Electronic Section (Bipolar Junction Transistors)

Question 1

For the circuit shown below, plot the output waveform of the VCE. Assume the input voltage is
V i (t)=0.5 sin(1000 π t) . Assume Vcc=10 V, VBB=1.5 V, RB = 40 k Ohm, Rc = 2 k Ohm.

The characteristics of the transistor is shown below.

The solution requires three steps.

Step 1. Plot three load lines for the I B vs V BE figure. These correspond to three
values of v input (t) = 0.5 sin(1000πt). The reading are to be taken off the I B

Step 2. Plot the load line for the I c vs V CE figure. The reading are to be taken off the
V CE .

Step 3. Plot the output signal.

The details of the plots is left as an exercise.

Question 2

The biasing of a given transistor is shown below.

Assume that the transistor is in the active region. Show that the base current is
The solution requires three steps.

Step 1. Find the Thevenin voltage and resistance.

R 2 V CC
V B=
R 1+ R 2

R1 R2
RB =
R 1+ R 2

Step 2. Draw the resulting equivalent circuit.

Step 3. Select Loop 1 and Loop2, and apply KVL

On Loop 1 V B =RB I B +V BE+ R E I E

On Loop 2 V CC =R C I C +V CE + R E I E

Since the BJT is assumed to be in active region, I C =β I B

 Also note I E =I B + I C =I B +β I B=(1+β)I B

Hence, insert I E obtained above in Loop 1

V B =RB I B +V BE +RE ( I B + I C )

V B =RB I B +V BE +RE (1+β) I B

V B−V BE
I B=
RB + R E (1+β)

Question 3

Find the operating region of the transistor shown below. Assume that
Vcc = 15 V, VBE = 0.7 V, and that β = 200

This is a similar example as the one in the class notes. Assume that the BJT is in active
region.

Step 1. Compute the Thevenin volatage and resistance.

R 2 V CC 5
V B= =( ) 15=5 V .
R 1+ R 2 5+10
 The equivalent resistance is

R1 R2 (5 x 10)
RB = = =3.33 k Ohm
R 1+ R 2 5+10

Step 2. Compute the I B as

V B−V BE
I B=
RB + R E (1+β)

5.0−0.7 −6
I B= =20 x 10 A
3.3+1(1+200)

Compute V CE from V CC =R C I C +V CE + R E I E as

V CE =V CC −RC I C −R E I E

V CE =V CC −RC (β I B )−R E (1+β) I B

V CE =15.0−1000 (200 x 20 x 10−6)−1000 (1+200)20 x 10−6=6.98 V .

Step 3. Verify. Since V CE > 0.2V , the BJT is in the active region.

Question 4

Find the operating region of the transistor shown below.

Assume Vcc = 15 V, VBE = 0.7 V, RB = 200 k Okm, Rc = 2 k Ohm. and that β=200.
Assume that the BJT is in the active region ( I C =β I B )

V CC −V BE 15−0.7 −6
I B= = =71.5 x 10 A
Step 1. Compute RB 200 x 10
3

Step 2. Compute V CE as

V CE =V CC −RC (β I B )=15−2000(200 x 71.5 x 10−6)=−13.6 V

Step 3. Verify. Since V CE < 0.2V , the BJT is not in the active region.

Next assume that the BJT is the saturation region ( I C <β I B )

V CC −V BE 15−0.7 −6
I B= = =71.5 x 10 A
Step 1. Compute RB 200 x 103

V CC −V CE 15−0.2
IC = = =7.4 mA
Step 2. Compute RC 2000

Step 3. Verify. Compute β I B =200 x I B=14.3 mA Since I C <β I B , the BJT is in the
saturation region.