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Proper transistor -
proper biasing.
circ~ditsand how to design them in this t
month's arti~/@. MANMY HOROWITZ
In this arrangement, base current is less FIG. 4--TO EVALUATE THE BASE CURRENT of the circuit shown in Fig. 3, Thevenin's theorem must
than it was when there was no emitter be used. The steps followed in applying that theorem are shown here.
resistor. It is reduced because the emitter
resistor, RE, is reflected into the base
circuit as a resistor equal to @RE.Because
of that, the base current becomes (V,,/ equal to Vcc(Rx/(R, + Rx)). factors, a desirable result. In determining
(R, + +
@RE)) ICBO In addition, I, The third step, as shown in Fig. 4-c, is the operating point, the simplest
becomes equal to PI,. to short the supply to ground and de- approach is to again use Thevenin's
The bias circuit shown in Fig. 3 is used termine the Thevenin resistance, RTH. theorem. Just adapt the method described
when stability is a very important con- That is the resistance seen when looking for the circuit in Fig. 3 to this circuit,
sideration. The circuit in Fig. 1, and the back toward Rx; in other words, the re- using the value of VCE that you are de-
variation we created by adding an emitter sistance between the junction "J" and signing for instead of Vcc. A reasonably
resistor, are simplified versions of that ground. In this case, it is the parallel accurate formula for determining col-
circuit. In it, V,, has been eliminated; combination of Rx and RB, which, of lector current is shown as equation 13.
instead, Vcc is used as both the collector course, is equal to RxRBI(Rx + RB). Note that Rc and Icio are included in the
and base supply. The fourth, and final step, shown in equation. Stability factors for this circuit
Theveniil's theorem must be used in Fig. 4-d, is to reconstruct the original are shown in equations 14, 15, and 16.
order to determine the base culTent in the circuit, substituting VTH for Vcc, and
circuit in Fig. 3 . That theorem states, in RTHfor RB and Rx. The Thevenin volt-
part, that any network of voltage sources age, VTH and the Thevenin resistance,
and resistances can be simplified to a sin- RTH,are connected in series with the base
gle voltage source in series with a single of the transistor as shown. The base cur-
resistance. Use the following steps to rent can now be calculated from the for-
apply that theorem to the circuit. Those mula:
steps are shown in Fig. 4.
First, as shown in Fig. 4-a, separate the
bias resistor circuit from the rest of the
circuit.
The second step. as shown in Fig. 4-b, The value of VBEis usually ,017-volt
is to detem~inethe voltage at the junction for a silicon transistor. and 0.2- to 0.3-
of R, and R x . That voltage is called the volt for a germanium device. Once (RxVcc+ RXRBICBO)(A+ RxRB)
S, =
Theverzin voltage, VTHrand, since RB and you've calculated I,, the collector current (PA + RBRx)' (1 6)
Rx make up a simple voltage divider, is is simply PI,.
In this type of circuit, the effect of
leakage current, Io0, is reduced because . Where A = RERc + RERB + RERx +
some of it is diverted from the base- RxRc).
emitter junction to Rx. A good rule of
thumb to use when designing this type of Those current and stability equations
circuit is to make Rx equal to less than ten can be applied easily, with just slight
times the size of RE. modifications, to the circuit in Fig. 3. In
As we mentioned earlier, there are two equations 13 through 16, Rc is an impor-
basic types of bias circuits. So far, all of tant factor in determining the bias. It
the circuits we've examined were var- plays no part, however, in determining
the stability and quiescent current for the
,
iations of one type. Let's now turn our
attention to the second type. It is shown in circuit in Fig. 3 . When applying those 4
Fig. 5. Here. R, is connected to the col-
lector of the transistor being biased in-
equations to that circuit, let Rc equal 0 .
That eliminates all terms containing Rc.
5rn
stead of to Vcc. In that circuit, negative If, in addition to setting Rc equal to 0 , Rx
FIG. 3-IF BETTER STABILITY IS REQUIRED, feedback from the collector to the base was made infinite by removlng it from the
the bias circuit shown here can be used. acts to reduce the value of the stability circuit and RE was made equal to 0, or
61
the source of a JFET, up to + 0 . 5 volt
may be placed at the gate. Two arrange-
ments used for establishing the proper
bias voltage are shown in Fig. 8.
In Fig. 8-a, drain current. ID, flows
through RDand Rs. Thus, the source cur-
rent, Is, and I, are equal to each other. A
voltage equal to IDRs is developed across
Rs. That voltage is called VRs and has the
polarity shown.
A leakage current, IGSS,flows from the
gate to the source. The value of IGgs at
25°C is often found on the specification
sheets of the device. That leakage cur-
rent, however, increases with tempera-
FIG. 6-TO COMPENSATEfor variations caused
FIG. S T H I S CIRCUIT is one of the many var- by temperature, a diode can be placed in the ture-usually doubling with each in-
iations of the two basic bias circuits. base circuit as shown. crease of 10°C. The leakage current flows
through R,. developing a voltage, VRG
equal to IGssRG. The polarity of that vol-
shorted, we end up with equations 6 tage is also shown in Fig. 8-a.
through 9; those were, as you recall, used Voltage between the gate and source is
for the circuit shown in Fig. 1. Should RE equal to VRS - VRG.The value of VRs is
be left in the circuit, the equations will be usually adjusted to be larger than the
identical to equations 10, 11, and 12: value of VRG SO that the gate will be
Thus, equations 6 through 12 are simply biased negative with respect to the
variations of equations 14, 15, and 16. source. That's how the bias for the circuit
There are many variations of the simple shown in Fig. 8-a is established.
circuits we have presented thus far. One
of those is to remove Rx from the circuit
of Fig. 5 . That does reduce stabili-
ty somewhat, however. Equations 13
through 16 still apply, but are modified by
removing all terms containing the expres-
sion Rx.
