Submitted By:

Madriaga, Benedict T.

Schedule:

5:30 – 6:30 TTh

Submitted To:

ENGR. JEFFERSON J. WALCIEN

Date:

December 06, 2018

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank our Lord the Almighty God for His presence and unwavering

guidance during the making and completion of this report. With the wisdom and

determination that He has given, I have successfully finished this written report as a

course requirement in this subject.

I would also like to thank my family, who supports me in all my activities may it be

outside or inside of school. I may not be the best son they can have but surely I will love

them unconditionally who loves them and respect them.

To my classmates, thank you for giving me the necessary background on the

topic and for answering my queries on the said topic.

Finally, I thank our instructor, Engineer Jefferson J. Walcien, for being a great

feeder to our young minds and for his wide understanding on the counterpart of us his

students.

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 PREFACE

This research paper will be focusing on the research topic ,the bipolar junction

transistor. This report includes a short but clear definition of the bipolar junction

transistor with corresponding historical accounts and diagram. This report also features

the different applications of the Bipolar Junction Transistor. Example problems with

complete solutions and steps are also present in this report that will try to supplement

and challenge the reader’s understanding of the topic.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT…………………………………………………………………… 2

PREFACE……............................................................................................................ 3

DEFINITION OF TERMS……..................................................................................... 5

DISCUSSION……...................................................................................................... 9

HISTORICAL ACCOUNT……................................................................................... 14

PROBLEM SET…….................................................................................................. 15

SUMMARY / CONCLUSION / RECOMMENDATION……........................................ 17

BIBLIOGRAPHY……................................................................................................. 19

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DEFINITION OF TERMS:

Active region
The region of BJT operation between saturation and cutoff used for linear amplification.

Alpha
Ratio of collector current to emitter current in a bipolar junction transistor (BJT). Greek
letter alpha “α” is the symbol used.

Amplifier
A circuit that increases the voltage, current, or power of a signal.

Amplitude
Magnitude or size of a signal voltage or current.

Anode
The positive electrode or terminal of a device. The “P” material of a diode.

Barrier potential
The natural difference of potential that exists across a forward biased pn junction.

Base
The region that lies between the emitter and collector of a bipolar junction transistor
(BJT).

Base biasing
A method of biasing a BJT in which the bias voltage is supplied to the base by means of
a resistor.

Beta
(β) The ratio of collector current to base current in a bipolar junction transistor (BJT).

Bias
A DC voltage applied to a device to control its operation.

Bipolar junction transistor

(BJT), A three terminal device in which emitter to collector current is controlled by base
current.

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An amplifier used to isolate a load from a source.

Capacitance
The ability of a capacitor to store an electrical charge. The basic unit of capacitance is
the Farad.

Capacitor
An electronic component having capacitive reactance.

Cathode
The negative terminal electrode of a device. The “N” material in a junction diode.

Charge
Quantity of electrical energy.

Circuit
Interconnection of components to provide an electrical path between two or more
components.

Collector
The semiconductor region in a bipolar junction transistor through which a flow of charge
carriers leaves the base region.

Common base amplifier

A BJT circuit in which the base connection is common to both input and output.

Common collector amplifier

A BJT circuit in which the collector connection is common to both input and output.

Common drain amplifier

A FET circuit in which the drain connection is common to both input and output.

Common emitter amplifier

A BJT circuit in which the emitter connection is common to both input and output.

Common gate amplifier

A FET circuit in which the gate connection is common to both input and output.

Common source amplifier

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A FET circuit in which the source connection is common to both input and output.

Current
Measured in amperes, it is the flow of electrons through a conductor. Also known as
electron flow.

Current divider
Parallel network designed to divide the total current of a circuit.

Cutoff
Condition when an active device is biased such that output current is near zero or
beyond zero.

Depletion layer or region

The area surrounding a PN junction that is depleted of carriers.

Electric charge
Electric energy stored on the surface of a material. Also known as a static charge.

