Chapter 3:

Bipolar Junction Transistors

1
 3.2 Transistor Construction

There are two types of transistors:

• pnp pnp
• npn

The terminals are labeled:

• E – Emitter
• B – Base
• C – Collector

Features of each doped region:

• E – Highly doped npn
• B – Very narrow, lowest doped
• C – lower doped, large surface

There are two pn junctions:

• Base-Emitter junction
• Base-Collector junction
 3.3 Transistor Operation

There four operation modes depending on the bias condition of each pn

junction:

Emitter-Base junction Base-Collector junction

Active operation Forward bias Reverse bias

(linear amplification)
Saturation region Forward bias Forward bias

Cutoff region Reverse bias Reverse bias

Reverse operation Reverse bias Forward bias

The active operation region is normally employed for linear (undistorted)

amplifiers.
 Currents in a Transistor NPN

With the external sources, VEE and VCC,

connected as shown below:
• The emitter-base junction is forward biased
• The base-collector junction is reverse biased

PNP

Emitter current is the sum of the

collector and base currents:

The collector current is comprised

of two currents:
 Carriers transport process
• The emitter-base junction is forward biased
• The base-collector junction is reverse biased
Features of each doped region:
•E – Highly doped
•B – Very narrow, lowest doped
•C – lower doped, large surface

IE = IB＋IC IE = IEn＋IEp
IEn = IBn＋ICn IC = ICn＋ICBO
IB = IBn＋IEp－ICBO
 3.4 Common-Base Configuration
Three basic configurations of a BJT according to the common terminal:
Input terminal Common terminal Output terminal
Common-Base (CB) Emitter Base Collector
Common-Emitter (CE) Base Emitter Collector
Common-Collector (CC) Base Collector Emitter

CB: The base is common to both

input (emitter–base) and output
(collector–base) of the transistor.
 Common-Base Amplifier

Output Characteristics
This graph demonstrates the output
current (IC) to an output voltage (VCB)
for various levels of input current (IE).

Input Characteristics
This curve shows the
relationship between of input
current (I E ) to input voltage
(V B E ) for various levels of
output voltage (VCB).
 Operating Regions
• Cutoff region—The amplifier is basically off. There is voltage, but little
current.
• Saturation region—The amplifier is full on. There is current, but little
voltage.
• Active region—Operating range of the amplifier.

In active region:

Emitter and collector

currents:

Base-emitter voltage:

ICBO = minority collector current. This is usually

so small that it can be ignored
EXAMPLE 3.1
a. Using the characteristics of Fig. 3.8 , determine the resulting collector current
if IE=3 mA and VCB=10 V.
b. Using the characteristics of Fig. 3.8 , determine the resulting collector
current if IE remains at 3 mA but VCB is reduced to 2 V.
c. Using the characteristics of Figs. 3.7 and 3.8 , determine VBE if IC =4 mA and
VCB=20 V.
d. Repeat part (c) using the characteristics of Figs. 3.8 and 3.10c .

Solution:
a. The characteristics clearly indicate that IC≈I E = 3 mA.
b. The effect of changing VCB is negligible and IC continues to be 3 mA .
c. From Fig. 3.8 , IE≈I C = 4 mA. On Fig. 3.7 the resulting level of VBE is about
0.74 V .
d. Again from Fig. 3.8, IE ≈ IC = 4 mA. However, on Fig. 3.10c, VBE is 0.7 V for
any level of emitter current.
 Alpha (!)

!) relates the DC currents IC and IE :

Alpha (!

Ideally: ! = 1
In reality: ! is between 0.9 and 0.998

Alpha (!) in the AC mode:

 Biasing

Establishing the proper biasing management for a

common-base pnp transistor in the active region.

there is a match between the letters npn and the italic letters of not
pointing in and the letters pnp with pointing in .
 3.5 Transistor Amplifying Action

Typical values of voltage amplification for the common-base configuration vary

from 50 to 300. The current amplification (IC/IE) is always less than 1 for the
common-base configuration. This latter characteristic should be obvious since
IC=αIE and α is always less than 1.

The basic amplifying action was produced by transferring a current I from a

low- to a high-resistance circuit. The combination of the two terms in italics
results in the label transistor; that is,

transfer + resistor transistor

 3.6 Common–Emitter Configuration

CE: The emitter is common to

both input (base-emitter) and
output (collector-emitter).

The input is on the base and the

output is on the collector.
 Common-Emitter Characteristics

Base Characteristics

Input Characteristics
This curve shows the
relationship between of input
current (IB) to input voltage
(V BE ) for various levels of
output voltage (VCE).
Collector Characteristics
Output Characteristics
This graph demonstrates the output
current (IC) to an output voltage (VCE)
for various levels of input current (IB).
 Base Characteristics

Collector Characteristics
EXAMPLE 3.2
a. Using the above characteristics, determine IC at IB=30 µA and VCE =10 V.
b. Using the above characteristics, determine IC at VBE=0.7 V and VCE =15 V.
Solution:
a. At the intersection of IB=30 mA and VCE=10 V, IC= 3.4 mA .
b. We obtain IB=20 µA at the intersection of VBE=0.7V and VCE=15 V (between
VCE=10 V and 20 V). We find that IC=2.5 mA at the intersection of IB=20 µ A and
VCE=15 V.
 Common-Emitter Amplifier Currents

Ideal Currents

IE = IC + IB IC = ! IE

where ICBO = minority collector current.

Actual Currents
This is usually so small that it can be
ignored, except in high power
IC = ! IE + ICBO
transistors and in high temperature
environments.

When IB = 0 µA the transistor is in cutoff, but there is some minority

current flowing called ICEO.
 Beta (")
" represents the amplification factor of a transistor. (" is
sometimes referred to as h fe , a term used in transistor
modeling calculations)

In DC mode:

In AC mode:

18
 Beta (")
Determining " from a Graph

Note: "ac ≈ "dc

 Beta (")

Relationship between amplification factors " and !

Relationship Between Currents

20
Biasing
 3.7 Common–Collector Configuration
CC: The collector is common to
both input (base-collector) and
output (emitter-collector).

The input is on the base and the

output is on the emitter.

The characteristics are similar to

those of the common-emitter
configuration, except the vertical
axis is IE.
 3.8 Limitations of Operation

VCE is at maximum and IC is at

minimum (ICmin= ICEO) in the
cutoff region.

IC is at maximum and VCE is at

minimum (VCE min = VCEsat = VCEO)
CE Configuration
in the saturation region.

The transistor operates in the

active region between saturation
and cutoff.

Common-emitter:

The maximum dissipation power

3.9 Transistor Specification Sheet

more…
 Summary of Chapter 3
! Key Information
• Transistor construction and operation
• Current relationship
• Three Basic Configurations:
• CE
• CB
• CC
• Characteristics of CE, CB and CC configuration
• Transistor Operation Regions
• Active region
• Cutoff region
• Saturation region

! Application Key Notes

• Limits of Operation