Temperature compensation
FIG. 7-IN THIS VARIATION, a battery or other
Base-emitter voltage variation with voltage source is inserted between the emitter
temperature is an important considera- and ground.
tion, especially in power circuits, be-
cause in those the temperature of the tran-
sistors tends to increase by a considerable however, substitute VEEfor VCC, and Rx
amount. The circuit most-commonly for RB.
used to compensate for that is shown in In summary, as a general procedure FIG. 8-EITHER OF THESE CIRCUITS can be
Fig. 6. when designing bias circuits, first de- used when biasing either JFET's or MOSFET's.
Diode D is placed into the circuit as termine the ideal quiescent collector
shown so that it is always on. The diode voltage and current. Divide the collector
used should have the same voltage1 current by P to find approximately what The source resistor is an important fac-
temperature characteristic as the forward the base current should be. Next design a tor in enhancing the stability of the circuit
biased base-emitter junction of the tran- base circuit to establish those conditions. as it is used to counteract any increase of
sistor. It should also be placed close to the Remember that those conditions should IGss caused by a change in temperature.
transistor so that both of their tempera- be relatively insensitive to temperature Circuit stability can be improved by in-
tures will vary in a similar manner. With changes, as well as parameter variations creasing the size of Rs. But there is a limit
this configuration, the voltages across the from device to device. To make certain to this. Should Rs be increased too much,
diode and the base-emitter junction are that they are, you must check the stability the voltage developed across it can be
always identical. Because of that, the factors. Any of the circuits we've dis- high enough to bias the transistor near or
voltage across RE and Rx are also always cussed, as well as many other variations, at pinch-off. That is, of course, undesir-
identical, regardless of any changes in can be used when biasing bipolar transis- able. The value of the source resistor must
VBEcaused by temperature. Thus stabil- tors. You must determine how much op- be chosen so that the proper bias point is
ity is improved. erating point instability your design can established when the voltage developed
The final variation we'll discuss here, tolerate. Start with the simplest circuit across RG is subtracted from the voltage
is the one shown in Fig. 7. In most bias and calculate the stability factors. If col- developed across Rs.
circuits, RE is connected between the lector current variations due to these fac- A larger source resistor can be used
emitter and ground. Here, however, a tors are too great, increase the complexity with the circuit shown in Fig. 8-b. In that
battery or other voltage source, VEE, is one step at a time. Never go beyond the circuit, a sizable positive voltage can be
inserted between the emitter and ground. simplest circuit you can use to satisfy developed across RG due to the presence
As a result, the base current, IB is approx- your requirements. of + VDD and the action of the voltage
imately equal to VEE/(RX.+ PRE); the divider made up of resistors Rx and RG.
collector current, as usual, is equal to Biasing JFET's That positive voltage is increased some-
PIB. The stability factors for that circuit Gates of n-channel JFET's are usually what by the presence of leakage current
are essentially the same as those calcu- made negative with respect to the source. IGSS. TO determine the gate-to-source
lated using equations 10 through 12. But, as no gate current flows if the gate is bias voltage, subtract the voltage de-
When applying the equations here, made just slightly positive with respect to continued 012 page 102
the sunl of the voltagcs across R., and R,,
sho~iidhe several \;olts lesi rll'ui V,,,, it'
thc transistor. is to opcratc in the pi~-izl:-iii'i'
region. Eience (!Xi; + R,,)RI,1111.!ct be I c ~ s
Absolute values of Ks and are used than 311,,,. The vai~icof R,, is ~isirally
veloped across RG from that developed so that polarities can be ignored. _ - iietermiriecl by o t h e ~ c i r c ~s~ciqt ~ ~ i ~ . c ~ ~ i c ~ i
across Rs. If it is desirable to make Rs Now that we have detcsniinecl I,,, we :;o that !irnits the value of R, Oncc thc
very large, all you need do to compensate can turn our attention to establishing a ~ ~ m fix 12, lias bcci-i dc-
~ i i a x i i i ~ valuc
for the voltage, V,,, that is developed relationship between Rs and V,;, the terrni~lcd,thc Y;L!LIC of V c ; is So~~ilil i'1-01ii:
across it, is to either increase RG or reduce voltage between the sate and ground. It
Rx. The larger voltage now developed is:
across RG, subtracted from the increasecl
voltage developed across Rs due to its
increased value, establishes a seasonable
negative bias voltage. We obviously want to malic Rs as large But the v;llucs for- it,, anti K x cannoi bc
Before calculating the values of Rx and as possible to improve stability, but there selcctec! at random bcc;iusc i,f the ~ I . C X -
R,, we should know what val~lesof ID are some limitations. Voltagcs are de- ence ol'thc 1c;ikagc cril-rcnt. I,;.,,. I f AV,;,
and Rs are desireable. That can readily be veloped across Rs and R, due to the pres- is the allowahlc his:, voliagc variation in
done by averaging values that are found ence of ID. When ID is at its niaximum, the de:;ign, Ail, I S the a!low;~ble drain
on the JFET's specification sheet.
First determine the average pinch-off
voltage, V,. It is midway between the
maximum and minimum pinch-off
voltages specified for the device.
In a simikfashion, calculate the aver-
age IDS,, IDss, the drain current when
vGS= 0.
Finally, choose a reasonable value for
c a v e r a g e gate-to-source bias voltage.
VGS.It frequently is equal to about 0.4 x
-
VP.
All those factors are then substituted
into the following equation to determke FIG. 9-THESE CURVES are extremely useful when designing &?OSFETbias citcuits, The curves !or
the average quiescent drain current, I,: the device you are designing for can be found on that device's specification sheet,
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the lcaltagc current is much lowcr than the
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