0.

1 BJT transistor at high frequency

In order to obtain a suitable model for the BJT transistor at high frequency, we will take into
account the effects of the parasitic capacitances present in the device.

We can recognize two main parasitic capacitances:

• The diffusion (base-emitter) capacitance Cµ

• The depletion (base-collector) capacitance Cπ

which are particularly relevant in forward active region.

The depletion (base-collector) capacitance is given by the static charge cumulation in the de-
pletion region of the reverse-biased base-collector junction.

The diffusion (base-emitter) capacitance is a capacitance due to charge cumulation (charge due
to the diffusion of the injected charge) in the neutral region the forward-biased base-emitter
junction.

The diffusion capacitance Cµ grows slowly enough (as a square root) with voltage that it may
be considered constant. It’s value is directly given in the datasheet of the transistor.

The depletion capacitance Cπ grows quickly (exponentially) with voltage, so we may not con-
sider it as constant. We need a voltage dependent way of expressing it. Transistor datasheets
generally give a parameter fT , from which, at a certain voltage, we can derive the value of the
depletion capacitance

Such parameter fT is the cutoff frequency for the parameter hf e of the transistor in a dominant-
pole approximation.

The dominant-pole approximation considers a low-frequency gain β0 which is the one at DC and
a dominant high-frequency pole fβ , which causes the gain to drop with a slope of −20 dB/dec.
(a drawing will be given later)

The frequency fT at which we have |hf e (jfT )| = 0 dB is the cutoff frequency of hf e in such
dominant-pole approximation.

The model for the BJT transistor at high frequency is then the following (Giacoletto model):

Cμ
(B) (C)

vπ rπ gm vπ ro
Cπ

(E)

1
If we consider the symbol of the BJT transistor as the DC model we can take into account the
parasitic capacitances by adding them externally to it:

Cμ

(C)

(B)

(E)

Cπ

Meaning of fT and derivation of Cπ

Consider the following test circuit, which consists of a frequency-dependent model for a BJT
and a test current imposed to its base:

iB Cμ iC iC
(B) (B') iπ (C)
RBB'
iB vπ rπ ro
gm vπ
Cπ

(E)

We can start by observing how no current is flowing through the ro resistor, since both of its
terminals are connected to the reference potential, so there is no voltage across its terminals.
Therefore, by Ohm’s law, no current is flowing through it.

In the Laplace domain we can write a current divider between rπ and Cπ k Cµ :

1
s(Cπ + Cµ )
iπ = iB ·
1
+ rπ
s(Cπ + Cµ )
By Ohm’s law we have:
1
· rπ
s(Cπ + Cµ )
vπ = rπ · iπ = iB ·
1
+ rπ
s(Cπ + Cµ )

2
The collector current iC is given by a KCL at the collector node:
iC = gm vπ − sCµ vπ
iC = (gm − sCµ )vπ
Substituting the previous expression for vπ we get:
1
· rπ
s(Cπ + Cµ )
iC = (gm − sCµ ) · iB
1
+ rπ
s(Cπ + Cµ )
(gm − s Cµ )rπ
s (Cπ + Cµ )
iC = · iB
1 + s rπ (Cπ + Cµ )
s (Cπ + Cµ )
(gm − s Cµ )rπ s (Cπ + Cµ )
iC = · · iB
s (Cπ + Cµ ) 1 + s rπ (Cπ + Cµ )
(gm − s Cµ )rπ
iC = · iB
1 + s rπ (Cπ + Cµ )
β
z }|0 {
 
Cµ
rπ gm 1 − s
gm
iC = · iB
1 + s rπ (Cπ + Cµ )
 
Cµ
β0 1 − s
gm
iC = s ·iB
1+
1
rπ (Cπ + Cµ )
| {z }
hf e

From which we can see that the dominant pole of hf e is:

1 1
sp = ⇒ fp =
rπ (Cπ + Cµ ) 2πrπ (Cπ + Cµ )
If we neglect the zero and consider the dominant-pole approximation only we have the following
Bode diagram:

|hfe(jf)|dB=|β(jf)|dB

β0
-2
0
db
/d
ec

0dB
fβ fT
log10(f/f0)

3
Now, by the definition of the cutoff frequency as the gain-bandwidth product in a dominant-pole
approximation, we can write:
fT = β0 · fp
In which we can substitute the expression for the dominant pole, obtaining:
1
fT = β0 ·
2πrπ (Cπ + Cµ )

We can easily invert this formula to get:

β0 β0
Cπ + Cµ = ⇒ Cπ = − Cµ
2πrπ fT 2πrπ fT

We can notice that rπ is bias-dependent, so also Cπ will be bias-dependent!

We can also rewrite β0 as β0 = gm rπ , getting:

gm rπ gm
Cπ = − Cµ ⇒ Cπ = − Cµ
2πrπ fT 2πfT

Limitations of this model

This model is valid approximately up to one decade after the dominant pole, after which more
complex models are required.

Suggestions on how to find the dominant pole

We can notice how, in many common configurations (like the common emitter) the base-collector
capacitor may give a kind of feedback between the output signal and the input signal, since
we have the base as the input terminal and the collector as the output terminal, which gives a
shunt-shunt feedback.

In this case, Miller’s theorem is the most reasonable approach to study the position of the dom-
inant pole, by splitting this capacitor into two new capacitors and then studying the resulting
circuit in order to find its lowest high-frequency pole.

When we study the effect of the parasitic capacitances, since they generally give poles at high
frequency, we may very often consider all the other capacitors as short-circuits while studying
their effect.