HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & ARCHITECTURE

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Angeles City

ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

L ABORATORY EXERCISE NO.6

BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR TESTING AND BIASING

OBJECTIVE

3. To demonstrate a practical go-no-go method of testing bipolar transistors with an ohmmeter

4. To become familiar with transistor biasing
5. To observe the effect on emitter-base current of forward and reverse biasing in the emitter to base
circuit
6. To observe the effects on collector current of forward and reversed biasing in the emitter to base
circuit
7. To measure Icbo,

INTRODUCTION

Transistor Testing
A bipolar transistor consists essentially of two diodes connected back-to-back, as shown in Figure 6-A.
If an ohmmeter is connected between the base and emitter of an NPN transistor, with the negative lead on the
emitter and the positive lead on the base, the base-emitter is forward biased, as seen on Figure 6-B. The
ohmmeter in this case reads a low resistance. But when the ohmmeter leads are reversed, as shown in Figure
6-C, the base-emitter junction is back-biased. The ohmmeter then reads a high resistance. Similarly, if the
ohmmeter is connected across the collector-base diode, the meter reads low when the collector is negative
with respect to the base, and high in the other direction.

(a) Equivalent circuit of (b) Ohmmeter reads (c) Ohmmeter reads

NPN transistor low resistance high resistance
Figure 6-A,B,C. Bipolar Transistor testing

EXPERIMENT NO.6 ETRONDEVL Page 39

 HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & ARCHITECTURE
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Angeles City

LABORATORY MANUAL FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

We can use the ohmmeter to check whether a transistor is good. If we measure a good diode base to
emitter and a good diode from base to collector, the transistor is ok. Incidentally, an ohmmeter connected from
collector to emitter should read a fairly high resistance in both directions, because one diode or the other is
back biased regardless of the meter polarity.

Since the PNP resistor has both diodes reversed from the NPN, all high/low reading will be reversed
from the NPN. The same idea applies here also. You will read diode characteristics between base and emitter,
and another diode between collector and base.

Transistor Biasing

In this experiment we shall also become familiar with the three element electronic device, the
transistor, whose characteristic dramatically extends the rate and the scope of electronic applications.
P N P

Figure 6-D. PNP transistor

The transistor is an extension of the semiconductor diode. The PNP transistor illustrated in Figure 6-D
is an example. This is a junction transistor formed by sandwiching a very thin strip of N-type germanium
between two wide strips of P-type germanium. For purpose of biasing, this transistor may be considered as two
diodes. The emitter base constitutes one diode, the collector-base the other diode. For normal operation, the
emitter-base is forward biased in the low resistance direction and the collector-base is biased in the reversed or
high-resistance direction.

Basically, an increase in the forward bias will result in an increase in the emitter current and hence, in
the collector current. Base current will increase or decrease very little when emitter current increases or
decreases. It is evident, therefore, that collector current maybe controlled readily by change in emitter-base
bias.

Figure 6-E. PNP transistor

EXPERIMENT NO.6 ETRONDEVL Page 40

 HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & ARCHITECTURE
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Angeles City

LABORATORY MANUAL FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

A junction transistor may also be made with an NPN configuration as in the preceding case, but
biasing of the emitter-base must be in the reversed direction. Because of the use of an N-type crystal as emitter
and collector and a P-type as the base, battery polarities must be reversed, as compared with the biasing of a
PNP transistor.

An important characteristic of the collector base circuit should be noted. This is I (also called I), the
collector current flowing with the collector base junction biased in the reversed direction and the emitter-base
open-circuited. This leakage current is due to the minority carriers in the collector and base regions and in the
range of a few microamperes. An important factor which affects the operation of a transistor is its operating
temperature. A transistor is very sensitive to temperature changes. An increase in the temperature will result in
an increase in current. This in turn leads to added heat and more current. If this chain reaction is uninterrupted,
it may result in complete destruction of the transistor because of excessive heat.

Precaution in Physical Handling of Transistors

Great care should be exercised in working with low power transistor employing flexible leads.
Transistor can be destroyed almost instantly, in contrast to vacuum tube which can tolerate moderate
overloads for extended period of time. A short circuit from base to collector, in an energized circuit, will almost
always destroy a transistor. At this point, you must be cautious against inserting transistor into a circuit, or
removing transistors in a circuit when power is on. This practice may permanently damage a transistor because
of high transient currents which may be developed. A good rule to follow is to be certain that the power is off
before inserting a transistor or removing the transistor for the circuit.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

Equipment
1 – Power Supply
1 – Multitester
Component Miscellaneous
1 – 2N3904 Transistor 1 – 1.5v Battery
1 – 2N3906 Transistor Wire Stripper
1 – MPSA20 Transistor Breadboard
1 – 2N222 Transistor Connecting Wires
2 – additional assorted bipolar transistors
2 – 5KΩ Potentiometer
1 – 100Ω resistor
1 - 820Ω resistor

EXPERIMENT NO.6 ETRONDEVL Page 41

 HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & ARCHITECTURE
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Angeles City

LABORATORY MANUAL FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

PROCEDURES

PART1

STEP 1
Set the ohmmeter to the midrange scale.

STEP 2
Make the appropriate resistance checks, and enter your readings in Table 6-1.

STEP 3
Record the transistor part number and then put a check in the space provided if you think the transistor is in
good condition. Also, determine whether the transistor is an NPN or a PNP type.

PART 2

STEP 1
Set the dual power supply outputs so that VEE, = 1.5v and VCC, = 6v

STEP 2
Connect the circuit of Figure 6-1. Al and A2 are milliammeters. Apply power to the circuit by closing switches
S1 and S2.

Figure 6-1. Circuit diagram for part 2 step 2

EXPERIMENT NO.6 ETRONDEVL Page 42

 HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & ARCHITECTURE
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Angeles City

LABORATORY MANUAL FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

STEP 3
Set R2 for maximum resistance, therefore, minimum bias current. Set the milliammeters to their proper range.
Measure and record the values of IE, and IC, in Table 6-2 Also, measure and record the values of VEB and VCB.
Indicate the polarity of voltages.

STEP 4
Set R2 for minimum resistance (maximum bias current) and repeat the measurements done in step 3.

STEP 5
Turn off the power supply. Reverse the polarity of VEE (emitter supply) and meter A1 connections, see
Figure 6-2.

Figure 6-2. Transistor biasing circuit for part 2 step 5

STEP 6
Turn on the power supply. Vary R2 over its entire range. Record IE and IC (if any). Measure and record VEB and
VCB, showing polarities.

STEP 7
Open S1. Set A2 on its most sensitive range (50µA or lower, if available). Measure and record IC. This is the
value of ICBO for the conditions in the circuit of Figure 6-2.

STEP 8
Power off

STEP 9
Connect the circuit of Figure 6-3. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for PNP transistor. Record your results in Table 6-3.

EXPERIMENT NO.6 ETRONDEVL Page 43

 HOLY ANGEL UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & ARCHITECTURE
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Angeles City

LABORATORY MANUAL FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND CIRCUITS

Figure 6-3. Transistor biasing circuit for part 2 step 9

STEP 10
Power off. Reverse the polarity of VEE, and meter A1 connections, Figure 6-4, and repeat step 6, recording your
result in Table 6-3.

STEP 11
Following the procedure in step 7, measure and record ICBO for the PNP transistor.

Figure 6-4. Experimental circuit for part 2 step 10

EXPERIMENT NO.6 ETRONDEVL Page 44