Names: NKURUNIZA Dieudonne

Reg no: ADO46806ICT22F

Department: Computer Engineering
Option: ICT
Module: electronic fundamentals
Lecturer: Innocent NZIRORERA
Assignment: 2
Submitted: 27, nov,2022

Transistor
A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals
Transistors are broadly divided into 2 types
1.Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT
A Bipolar junction transistor, shortly termed as BJT is called so as it has two PN
junctions for its function. This BJT is nothing but a normal transistor. It has got
two types of configurations NPN and PNP.

NPN PNP
The current flows from collector terminal to The current flows from emitter to collector
emitter terminal. terminal.

Field Effect Transistor

An FET is a three-terminal semiconductor device. It is a voltage controlled
device unlike a bipolar junction transistor. The main advantage of FET is that it
has a very high input impedance, which is in the order of Mega Ohms

Features of FET

1. Unipolar: It is unipolar as either holes or electrons are responsible for

conduction.
2. High input impedance: The input current in a FET flows due to the reverse
bias. Hence it has high input impedance.
 3. Voltage controlled device: As the output voltage of a FET is controlled by
the gate input voltage, FET is called as the voltage controlled device.

Characteristics of Transistor
1. Input Characteristics: These describe the changes in input current with
the variation in the values of input voltage keeping the output voltage
constant.
2. Output Characteristics: This is a plot of output current versus output
voltage with constant input current.
3. Current Transfer Characteristics: This characteristic curve shows the
variation of output current in accordance with the input current,
keeping output voltage constant
How to test Transistors
1. Remove the transistor from the circuit i.e. disconnect the power supply across the
transistor which has to be tested. Discharge all the capacitors (by shorting the
capacitor leads) in the circuit (If any).
2. Set the meter on “Diode Test” Mode by turning the rotary switch of the multimeter.
3. Test, measure and note the display reading shown in the multimeter in the table below.

Various Applications and Uses of Transistor

1. The core use of transistors includes switching applications or both
amplification and switching.
2. There is a kind of transistors that produce current flow depending on the
amount of light shined upon them; those are known as phototransistors.
3. Bipolar Junction Transistors(BJT) can cause a greater current flow from the
emitter to the collector when a small amount of current is passed through the
base.
4. Field-Effect Transistors act as voltage controlled devices. Field-Effect
Transistors (FETs) have very high input impedance and it helps to run very
little current through them.