Emitter
The semiconductor region from which charge carriers are injected into the base of a
bipolar junction transistor.

Forward bias
A PN junction bias which allows current to flow through the junction. Forward bias
decreases the resistance of the depletion layer.

Gain
Increase in voltage, current and/or power. Gain is expressed as a ratio of amplifier
output value to the corresponding amplifier input value.

Ground
An intentional or accidental conducting path between an electrical system or circuit and
the earth or some conducting body acting in place of the earth. A ground is often used
as the common wiring point or reference in a circuit.

NPN transistor
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A bipolar junction transistor in which a p-type base element is sandwiched between an
n-type emitter and an n-type collector.

Passive component
Component that does not amplify a signal. Resistors, capacitors and inductors are
examples.

PNP transistor
A bipolar junction transistor with an n-type base and p-type emitter and collector.

Potential difference
Voltage difference between two points which will cause current to flow in a closed
circuit.

Reverse bias
Bias on a PN junction that allows only leakage current (minority carriers) to flow.
Positive polarity on the n-type material and negative polarity to the p-type material.

Transistor
Term derived from “transfer resistor.” Semiconductor device that can be used as an
amplifier or as an electronic switch.

Voltage divider
Fixed or variable series resistor network connected across a voltage to obtain a desired
fraction of that voltage.

Voltage drop
Voltage or difference in potential developed across a component due to current flow.

Voltage gain
Also called voltage amplification. Ratio of amplifier output voltage to input voltage
usually expressed in decibels.

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DISCUSSION

Transistor biasing means applying proper voltage and to the transistor

to establish it to its proper operating condition. Applying voltage of correct polarity
across its two junctions E/B, C/B is important. Hence, it is worthwhile to remember that
for Normal operation:

 Emitter-Base junction is always forward biased. This means current will flow from
Emitter through Base to Collector.
 Collector-Base junction is always reversed biased. This means current won’t flow
from Collector.

RULES OF BIASING A TRANSISTOR

For PNP-transistor, both Collector and Base are negative [N in the middle indicates the
Negativity] with respect to the Emitter. The Collector is more negative than the Base.

Similarly, for NPN-transistor, Collector and Base are positive (P indicates the Positivity)
with respect to the Emitter. The collector is more positive than the Base.

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TRANSISTOR BIASING TECHNIQUES

Self-bias

The circuit diagram for self-bias is shown. This is the most widely used biasing circuit.

The electrical resistances R1 and R2 form a potential

divider arrangement to apply a fixed voltage to the
base. Consider only the base circuit, the approximate
voltage across the base is

Consider only the collector circuit; the approximate

emitter current will be,

In the above circuit, as the emitter resistor causes ac as

well as DC feedback the AC voltage gain of the amplifier is
reduced. This can be avoided by connecting a capacitor in
parallel with the emitter resistor as shown below.

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Fixed Bias

In this condition a single power source is

applied to the collector and base of the
transistor using only two resistors.
Applying KVL to the circuit,

Thus, by merely changing the value of

the resistor the base current can be
adjusted to the desired value. And by
using the current gain (β) relationship, IC can also be found out accordingly. Hence the
Q point can be adjusted just by changing the value of the resistor connected to the
base.

Types of Bipolar Junction Transistors

As we have seen a semiconductor offer less resistance to flow current in one direction
and high resistance is another direction and we can call transistor as the device mode
of the semiconductor. The bipolar junction transistors consist of two types of transistors.
Which, given us

 Point contact

 Junction transistor

By comparing two transistors the junction transistors are used more than point type
transistors. Further the junction transistors are classified into two types which are given
below. There are three electrodes for each junction transistor they are emitter, collector,
and base

Working Principle of BJT

The BE junction is a forward bias and the CB is a reverse bias junction. The width of the
depletion region of the CB junction is higher than the BE junction. The forward bias at

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the BE junction decreases the barrier potential and produces electrons to flow from the
emitter to the base and the base is a thin and lightly doped it has very few holes and
less amount of electrons from the emitter about 2% it recombine in the base region with
holes and from the base terminal it will flow out. This initiates the base current flow due
to combination of electrons and holes. The left over large number of electrons will pass
the reverse bias collector junction to initiate the collector current. By using KCL we can
observe the mathematical equation
IE = IB + IC
The base current is very less as compared to emitter and collector current

IE ~ IC
Here the operation of PNP transistor is same as the NPN transistor the only difference
is only holes instead of electrons. The below diagram shows the PNP transistor of the
active mode region.

