SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

ECE 2115: ENGINEERING ELECTRONICS LABORATORY
Tutorial #4:
Bias Point Analysis in Multisim

INTRODUCTION
When BJTs are used in actual circuits, there is typically a single voltage supply. This is due to where the
transistor will be used. For example, in a cell phone there is just one battery, perhaps 3.3V, in a car a
12V battery, in an MP3 player 1.5V, etc. We would like to use two separate voltage sources to “bias” our
transistor, as shown in the example circuit in Figure 1, a 5V source for the base, and a 15V source for the
collector and emitter. However, due to the fact that we have only one voltage source, say it is 15V, we
need to apply the proper voltage to the base and the collector from only one single voltage supply, as
shown in Figure 2. This tutorial will show that Figure 1 and Figure 2 apply the same voltage to the base,
collector, and emitter. Most importantly, all of the currents (IB, IC, and IE) will be identical for each circuit.

RC RB1 RC
5kΩ 100kΩ 5kΩ

VC VC

RTH VB Q1 VCC VB Q1 VCC

2N3904 15 V 2N3904 15 V
33.3kΩ
VE VE

VTH RE RB2 RE
5V 3kΩ 50kΩ 3kΩ

Figure 1 – Circuit to “Bias” Transistor Q1 Using Two Figure 2 – Circuit to “Bias” Transistor Q1 Using One
Voltage Sources Voltage Source

The circuit in Figure 2 is sometimes called a “Beta Stabilizer” because the value for β is fixed, since IB
and IC will be fixed at a particular value. The example used in this tutorial follows Example 6.10 on p. 390
in the Sedra/Smith Microelectronic Circuits textbook, except that no steps are skipped.

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Tutorial #4: Bias Point Analysis in Multisim

INSTRUCTIONS
Part I – Hand Calculations

RB1 RC
IC Given Information
100kΩ 5kΩ

VC
𝛽 = 100
VB Q1 VCC

𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝐵𝐽𝑇:

2N3904 15 V

IB VE 𝐼𝐶
𝛽= (𝐷𝐶 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐺𝑎𝑖𝑛)
RB2 RE 𝐼𝐵
IE
50kΩ 3kΩ
𝐼𝐸 = 𝐼𝐵 + 𝐼𝐶 (𝐾𝐶𝐿)

Figure 1.1 – Typical Bias Circuit for a BJT

In the circuit in Figure 1.1, we are typically asked to find the voltage and current at each node,
specifically: VC, VB, VE, IC, IB, and IE.

1. We do not know the voltage VB or the current IB, so we start by finding the Thévenin equivalent
for VCC, RB1, and RB2.
a. Recall that Thévenin’s Theorem states that any combination of voltage sources, current
sources, and resistors with two terminals is electrically equivalent to a single voltage
source and a single series resistor. We can see from Figure 1.1 that RB1 and RB2 have
15V across them. So, we redraw the first part of the circuit as follows:

RB1

100kΩ +

VCC RB2
15 V 50kΩ VBB

Figure 1.2 – Simple Voltage Divider Where VBB = 5V

𝑅𝐵2 50𝑘Ω
𝑉𝐵𝐵 = ( )𝑉 = ( ) 15𝑉 = 5𝑉
𝑅𝐵1 + 𝑅𝐵2 𝐶𝐶 100𝑘Ω + 50𝑘Ω

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Tutorial #4: Bias Point Analysis in Multisim

b. From Thévenin’s Theorem we know that to find the Thévenin resistance, we short the
voltage source and find the equivalent resistance R BB. RBB is simply two resistors in
parallel:
RB1

100kΩ

RB2
50kΩ
RBB

Figure 1.3 – Finding RTH

𝑅𝐵1 𝑅𝐵2 (100𝑘Ω)(50𝑘Ω )

𝑅𝐵𝐵 = ( )=( ) = 33.3𝑘Ω
𝑅𝐵1 + 𝑅𝐵2 100𝑘Ω + 50𝑘Ω

c. The next step is to put this all together and replace R B1 and RB2 with the Thévenin
equivalent:

RC
IC
5kΩ

VC

RBB VB Q1 VCC
2N3904 15 V
33.3kΩ +
VBE
VE
IB -

VTH RE
5V L1 3kΩ IE

Figure 1.4 – Simplified with Thévenin Equivalent

2. The next step is to use the Thévenin equivalent circuit to determine IB, IE, and IC.
a. In Figure 1.4, we can use KVL on Loop L1 to determine IB and IE:
Note: We must assume that the BJT is in its “active” region, meaning that the device is
“ON.” Because the Base-Emitter junction is essentially a diode, when it is turned “ON,” it
has roughly a 0.7V drop across it. In Lab 5, you determined the actual value for VBE.
Looking back, you will see it was approximately 0.6V-0.7V, so this is a valid assumption.
This assumption makes it so that VBE = 0.7V in the equation we derived from KVL.

