TRANSISTORS

LECTURE NOTES

NAME :MARTHA OLIVIA

ID :238-967-6525
CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
Transistors are semiconductor devices used in a wide range of electronic circuits. They are the
basic building blocks of digital circuits and are used in various applications in computer
engineering. Here are some important lecture notes about transistors in computer engineering:
1. Structure: A transistor is made up of three layers of semiconductor material: the emitter,
the base, and the collector. The base is the control element, and the emitter and collector
are the input and output elements, respectively.
2. Amplification: Transistors are used to amplify electrical signals. The amount of current
flowing through the transistor is controlled by the base current, allowing the transistor
to amplify the input signal.
3. Switching: Transistors can also be used as switches in electronic circuits. When a small
signal is applied to the base, it allows a larger current to flow through the transistor,
turning it "on." This can be used to turn electronic devices on and off.
4. Types: There are two basic types of transistors: bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and
field-effect transistors (FETs). BJTs are commonly used for amplification, while FETs
are often used as switches and amplifiers.
5. CMOS: Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) technology is a type of
transistor-based digital logic design that is widely used in modern computer
engineering. CMOS technology is low-power, making it ideal for portable devices and
battery-powered applications.
6. Digital logic circuits: Transistors are the building blocks of digital logic circuits, such
as gates, flip-flops, and registers. These circuits are used in microprocessors, memory,
and other computer components.
7. Heat dissipation: Transistors can generate heat, which can damage the device or the
surrounding components. Proper heat dissipation techniques, such as heat sinks, fans,
or thermal paste, must be used to prevent damage.
In conclusion, transistors are essential components in computer engineering, used for
amplification, switching, digital logic circuits, and more. Understanding the properties and
behavior of transistors is essential for anyone working in computer engineering.
Transistors have a wide range of applications in electronic circuits due to their unique
properties, including amplification, switching, and voltage regulation. Here are some common
applications of transistors:
1. Amplification: Transistors are commonly used to amplify weak signals. For example,
audio signals are often amplified by transistors in audio amplifiers.
2. Switching: Transistors can also be used as switches in electronic circuits. A small
voltage applied to the base of a transistor can control a larger current flowing between
the collector and emitter, allowing it to be used as a switch to turn electronic devices
on and off.
3. Voltage regulation: Zener diodes are often combined with transistors to create voltage
regulators. The transistor acts as a control element, regulating the current flow to
maintain a constant output voltage.
4. Oscillators: Transistors can also be used to create oscillators, which generate periodic
signals. For example, a transistor-based oscillator can be used to generate clock signals
in digital circuits.
5. Digital logic circuits: Transistors are the building blocks of digital logic circuits, such
as gates, flip-flops, and registers. These circuits are used in microprocessors, memory,
and other computer components.
6. Radio frequency (RF) applications: Transistors are used in RF circuits, such as RF
amplifiers, mixers, and oscillators.
7. Power control: Transistors are often used to control the power output of electronic
devices. For example, a transistor-based motor controller can be used to control the
speed of a motor.
8. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs): Transistors are commonly used to drive LEDs. The
transistor acts as a switch, controlling the current flowing through the LED to turn it on
and off.
9. Solar cells: Transistors are used in solar cells to convert the energy from sunlight into
electrical energy.
In conclusion, transistors have numerous applications in electronic circuits, including
amplification, switching, voltage regulation, oscillators, digital logic circuits, RF applications,
power control, LED driving, and solar cells. The versatility of transistors has made them an
essential component in many electronic devices.