Advantages of BJT

 High driving capability

 High frequency operation
 Digital logic family has an emitter coupled logic used in BJTs as a digital switch

Applications of BJT

Following are the two different types of applications in BJT they are

 Switching
 Amplification
 The bipolar junction transistor (BJT) is used in logic circuits.
 The BJT is used as an oscillator.
 It is used as a multivibrator.
 For wave shaping it is used in clipping circuits.
 Used as a detector or demodulator.
 It is also used as modulator.
 Used in timer and time delay circuits.

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Transistor as a Switch
For switching applications transistor is biased to operate in the saturation or cutoff
region. Transistor in cutoff region will act as an open switching whereas in saturation will

act as a closed switch.

Open Switch

In the cutoff region (both junctions are reversed biased) the voltage across the CE
junction is very high. The input voltage is zero so both base and collector currents are
zero, hence the resistance offered by the BJT us very high (ideally infinite).

Closed Switch

In saturation (both junctions are forward biased) a high input voltage is applied to
the base. The value of base resistance is adjusted such that a large base current flows.
There is a small voltage drop across the collector emitter junction of the order of 0.05 to
0.2 V and collector current is very large. A very small voltage drop takes place across
the BJT and it can be said to be equivalent to a closed switch.

BJT as Amplifier
Single Stage RC Coupled CE Amplifier
C1 and C3 are coupling capacitors, they are used for blocking the DC component
and passing only ac part they also ensure that the DC basing conditions of the BJT
remains unchanged even after input is applied. C2 is the bypass capacitor which
increases the voltage gain and bypasses the R4 resistor for AC signals.

The BJT is biased in the active region using the necessary biasing components.
The Q point is made stable in the active region of the transistor. When input is applied
as shown below the base current starts to vary up and down, hence collector current
also varies as IC = β × IB. Therefore voltage across R3 varies as the collector current is
passing through it. Voltage across R3 is the amplified one and is 180o apart from the
input signal. Thus voltage across R3 is coupled to the load and amplification has taken
place. If the Q point is maintained to be at the center of the load very less or no
waveform distortion will take place. The voltage as well as current gain of the CE
amplifier is high (gain is the factor by which the voltage of current increases from input

to output). It is commonly used in radios and as low frequency voltage amplifier. To

further increase the gain multistage amplifiers are used.

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HISTORICAL ACCOUNT:

BJT was invented in 1948 by William Shockley, Brattain, and John Bardeen
which has remolded not only the world of electronics but also in our day to day life. The
Bipolar junction transistors uses both charge carriers that are electron and holes.
Indifference the unipolar transistors such as field effect transistors use only one kind of
charge carriers. For the operation purpose BJT uses two semiconductor type n-type and
p- type between two junctions. The main basic function of a BJT is to amplify current it
will allow BJTs are used as amplifiers or switches to produce wide applicability in
electronic equipment include mobile phones, industrial control, television, and radio
transmitters. There are two different types of BJTs are available, they are NPN, and
PNP.

The transistor (BJT) was not the first three terminal devices. Before transistors
came into existence vacuum tubes were used. In electronics, vacuum tube triodes were
used almost for half a century before the BJT’s. The light bulb invented by Thomas
Edison in the early 1880’s was one of the first uses of vacuum tubes for any electrical
applications. The vacuum tube triodes were used in various computer designs till early
1950’s. But the major problem was, as the complication of the circuits increased more
and more triodes were required to be integrated. In those days a large computer would
have many racks filled with tubes which almost occupied a large room. Size was not the
only problem, the tubes consumed large power and sometimes would leak hence were
less reliable.

