Chapter 5:

BJT AC Analysis
BJT Transistor Modeling
• A model is an equivalent circuit that represents the AC
characteristics of the transistor.

• A model uses circuit elements that approximate the

behavior of the transistor.

• There are two models commonly used in small signal AC

analysis of a transistor:

– re model
– Hybrid equivalent model

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
The re Transistor Model

• BJTs are basically current-controlled devices; therefore the re model

uses a diode and a current source to duplicate the behavior of the
transistor.

• One disadvantage to this model is its sensitivity to the DC level. This

model is designed for specific circuit conditions.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
The re Transistor Model

Common-Emitter Configuration
• The equivalent circuit of Fig above will be used throughout the
analysis to follow for the common-emitter configuration.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Common-Emitter Fixed-Bias Configuration

• The input is applied to the base

• The output is from the collector
• High input impedance
• Low output impedance
• High voltage and current gain
• Phase shift between input and
output is 180

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Common-Emitter Fixed-Bias Configuration

AC equivalent

re model

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Common-Emitter Fixed-Bias Calculations
Input impedance:
Z i  R B ||  re
Z i   re R E  10 re

Output impedance:
Z o  R C || rO
Z o  R C ro  10R C

Voltage gain: Current gain:

Vo (R || r )
Av   C o I  R B ro
Vi re Ai  o 
I i (ro  R C )(R B   re )
RC
Av   ro  10R C
re A i   ro  10R C , R B  10 re

Current gain from voltage gain:

Zi
Ai  A v
RC

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Common-Emitter Voltage-Divider Bias

re model requires you to determine , re, and ro.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Common-Emitter Voltage-Divider Bias Cal.
Input impedance:

R   R 1 || R 2
Z i  R  ||  re

Output impedance:

Z o  R C || ro Current gain:
I  R ro
Z o  R C ro  10R C Ai  o 
I i (ro  R C )(R    re )
I R 
Voltage gain: Ai  o  r  10R C
I i R    re o
Vo  R C || ro I
Av   A i  o   ro  10R C , R   10 re
Vi re Ii
Vo R
Av    C ro  10R C
Vi re Current gain from voltage gain:
Z
Ai  A v i
RC
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Common-Emitter Emitter-Bias Config.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Impedance Calculations

Input impedance:
Z i  R B || Z b
Z b   re  (  1)R E
Z b  (re  R E )
Z b  R E

Output impedance:
Zo  R C

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Gain Calculations
Voltage gain:
Vo R C
Av  
Vi Zb
Vo RC
Av  
Vi re  R E Z b  (re  R E )
Vo R
Av    C Z b  R E
Vi RE

Current gain: Current gain from voltage gain:

I R B Zi
Ai  o  Ai  A v
Ii R B  Zb RC

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Feedback Pair

This is a two-transistor circuit that operates like a

Darlington pair, but it is not a Darlington pair.

It has similar characteristics:

• High current gain
• Voltage gain near unity
• Low output impedance
• High input impedance

The difference is that a Darlington

uses a pair of like transistors,
whereas the feedback-pair
configuration uses complementary
transistors.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.
Current Mirror Circuits

Current mirror circuits

provide constant current
in integrated circuits.

Example 4.26: Calculate the mirrored current I in the above circuit

given, Rx = 1.1 kΩ and +Vcc = 12 V.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright ©2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All rights reserved.