UNIT - II

Study of BJT
• Physical Structure and modes of operation
of BJT – Lecture 6
 Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)
• Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) is a 3 terminal
semiconductor device having 3 layers and 2 junctions
• It can be either n-p-n type or p-n-p type
• Two p-n junction diodes cannot be joined together to
form a pnp or npn transistor
• The terminals connected with each of the 3 layers are
known as Collector (C), Base (B) and Emitter (E). All
these three layers are different in thickness and
doping level, hence not interchangeable.
 Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)
• Since Collector and Emitter are of same type
semiconductor but not interchangeable. So, in
order to differentiate among the two we put an
arrow on the Emitter in the direction of p to n
always irrespective of npn or pnp transistor.
• For a transistor IE = IC + IB always
Base (B) Collector (C) Emitter (E)
Layer Middle Extreme end Extreme end
Current Minimum Moderate Maximum
Doping Level Minimum Moderate Maximum
Thickness Minimum Maximum Moderate
 BJT: Physical Operation
• A transistor operates in three regions Active,
Cutoff and Saturation
• In Active region the transistor acts as an
amplifier (Analog Electronics)
• In cutoff region it acts as off switch and in
saturation region it acts as on switch. These
two states can be understood as
corresponding to logic 0 and 1 respectively
(Digital Electronics)
 BJT: an Active element & Biasing
• Transistor is an active element as it is able to
produce amplified high power replica of the
input waveform at its output for a sufficiently
long period of time, when operates in active
region. It is able to do so by taking power from
the DC sources and converting that DC power
into the desired AC waveform.
• Connecting suitable DC power supply with
desired polarity at the input and output side of
Transistor is known as biasing of the Transistor
 BJT: Different Operating modes
• Transistor is a 3 terminal device. But we need 4
terminals (2 for input side and another 2 for output
side) to make an amplifier circuit. In order to achieve
this we need to make one of the terminals of transistor
common to both input and output side.
• Hence, a transistor can be operated in three different
configurations viz. Common Emitter (CE); Common
Collector (CC) and Common Base (CB)
• Out of these 3 modes CE mode is most commonly used.
In this mode Emitter terminal is common to both input
and output sides. Out of the remaining two terminals
base is on input side and collector on output side.
 BJT: 3 different Operating Modes

• The input output terminals and the polarity of

the DC biases on the input and output sides
for the 3 different modes of operation are as
shown in the figure above
Transistor Reverse saturation currents
• There are 2 types of transistor reverse saturation currents
ICBO and ICEO which flows due to minority charge carriers
through the reverse bias junction. The reverse saturation
currents flow due to the flow of minority charge carriers.
Hence, they are independent of applied voltage and
depends on temperature
• ICBO is the reverse saturation current (collector current)
flowing from collector to base when the third terminal
(emitter) is open circuited. ICBO is the output circuit
current of CB mode when input circuit is open circuited.
• ICEO is the reverse saturation current (collector current)
flowing from collector to emitter when the third terminal
(base) is open circuited. ICEO is the output circuit current
of CE mode when input circuit is open circuited.
BJT: current gains & Reverse saturation currents
• The CB configuration current gain is defined as the
ratio of output current and input current in CB
configuration such that α = IC/IE= 0.98 – 0.99
• Also, CE configuration current gain is defined as the
ratio of output current and input current in CE
configuration such that β = Ic/IB= 99-100
• ICEO > ICBO such that ICEO = (1+β) ICBO where β is the CE
configuration current gain β = Ic/IB
• Since, IE = IC + IB
• Hence, α = IC/IE = IC/(IB+IC) = β/(1+β) ---------(CB)
• Also, β = IC/IB = IC/(IE-IC) = α/(1-α) -------------(CE)
------------(CC)
Numerical
BJT: Junction bias for Operating regions
Operation Regions Emitter- Base Junction Collector- Base Junction
Active Forward bias Reverse bias
Cut-off Reverse bias Forward bias
Saturation Forward bias Forward bias

• For a transistor to operate as an amplifier, it should work

in active region i.e. the Emitter-base junction should be
forward biased and collector-base junction should be
reverse biased for all the points of applied AC voltage.
• Hence, the DC operating point should be chosen carefully
so that the transistor remains in active region and not
driven to cutoff or saturation for all the points of applied
AC input signal.
 Study of BJT (CE Mode)

• Input Output and Transfer characteristics

of BJT (CE) – Lecture 7
 CE Mode : Connection of voltmeters and
ammeters for input and output characteristics

• Input characteristics of CE mode is similar to

the characteristics of a forward biased diode
 CE Mode : output characteristics

• Output characteristics is drawn between VCE and IC. In active

region IC doesn’t depend on VCE and is fairly constant for a given
value of IB.
• The various lines are corresponding to the different values of
input current IB.
• The 3 regions Active, Cutoff and Saturation are clearly visible.
CE Mode : Transfer characteristics
Numerical
Numerical
Numerical
Numerical
 Study of BJT (CB Mode)

• Input Output and Transfer characteristics

of BJT (CB) – Lecture 8
 CB Mode : Connection of voltmeters and
ammeters for input and output characteristics
CB Mode : Input & output characteristics
 CB Mode : Transfer characteristics

• Transfer characteristics is also known as current gain

characteristics. It tells about how the input current (IE) is
being transferred to output side current (IC)
Numerical
 Study of BJT (CC Mode)

• Input Output and Transfer characteristics

of BJT (CC) – Lecture 9
 CC Mode : Connection of voltmeters and
ammeters and input and output characteristics
CC Mode : Transfer characteristics
 Ebers – Moll model of BJT

• The Ebers – Moll model for BJT – Lecture 10

 Ebers – Moll model of BJT
• Ebers – Moll model of BJT can also be considered
as two back to back connected P-N junction diode
Ebers – Moll model of BJT
Ebers – Moll model of BJT