Lab Manual # 04

Power Electronics Lab

Submitted To
Engr Zainab Shahid
Submitted by
Muhammad Faisal Gill 17-EE-23

Abdul Qadeer 17-EE-35

Hafiz Muhammad Usman 17-EE-41

Awais Aslam 17-EE-47

Bilal Sarwar 17-EE-71

Muhammad Awais 17-EE-107

Abdul Majid Shah 17-EE-131

Section: B
Group: 05
Analyse the characteristics of Power BJT: Its conduction loss, characteristics
curves, identifying device operating modes, safe operating area (SOA),
conduction and switching losses, potential applications, device limitations.

Objectives:

The main objectives of this lab are:

 Analyse the different regions in characteristics curve of BJTs.

 Analyse the safe operating area.
 Analyse the switching and conduction losses in BJTs.

Software Used:

Multisim 14.2

Theory:

Bipolar Junction Transistor: -

A Bipolar Junction Transistor (also known as a BJT or BJT Transistor) is a three-terminal

semiconductor device consisting of two p-n junctions which are able to amplify or magnify a
signal. It is a current controlled device. The three terminals of the BJT are the base, the collector
and the emitter. A BJT is a type of transistor that uses both electrons and holes as charge carriers.

A signal of small amplitude if applied to the base is available in the amplified form at the
collector of the transistor. This is the amplification provided by the BJT. Note that it does require
an external source of DC power supply to carry out the amplification process.
There are two types of bipolar junction transistors – NPN transistors and PNP transistors. A
diagram of these two types of bipolar junction transistors is given below.

From the above figure, we can see that every BJT has three parts named emitter, base and
collector. JE and JC represent the junction of emitter and junction of collector respectively. Now
initially it is sufficient for us to know that emitter-based junction is forward biased and collector-
base junctions are reverse biased.

Modes of Operation
The modes are
 Common Base (CB) mode
 Common Emitter (CE) mode
 Common Collector (CC) mode
All three types of modes are shown below
Regions of operation
Bipolar transistors have four distinct regions of operation, defined by BJT junction biases.
Forward-active (or simply active)
The base–emitter junction is forward biased and the base–collector junction is reverse biased.
Most bipolar transistors are designed to afford the greatest common-emitter current gain, β F, in
forward-active mode. If this is the case, the collector–emitter current is
approximately proportional to the base current, but many times larger, for small base current
variations.
Reverse-active (or inverse-active or inverted)
By reversing the biasing conditions of the forward-active region, a bipolar transistor goes into
reverse-active mode. In this mode, the emitter and collector regions switch roles. Because most
BJTs are designed to maximize current gain in forward-active mode, the β F in inverted mode is
several times smaller (2–3 times for the ordinary germanium transistor). This transistor mode is
seldom used, usually being considered only for failsafe conditions and some types of bipolar
logic. The reverse bias breakdown voltage to the base may be an order of magnitude lower in this
region.
Saturation
With both junctions forward-biased, a BJT is in saturation mode and facilitates high current
conduction from the emitter to the collector (or the other direction in the case of NPN, with
negatively charged carriers flowing from emitter to collector). This mode corresponds to a
logical "on", or a closed switch.
Cut-off
In cut-off, biasing conditions opposite of saturation (both junctions reverse biased) are present.
There is very little current, which corresponds to a logical "off", or an open switch.

Limitations of BJT
The possible limitations are: -

 BJT is a current controlled device where the base current controls the flow of
emitter to collector but if the base width is moved to W(b) = 0, then it is
called punch through and the emitter and collector junction touch each other
which results in large current flow from emitter to collector which is not
controlled by base current and this is known as Early effect.
 BJT often suffers from the problem of Thermal runaway which results in self
destruction of the transistor due to excessive heat produce in the device.
 BJT is bulky in size and hence require much larger area during IC fabrication
and hence been used rarely.
 BJT cannot be used in high frequency applications and also
the leakage current associated with it is more.
  The switching time of BJT is quite low.
 The thermal stability of BJT is low and is a noisy device as compared to other
transistor circuits

Applications of BJT
BJT’s are used in a discrete circuit designed due to availability of many types, and obviously
because of its high transconductance and output resistance which is better than MOSFET. BJT’s
are suitable for the high-frequency application also.
That’s why they are used in radio frequency for wireless systems. Another application of BJT
can be stated as a small-signal amplifier, metal proximity photocell, etc.

Task # 01
Analyse the different regions in characteristics curve and safe operating area of BJTs.
Results:

Analysis:
1. There are four regions in characteristics curve which are active, saturation, breakdown and cut
off regions. Slope region at start in the characteristic curve is the active region where we can use
Bipolar Junction Transistor as an amplifier. Uniform or constant line in the characteristics curve
is the saturation region, and BJTs are used here as the switch. After 60V the region of the
characteristics curve is called a breakdown region.
Safe operating area is the area of the operation of given BJT 2N3055G in which product of the
voltage VCE and current ICE i.e., power is equal to or less than 115 W.
 Task # 02

Analyse the switching and conduction losses in BJTs.

Result:

Analysis:

As we discussed above in limitation part of theoretical background that the switching is slow in
BJTs. It can also be seen here in graph that in transition from ON to off cycle, the base current
decreases gradually not suddenly unlike MOSFET.