𝑉𝐵𝐵 = 𝐼𝐵 𝑅𝐵𝐵 + 𝑉𝐵𝐸 + 𝐼𝐸 𝑅𝐸

5𝑉 = (𝐼𝐵 (33.3𝑘Ω)) + 0.7𝑉 + (𝐼𝐸 (3𝑘Ω))

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Tutorial #4: Bias Point Analysis in Multisim

b. We do not yet know IB or IE, but we remember that for a BJT, KCL states that the current
going into the BJT must equal the current coming out of the BJT:

𝐼𝐵 + 𝐼𝐶 = 𝐼𝐸

c. We also remember that DC Current Gain for a BJT is called β (beta):

IC
𝛽=
IB

d. Using these two facts, we can plug one equation into the other and put emitter current (I E)
in terms of base current (IB).

𝐼𝐸 = (1 + 𝛽)𝐼𝐵

e. Now we can substitute this expression for IE back into the KVL equation for Loop L1.

5𝑉 = (𝐼𝐵 (33.3𝑘Ω)) + 0.7𝑉 + ((1 + 𝛽)𝐼𝐵 (3𝑘Ω))

f. Since β is given to be 100 for this BJT (in the active region of operation), we can solve for
IB in the equation above:

5𝑉 = (𝐼𝐵 (33.3𝑘Ω)) + 0.7𝑉 + ((1 + 𝛽)𝐼𝐵 (3𝑘Ω))

5𝑉 = (𝐼𝐵 (33.3𝑘Ω)) + 0.7𝑉 + ((101)𝐼𝐵 (3𝑘Ω))
5𝑉 − 0.7𝑉 = (𝐼𝐵 (33.3𝑘Ω)) + (𝐼𝐵 (303𝑘Ω))
4.3𝑉 = 𝐼𝐵 (33.3𝑘Ω + 303𝑘Ω)
𝑰𝑩 = 𝟏𝟐. 𝟖𝝁𝑨

g. Once we have one current, we can easily find the other two:

𝐼𝐸 = (1 + 𝛽)𝐼𝐵 𝐼𝐶 = 𝛽𝐼𝐵
𝐼𝐸 = (101)(12.8𝜇𝐴) 𝐼𝐶 = (100)12.7𝜇𝐴
𝑰𝑬 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟗𝒎𝑨 𝑰𝑪 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟖𝒎𝑨

3. Using the currents found above (IB, IE, and IC) and the size of the resistor’s RBB, RE, RC, the last
step is to use Ohm’s law to determine VB, VE, and VC.
a. From Figure 1.4, find VB, VE, and VC using Ohm’s Law:

𝑉𝐵 = 𝑉𝐵𝐵 − 𝐼𝐵 𝑅𝐵𝐵 𝑉𝐸 = 𝐼𝐸 𝑅𝐸 𝑉𝐶 = 𝑉𝐶𝐶 − 𝐼𝐶 𝑅𝐶

𝑉𝐵 = 5𝑉 − (12.8𝜇𝐴)(33.3𝑘Ω) 𝑉𝐸 = (1.29𝑚𝐴)(3𝑘Ω) 𝑉𝐶 = 15𝑉 − (1.28𝑚𝐴)(5𝑘Ω)
𝑽𝑩 = 𝟒. 𝟓𝟕𝑽 𝑽𝑬 = 𝟑. 𝟖𝟕𝑽 𝑽𝑪 = 𝟖. 𝟔𝟏𝑽

b. From VB, VE, and VC we can find VBE, VCE, and VCB, and we can see that VBE = 0.7V,
which matches the assumption that we made earlier.

𝑉𝐵𝐸 = 𝑉𝐵 − 𝑉𝐸
𝑉𝐵𝐸 = 4.57𝑉 − 3.87𝑉
𝑽𝑩𝑬 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝑽

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Tutorial #4: Bias Point Analysis in Multisim

Part II – Bias Point Analysis in Multisim

To verify that our hand calculations are correct, we perform what is called a “bias point” analysis in
Multisim. This will allow us to view the node voltages and currents in our Beta Stabilizing Network.

RB1 RC
100kΩ 5kΩ

VC

VB Q1 VCC
2N3904 15 V

VE

RB2 RE
50kΩ 3kΩ

Figure 2.1 – Beta Stabilizing Network

1. Build the circuit in Figure 2.1 in Multisim.

a. Rename the wire nets at VB, VC, and VE to B, C, and E, respectively by double-clicking
on the wires and entering the preferred net names. This will make it easier to select and
view the desired outputs.
2. Select a DC Operating Point analysis and output IB, IC, IE, VB, VC, and VE as shown below.

Figure 2.2 – DC Operating Point Analysis Settings

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Tutorial #4: Bias Point Analysis in Multisim

3. Run the simulation and the following table should appear listing the desired DC values.

Figure 2.3 – Bias Point Analysis Output

Note: Notice that our currents and voltage do NOT match our hand calculations! This is because the
2N3904 BJT has a β equal to about 150 for the values of IC and IB for this circuit’s configuration. The β
used in the Sedra example was only 100. In our labs we will only use the 2N3904, so in our hand
calculations for the 2N3904, we will use β = 150, and our calculations will then match the simulated
results.

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