BIPOLAR JUNCTION

TRANSISTORS

SEM-IV
(AG)
Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT)
p-n-p transistor

n-p-n transistor
Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT)
 Bipolar – current is due to both electrons and holes

 Emitter is heavily doped; base is very lightly doped;

collector is lightly doped

 The width of the base is much thinner than that of the

emitter and collector

 The power dissipation is maximum in the collector

 Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT)
Boylestad & Nashelsky

 The emitter-base junction when

forward biased with output open,
has the characteristics of a
forward biased p-n junction diode

 The collector-base junction when

reverse biased with input open
has the characteristics of a reverse
biased p-n junction diode

Diode Characteristics
Active Region
p-n-p transistor n-p-n transistor

 Emitter-base junction is forward biased

 Collector-base junction is reverse biased

Saturation Region
p-n-p transistor n-p-n transistor

 Emitter-base junction is forward biased

 Collector-base junction is also forward biased

Cut-off Region
n-p-n transistor
p-n-p transistor

 Emitter-base junction is reverse biased

 Collector-base junction is also reverse biased

Current mechanism

 When the emitter-base junction is forward biased,

majority carriers (electrons) will be injected into the base
from the emitter

 The base being very thin and lightly doped (i.e. low
conductivity) very few carriers will go to the base
terminal
Current mechanism

 Most of the majority carriers from emitter (which are

minority carriers in the base) easily cross the base-
collector junction which is reverse biased
i.e. IE ≈ IC

 Minority carriers of the output junction also contribute to

the output current
Current components
Common-Base Configuration

p-n-p transistor

n-p-n transistor
Common-Base Configuration

n-p-n transistor

Input Characteristics

Boylestad & Nashelsky

Equivalent model for base-emitter voltage

Boylestad & Nashelsky

VBE ≈ 0.7V
Common-Base Configuration
Output Characteristics

Boylestad & Nashelsky

Common-Base Configuration
 When the input junction is forward biased, and output
junction reverse-biased, the magnitude of collector
current is nearly same as the emitter current

 Once reverse biased, the effect of collector to base voltage

on the collector current is negligible

 When both the base-emitter and collector-base junctions

are reverse biased, - the majority carriers from emitter
are drawn away from the input junction IC ≈ 0

 When both junctions are forward biased the increase in

the magnitude of VCB in the other direction reduces the
collector current to zero.
Current gain (α)
Common-Emitter Configuration
n-p-n transistor

Input Characteristics

Boylestad & Nashelsky

Common-Emitter Configuration
Output Characteristics

Boylestad & Nashelsky

Current gain (β)
Regions of operation (within maximum ratings)
Output Characteristics

Boylestad & Nashelsky