Electronic I Lab

Lab-9
DC BIASING - BIPOLAR
JUNCTION TRANSISTORS (BJTs)
Emitter Bias and Collector
Feedback Bias

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 Recap

 Discussed the concept of dc biasing of a transistor

 Analyzed fixed bias and voltage-divider bias
 Discussed the operating (Q-point) dependence on beta
of the BJT

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 Recap

For the transistor to properly operate it must be

biased. There are several methods to establish
the DC operating point.
• Fixed Bias
• Voltage Divider Bias

• Emitter Bias 
• Collector Feedback Bias 

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Biasing and the Three States of Operation

• Active or Linear Region Operation

Base–Emitter junction is forward biased
Base–Collector junction is reverse biased

• Cutoff Region Operation

Base–Emitter junction is reverse biased

• Saturation Region Operation

Base–Emitter junction is forward biased
Base–Collector junction is forward biased

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 Emitter Bias
• Use both a positive and a negative supply voltage on emitter or it just contain an
emitter resistor to improve stability level over fixed – bias configuration.

Fig. 4.17 BJT bias circuit with emitter resistor. FIGURE 5-21 An npn transistor with emitter bias.
Polarities are reversed for a pnp transistor. Single
subscripts indicate voltages with respect to ground. 5
 Emitter Bias – only RE
Collector – Emitter loop

VCC – ICRC – VCE – IERE = 0

IE  IC
VCC – ICRC – VCE –ICRE = 0
VCC – VCE = IC (RC + RE)
Fig. 4.17 BJT bias circuit with emitter
VCC  VCE
IC 
resistor.

RC RE
Base – Emitter loop
VCC – IBRB – VBE – IERE = 0 Since IC = IB, so IC also equivalent to
IE = ( + 1) IB  (VCC  VBE)
Then, VCC – IBRB – VBE – ( + 1)IBRE = 0. IC 
VCC  VBE
RB  (   1) RE
IB 
RB  (   1) RE
Less sensitivity to beta
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 Emitter Bias – RE + DC Voltage Supply
Collector – Emitter loop

VCC – ICRC – VCE – IERE + VEE = 0

IE  IC
VCC – ICRC – VCE –ICRE + VEE = 0
VCC – VCE + VEE = IC (RC + RE)
+
-
VCC  VCE  VEE
IC 
RC RE
Base – Emitter loop
Since IC = IB, so IC also equivalent to
VEE + IBRB + VBE + IERE = 0
IE = ( + 1) IB  (VEE  VBE)
IC 
RB (  1) RE
Then, VEE + IBRB + VBE + ( + 1)IBRE = 0.
 VEE  VBE
IB 
RB  (   1) RE Less sensitivity to beta
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 Emitter Bias - summary
 (VEE  VBE)  (VCC  VBE)
IC  IC 
RB (  1) RE RB  (   1) RE
With DC Voltage supply + Resistor at Emitter With only Resistor at Emitter

Previous analysis we use IE = ( + 1) IB; but if use IE  IC  IB, then

from previous slide we can get.

 VEE  VBE If RE >>> RB/ then we can drop RB/

IC  in equation
RB
RE  VEE  VBE Less sensitivity to beta
 IC  or independent to beta
RE
OR we also can use  ( + 1) If VEE >>> VBE then
to get the same result.
 VEE
IC  Independent to VBE
RE
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 Emitter Bias - summary

Adding RE to the emitter improves the stability of a

transistor.

Stability refers to a bias circuit in which the

currents and voltages will remain fairly
constant for a wide range of temperatures and
transistor Beta () values.

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Collector Feedback Bias (DC Bias with Voltage
Feedback)
• An improved level of stability can also be obtained by introducing a
feedback path from collector to base.
• If IC tries to increase, it drops more voltage across RC, thereby causing VC
to decrease. When VC decrease, there is a decrease voltage across RB,
which decrease IB. The decrease in IB produce less IC which in turn, drops
less voltage across RC and thus offsets the decrease in VC.
• These feedbacks keep the Q-point stable.

VC
IC  VRC   VC  VRB   IB 
 IC  VRC   offset the
decrease in VC

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Collector Feedback Bias (DC Bias with Voltage
Feedback)
Base – Emitter Loop
VCC – IC'RC – IBRB – VBE – IERE = 0

Actual case IC' = IC + IB

Approximation can be employed :

IC'  IC = IB and IE  IC

VCC – VBE - IB (RC + RE) – IBRB = 0

Solving for IB, yields

VCC  VBE
IB 
RB   ( RC  RE )
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Collector Feedback Bias (DC Bias with Voltage
Feedback)
Collector – Emitter Loop
VCC – IC'RC – VCE – IERE = 0

Approximation can be employed :

IC'  IC and IE  IC

VCC – VCE - IC (RC + RE) = 0

VCE = VCC – IC (RC + RE)

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 Summary

 The purpose of biasing is to establish a stable operating

point (Q-point).
 The Q-point is the best point for operation of a transistor
for a given collector current.
 The dc load line helps to establish the Q-point for a
given collector current.
 The linear region of a transistor is the region of
operation within saturation and cutoff.

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 Summary

 Voltage-divider bias is most widely used because it is

stable and uses only one voltage supply
 Base bias is very unstable because it is  dependant.
 Emitter bias is stable but require two voltage supplies.
 Collector-back is relatively stable when compared to base
bias, but not as stable as voltage-divider bias.

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