In 1947 J. Barden, W. Bratterin and W. Shockley invented transistor.

The term transistor was given by John R. Pierce. Through initially it

was called the solid state version of the vacuum triode, but the term
transistor has survived. As we will go through the topic, we will know
about the transistor, mainly bipolar junction transistor or BJT. This type
of transistor is made up of semiconductors. We know that silicon (Si) &
Germanium (Ge) are the examples of semiconductors. Now, why this is
called junction transistor? The answer lies behind the construction. We
already know what is p – type and n – type semiconductors. Now, in
this type of transistor any one type of semiconductors is sandwiched
between the other type of semiconductor. For example, an n – type can
be sandwiched between two p – type semiconductors or similarly one p
– type can be sandwiched between two n – type semiconductors. These
are called p – n – p and n – p – n transistors respectively. We will
discuss about them later. Now as there are two junctions of different
types of semiconductors, this is called Bipolar Junction
Transistor or BJT. The basic diagram of the two types of transistors
mentioned above 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 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 is reverse biased. The next topic will
describe the two types of this transistors
.

n – p – n Bipolar Junction Transistor

As started before in n – p – n Bipolar Transistor one p – type
semiconductor resides between two n – type semiconductors the
diagram below a n – p – n transistor is shown

N – P – N Bipolar Junction Transistor

Now IE, IC is emitter current and collect current respectively and V EB and
VCB are emitter base voltage and collector base voltage respectively.
According to convention if for the emitter, base and collector current I E,
IB and IC current goes into the transistor the sign of the current is taken
as positive and if current goes out from the transistor then the sign is
taken as negative. We can tabulate the different currents and voltages
inside the n – p – n transistor
.

Transistor type IE IB IC VEB VCB

n–p–n - + + - +

p – n – p Bipolar Junction Transistor

Similarly for p – n – p bipolar junction transistor a n-type semiconductors
is sandwiched between two p-type semiconductors. The diagram of a p
– n – p transistor is shown below

P – N – P Bipolar Junction Transistor

For p – n – p transistors, current enters into the transistor through the emitter terminal. Like any bipolar
junction transistor, the emitter – base junction is forward biased and the collector – base junction is
reverse biased. We can tabulate the emitter, base and collector current, as well as the emitter base,
collector base and collector emitter voltage for p – n – p transistors also.

Transistor type IE IB IC VEB VCB

p–n–p + - - + -

Bipolar Junction Transistors

Characteristics
The three parts of a BJT are collector, emitter and base. Before
knowing about the bipolar junction transistor characteristics, we have to
know about the modes of operation for this type of transistors. The
modes are

i) Common Base (CB) mode 

ii) Common Emitter (CE) mode 

iii) Common Collector (CC) mode 

All three types of modes are shown below

a) Common base (CB) mode b) Common emitter (CE) mode c) Common collector (CC)
mode
Now coming to the characteristics of BJT there are different
characteristics for different modes of operation. Characteristics is
nothing but the graphical forms of relationships among different
current and voltage variables of the transistor. The characteristics for p
– n – p transistors are given for different modes and different
parameters.
Common base characteristics
Input characteristics
For p – n – p transistor, the input current is the emitter current (I E) and
the input voltage is the collector base voltage (VCB).
Common Base Input Characteristics of p-n-p Transistor
As the emitter – base junction is forward biased, therefore the graph of
IE Vs VEB is similar to the forward characteristics of a p – n diode.
IEincreases for fixed VEB when VCB increases.
Output characteristics
The output characteristics shows the relation between output voltage
and output current ICis the output current and collector – base voltage
and the emitter current IE is the input current and works as the
parameters. The figure below shows the output characteristics for a p –
n – p transistor in CB mode.
Common Base Output Characteristics of p-n-p Transistor
As we know for p – n – p transistors IE and VEB are positive and IC, IB,
VCB are negative. These are three regions in the curve, active region
saturation region and the cut off region. The active region is the region
where the transistor operates normally. Here the emitter junction is
reverse biased. Now the saturation region is the region where both the
emitter collector junctions are forward biased. And finally the cut off
region is the region where both emitter and the collector junctions are
reverse biased.
Common Emitter characteristics
Input characteristics
IB (Base Current) is the input current, VBE (Base – Emitter Voltage) is
the input voltage for CE (Common Emitter) mode. So, the input
characteristics for CE mode will be the relation between I B and VBE with
VCE as parameter. The characteristics are shown below

Common Emitter (CE) mode input characteristics of BJT

The typical CE input characteristics are similar to that of a forward
biased of p – n diode. But as VCB increases the base width decreases
.
Output characteristics
Output characteristics for CE mode is the curve or graph between
collector current (IC) and collector – emitter voltage (V CE) when the base
current IB is the parameter. The characteristics is shown below in the
figure.
Common Emitter Output Characteristics of p – n – p transistor
Like the output characteristics of common – base transistor CE mode
has also three regions named (i) Active region, (ii) cut-off regions, (iii)
saturation region. The active region has collector region reverse biased
and the emitter junction forward biased. For cut-off region the emitter
junction is slightly reverse biased and the collector current is not totally
cut-off. And finally for saturation region both the collector and the
emitter junction are forward biased.

Application of BJT
BJT’s are used in discrete circuit designed due to availability of many
types, and obviously because of its high transconductane and output
resistance which is better than MOSFET. BJT’s are suitable for high
frequency application also. That’s why they are used in radio frequency
for wireless systems. Another application of BJT can be stated as small
signal amplifier, metal proximity photocell, etc.
Bipolar Junction Transistor Amplifier
To understand the concept of Bipolar Junction Transistor Amplifier, we
should look through the diagram of a p-n-p transistor first

Bipolar Junction Transistor Amplifier

Now as the input voltage is changed a little, say ΔV i of the emitter –
base voltage changes the barrier height and the emitter current by ΔI E.
This change in emitter current develops a voltage drop ΔV O across the
load resistance RL, where, 

ΔVO = – RLΔIC

ΔVO gives the output voltage of the amplifier. There is a negative sign

because of the collector current gives a voltage drop across R L with
polarity opposite to the reference polarity. The voltage gain A V for the
amplifier is given the ratio between the output voltages ΔV O to the input
voltage ΔVi, so,

ΔIC / ΔIE = AI is called the current gain ratio of the transistor. From the
figure diagram shown above we can see that an increase in the emitter
voltage reduces the forward bias at the emitter junction thus decreases
the collector current. It indicates that the output voltage and the input
voltage are in phase. Now, finally the power gain Ap of the transistor is
the ratio between the output power and the input power