An introduction to

Junction Transistors
BITX20 bidirectional SSB transceiver
A BITX20 single stage
 A simplified single stage

+12 V

R1

R2

0V
 A potential divider

+12 V +12 V

R1 R1

R2 R2

0V 0V
 An NPN Transistor

+12 V

R1
Collector
Base

R2
Emitter

0V
 The transfer resistor (transistor)

Emitter (-) Collector (+)

Electrons
N N
P

Base
Electrons are
negative 
(Original patent used point contact)
 A silicon atom (Si)

Has 4 outer electrons

? ?
The outer electron shell
needs 8 to be “full”
Si (standing wave pattern)
Silicon will try to lend
? ? or borrow 4
 Silicon (group 4) bonds

Si Si Si Si

Si Si Si Si

Si Si Si Si
A pure silicon crystal lattice
 An Arsenic atom (As)

Has 5 outer electrons

?
One surplus for fitting
in to the lattice
As

? ?
Arsenic doping (group 5) – N type

Si Si As Si

-
Si Si Si Si

-
Si As Si Si
 A Gallium atom (Ga)

? Has 3 outer electrons

? ? One short for fitting in
to the lattice

Ga

? ?
Gallium doping (group 3) – P type

Si Ga Si Si

Si Si Si Si

+
Si Si Ga Si

Holes are
positive
 A P-N Junction (N on left)
N Type Depleted P Type

Si Si Si Si As Si Si Si Si Si Si Si

- +
Si As Si Si Si Si Ga Si Ga Si Si Si

Si Si As Si Si Si Si Ga Si Si Si Ga

- +

Si Si Si Si As Si Si Si Si Si Si Si

- +
Si As Si Si Si Si Si Si Ga Si Si Si

Si Si As Si Si As Si Ga Si Si Si Ga

- +

Si Si Si Si As Si Si Si Si Si Si Si

- +
Si As Si Si Si Si Ga Si Ga Si Si Si
 What causes the depletion?

• Electrons move from left to right to fill the + holes

• Where electrons and holes combine the area is “depleted”
of current carriers
• This leaves the left (N Type) positive so eventually this
prevents the depletion spreading any more.
• Applying negative to N type replaces the depleted carriers
and the current resumes (Forward biased diode)
• Applying positive to the N type removes more electrons
and increases the depletion. Almost no current flows.
(Reverse biased diode)
 Diode junction (BC107 base-emitter)
Milliamps
0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

Volts
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
 The transfer resistor (transistor)

Emitter (-) Collector (+)

Electrons
N N
P

Base
Electrons are
negative 
(Original patent used point contact)
 An alloy NPN Transistor (powered up)
P Depletion

Emitter (-) N N Collector (+)

Base
Most alloy transistors (e.g. OC71) were germanium PNP
 Characteristics of transistors

• Geometry
• Carrier movement
• Collector “collection” efficiency (Alpha)
• Asymmetry: Efficiency / Breakdown voltages

• NPN transistors are normally better than PNP

since electron mobility is better than hole
mobility
 Current gain of transistors

For the original “common base” circuit the ratio of collected

current to emitted current was measured. This is called Alpha.
Values have improved to well over 0.99 (always less than 1).

However normally we quote the current gain, called Beta.

Beta = Collector current / Base current

Beta values of over 200 are common.

 NPN Transistor circuits

• Common base
• Emitter follower (common collector)
• Common emitter

Collector
Base

Emitter
The first transistor circuit: Common base
+12V
Output
R Collector
Current
Base
0V

Input
Variable
R Emitter
Current
-1 V
 Common Emitter
+12 V

Input
Base
Voltage
(Positive)
Emitter
0V Grounded
 Diode junction (BC107 base-emitter)
Milliamps
0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

Volts
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
 Emitter follower
+12 V Collector
to supply
Input line
Base
Voltage

R Output
Emitter
0V Voltage
 Our original circuit

+12 V •Potential divider bias to

linear region
R1
•Partly an Emitter follower
Collector
Base
•Partly common Emitter
•Voltage gain set by
Emitter Collector / Emitter resistor
R2 ratios

0V
•More in a later talk
 Questions?

(Summary follows)
 Common Emitter
+12 V

Input
Base
Voltage
(Positive)
Emitter
0V Grounded
 Features of Common Emitter

• High voltage gain

• High current gain
• Medium input impedance due to high current gain
• High output impedance. For HF capacitive loading
will need to be resonated reducing bandwidth.
• Bad HF & bandwidth as falling beta with
frequency reduces gain.
 Emitter follower
+12 V Collector
to supply
Input line
Base
Voltage

R Output
Emitter
0V Voltage
 Features of Emitter followers

• Voltage gain of almost exactly 1

• High current gain
• High input impedance (due to high current gain)
• Low output impedance (Good for unknown loads)
• Good HF & bandwidth as falling beta with
frequency matters less.
 Common base

+12 V
Output
R Collector
Voltage

0V

Input
Emitter
Voltage
(Negative)
 Features of Common Base

• Current gain of approximately 1 (alpha)

• Low input impedance (due to low current gain)
• High output impedance (Base screens collector)
• High voltage gain (if input impedance matched)
• Works with a low gain transistor (beta)
• Good HF & bandwidth as falling beta with
frequency matters less.
Appendix
 A Planar NPN Transistor

Collector Base Emitter

N P N
A Planar PNP Transistor on an N substrate

Collector Base Emitter

P N P

N substrate