Hence, scientists and engineers started thinking of ways to make some other
kind of three terminal devices. So instead of controlling an electron in vacuum they
begin to think of ways to control it in solid materials. In 1947, two physicists John
Bardeen and Walter Brattain working at the Bell laboratories found that by making two
point contacts very close to one another, they could actually make a three terminal
device. Thus the first point contact transistor was made by using germanium, paper clip
and razor blades.

Than Shockley developed the junction transistor (BJT) by pressing together thin
slices of different semiconductor materials. The transistors replaced the vacuum tubes
and made a dramatic change in the world of electronics. Bardeen and Brattain together
with William Shockley were horned by the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1956 for the
invention of the transistor effect. For many years transistors were manufactured as
individual components until late 1950’s, after which integrated circuits (IC’s) came into
existence which placed all components on one single chip. This is just one portion of an
endless history of BJT.

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PROBLEM SET:

1. Determine the Q-point and construct dc load line for this transistor.

2. Assume DC = 150, VCE(sat) = 0 V and IC(cut off) = 0 A.

(a) Let VBB = 10 V, determine the Q-point value of IC and VCE.

(b) If IC/IB = 5, find VBB such that IC/IB = 5. And determine IB, IC and IE.

3. Assume DC = 100 and IE IC.

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(a) Find VE, VC (b) Determine Q-point of this transistor

(c) Construct DC load line and plot Q-point

(d) Calculate IC if RB is changed from 10 k to be 1 k

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SUMMARY / CONCLUSION / RECOMMENDATION:

Having looked at the construction and operation of NPN and PNP bipolar junctions
transistors (BJT’s) as well as field effect transistors (FET’s), both junction and insulated
gate, we can summaries the main points of these transistor tutorials as outlined below:

 The Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) is a three layer device constructed form
two semiconductor diode junctions joined together, one forward biased and one
reverse biased.
 There are two main types of bipolar junction transistors, (BJT) the NPN and
the PNPtransistor.
 Bipolar junction transistors are “Current Operated Devices” where a much
smaller Base current causes a larger Emitter to Collector current, which
themselves are nearly equal, to flow.
 The arrow in a transistor symbol represents conventional current flow.
 The most common transistor connection is the Common Emitter (CE)
configuration but Common Base (CB) and Common Collector (CC) are also
available.
 Requires a Biasing voltage for AC amplifier operation.
 The Base-Emitter junction is always forward biased whereas the Collector-Base
junction is always reverse biased.
 The standard equation for currents flowing in a transistor is given as: IE = IB + IC
 The Collector or output characteristics curves can be used to find
either Ib, Ic or β to which a load line can be constructed to determine a suitable
eoperating point, Q with variations in base current determining the operating
range.

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 A transistor can also be used as an electronic switch between its saturation and
cut-off regions to control devices such as lamps, motors and solenoids etc.
 Inductive loads such as DC motors, relays and solenoids require a reverse biased
“Flywheel” diode placed across the load. This helps prevent any induced back
emf’s generated when the load is switched “OFF” from damaging the transistor.
 The NPN transistor requires the Base to be more positive than the Emitter while
the PNP type requires that the Emitter is more positive than the Base.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Abid, S. (2018, May 13). Bipolar Junction Transistor: Transistor Biasing Rule. Retrieved
from https://www.csschoolonline.com/transistor-biasing-rule/

United Arab Emirates architecture. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://tuttle.merc.iastate.edu/ee230/practice/bjt/bjt.php

United Arab Emirates architecture. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.electrical4u.com/biasing-of-bipolar-junction-transistor-bjt-or-bipolar-
transistor-biasing/

United Arab Emirates architecture. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.tep.engr.tu.ac.th/files/Class_Material/2_2015/LE241/6%20chapter%205.pdf

United Arab Emirates architecture. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.electronics-

tutorials.ws/transistor/tran_8.html

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