UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)

Physical structure
One lightly-doped (high resistivity) silicon
slab.
Two base contacts (B
1
and B
2
) at both
end of the slab.
The p-n junction is form by alloying an
aluminum rod to the slab.
The aluminum rod is closer to B
2
contact
than B
1
contact.
B
2
is made positive with respect to B
1
.
Physical structure
UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
Equivalent circuit
The equivalent circuit comprised of two
resistors, one fixed (R
B2
) and one variable
(R
B1
) and a single diode (D).
R
B1
varies with I
E
.
Variation of R
B1
: 5 kO to 50 O for the
corresponding variation of 0 A to 50 A in
I
E
.
UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
Equivalent circuit
UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
Equivalent circuit
R
BB
is the interbase resistance when I
E
=
0 i.e.
( )
0
2 1
=
+ =
E
I
B B BB
R R R
Typical range of R
BB
: 4 kO - 10 kO
The position of the aluminum rod
determine the ralative values of R
B1
and
R
B2
.
UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
0
2 1
1
1
=
=
+
=
E
B
I
BB BB
B B
B
R
V V
R R
R
V q
UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
0
2 1
1
=
+
=
E
I
B B
B
R R
R
q
UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
For V
E
> V
RB1
by V
D
(0.35 0.70 V), the
diode will fire and I
E
will begin to flow
through R
B1
.
UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
The emitter firing potential V
P
is given by:
D BB P
V V V + =q
UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
Characteristics of representative UJT:
UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
The emitter characteristics:
For fixed values of q
and V
D
, V
P
varies
with V
BB
.
UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR (UJT)
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Basic UJT relaxation oscilator
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Assume that the initial
capacitor voltage, V
C

is zero. When the
supply voltage V
BB
is
first applied, the UJT
is in the OFF state. I
E

is zero and C charges
exponentially through
R
1
towards V
BB
.
The operation
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
When the supply
voltage V
C
(= V
E
)
reaches the firing
potential, V
P
, the UJT
fires and C discharges
exponentially through
R
2
until V
E
reaches
the valley potential
V
V
.
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
When V
E
reaches the valley potential V
V
the
UJT turns OFF, I
E
goes to zero and the
capacitor is recharged.
This process repeats itself to produce the
waveforms for v
C
and v
R2
as shown below;
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
The waveform, v
C
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
The waveform, v
R2
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Condition for switching-ON
To switch-on a UJT,
the emitter current I
E

must be able to reach
the peak current I
P

i.e.
1 1
R I V
P
I I
R
P E
>
=
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Condition for switching-ON
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
In other words, R
1
must
be small enough such
that I
E
is not limited to a
value less than I
P
when
V
C
= V
P
.
Condition for switching-ON
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Thus, to fire the UJT;
P P BB
V R I V + >
1
1
R I V V
P P BB
>
P
P BB
I
V V
R

<
1
Condition for switching-ON
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Condition for switching-OFF
To switch-off a UJT,
the emitter current I
E

must drop below I
V

when V
C
= V
V
.
Hence;
V V BB
V R I V + <
1
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Thus, to fire the UJT;
1
R I V V
V V BB
<
V
V BB
I
V V
R

>
1
Condition for switching-OFF
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Thus, to ensure the switching ON and OFF, the
following condition must be met;
V
V BB
P
P BB
I
V V
R
I
V V
> >

1
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
It can be shown that;
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
P BB
V BB
V V
V V
C R t ln
1 1
and;
( )
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
V
P
B
V
V
C R R t ln
2 1 2
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
The periodic time;
2 1
t t T + =
In many cases, t
1
>> t
2
, therefore;

|
|
.
|

\
|

= ~
P BB
V BB
V V
V V
C R t T ln
1 1
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
When V
BB
and V
P
are much greater than V
V
,
then;
|
|
.
|

\
|

~
P BB
BB
V V
V
C R T ln
1
And if qV
BB
>> V
pn
i.e. V
P
~ qV
BB
, then
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
BB BB
BB
V V
V
C R T
q
ln
1
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
or;
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
q 1
1
ln
1
C R T
The frequency;
|
|
.
|

\
|

= =
q 1
1
ln
1 1
1
C R
T
f
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
For the UJT relaxation oscillator in the
following figure, it is known that;
phase
discharge during 100
and A 10 mA; 10
V; 1 ; 6 . 0 ; k 5
1
O =
= =
= = O =
B
P V
V BB
R
I I
V R q
Example
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Example (contd)
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Example (contd)
a) Determine;
i. The value of V
P
to switch-on the UJT;
ii. The range of R
1
to switch-on and switch-
off the UJT;
iii.Frequency of oscillation if R
B1
= 100 O
during discharge phase of the capacitor
C;
b) Sketch the wave shape of V
C
and V
R2
.
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Example SOLUTION
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
2 1
1 1
B B
B
BB
B
R R
R
R
R
q
a)
Substituting values;
O
=
k 5
6 . 0
1 B
R
O = k 3
1 B
R
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
O = = = k 2 k 3 k 5
1 2 B BB B
R R R
a)
The value V
P
to switch-on the UJT when v
C

= V
P
which corresponds to I
E
= I
P
= 10 A ~
0 A may be calculated as follows;
BB
B B
B
pn P
V
R R R
R R
V V
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
+
+ =
2 2 1
2 1
Example SOLUTION (contd)
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
a)
Substituting values;
( ) V 12
k 2 k 1 . 0 k 3
k 3
7 . 0
2
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
+
+ =
R
V
P
V 8 =
P
V
Example SOLUTION (contd)
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
b)
|
|
.
|

\
|

> >
|
|
.
|

\
|

V
V BB
P
P BB
I
V V
R
I
V V
1
Example SOLUTION (contd)
Substituting values;
|
.
|

\
|

> >
|
|
.
|

\
|

m 10
1 12
10
8 12
1
R
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
b)
Example SOLUTION (contd)
O > > O k 1 . 1 k 400
1
R
c)
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
P BB
V BB
V V
V V
C R t ln
1 1
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Example SOLUTION (contd)
c)
( )( ) ms 05 . 5
8 12
1 12
ln 1 . 0 k 50
1
=
|
.
|

\
|

= t
Substituting values;
( )
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
V
P
B
V
V
C R R t ln
2 1 1
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Example SOLUTION (contd)
c)
Substituting values;
( )( )
s 6 . 41
1
8
ln 1 . 0 k 1 . 0 k 1 . 0
1
=
|
.
|

\
|
+ = t
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Example SOLUTION (contd)
c)
ms 09 . 5
6 . 41 m 05 . 5
1 1
=
+ = + = t t T
Hz 5 . 196
m 09 . 5
1 1
= = =
T
f
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Example SOLUTION (contd)
d)
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Example SOLUTION (contd)
d)
While C is charging,
the UJT is inactive.
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
=
2 1 2
2
2
B B
R
R R R
R
V
( ) 12
k 3 k 3 k 1 . 0
k 1 . 0
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
=
V 235 . 0 =
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Example SOLUTION (contd)
d)
While V
C
= V
P
, the UJT is active.
( )
pn P
B
R
V V
R R
R
V

|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
1 2
2
2

UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Example SOLUTION (contd)
d)
Substituting values;
( )
V 65 . 3
7 . 0 8
k 1 . 0 k 1 . 0
k 1 . 0
=

|
.
|

\
|
+
=
UJT RELAXATION OSCILLATORS
Example SOLUTION (contd)