BIPOLAR JUNCTION

TRANSISTORS
An easy overview
INTRODUCTION
 The bipolar junction transistor is a semiconductor device
constructed with three doped regions.
 These regions essentially form two ‘back-to-back’ p-n
junctions in the same block of semiconductor material
(silicon).
 The most common use of the BJT is in linear amplifier
circuits (linear means that the output is proportional to
input). It can also be used as a switch (in, for example,
logic circuits). 
 RECALL P-N JUNCTION

P N N P

W W + -
+ -
Vappl > 0 Vappl < 0

Forward bias, + on P, - on N Reverse bias, + on N, - on P

(Shrink W, Vbi) (Expand W, Vbi)

Allow holes to jump over barrier Remove holes and electrons away
into N region as minority carriers from depletion region

I I

V V
NPN-BJT STRUCTURE
 The ‘npn’ version of the BJT consists of two n regions
separated by a p region (as the name suggests). A
schematic of an npn transistor is shown.

n-type p-type n-type

 The three regions are known as the emitter, base and
collector regions.
 Electrical connections are made to each of these regions

E
Emitter Base Collector C
(n-type) (p-type) (n-type)

B
 The emitter (E) and is heavily doped (n-type).
 The collector (C) is also doped n-type.
 The base (B) is lightly doped with opposite type to the
emitter and collector (i.e. p-type in the npn transistor).
 The base is physically very thin for reasons described
below
TRANSISTOR SYMBOL
 Symbol for npn  Symbol for pnp

C C

B B

E E
BJT CIRCUITS
 Most electronic devices take the signal between
two input terminals and deliver from it an output
signal between two output terminals.
 The BJT has only three terminals so one of these
is usually shared (i.e. made common) between
input and output circuits.
 We thus talk about common emitter (CE),
common base (CB) and common collector (CC)
configurations.
SO IF WE COMBINE THESE BY FUSING THEIR
TERMINALS…

P N N P

W W +
+ - -
Vappl > 0 Vappl < 0

Holes from P region (“Emitter”) of 1st PN junction

driven by FB of 1st PN junction into central N region (“Base”)

Driven by RB of 2nd PN junction from Base into P region of

2nd junction (“Collector”)

• 1st region FB, 2nd RB

• If we want to worry about holes alone, need P+ on 1st region

• For holes to be removed by collector, base region must be thin

 BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTORS:
BASICS
+ -

IE IC
- + IB

IE = I B + I C ………(KCL)

IC = Cmajority+ ICO
 BASE TRANSPORT FACTOR
IE IC
IEp ICp
C
E

IB

IC
 
IE
Can all injected holes
make it to the collector?
 BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTORS: BASICS

+ -

IE IC
- + IB
BJT CONFIGURATIONS

ECE 663
DIFFERENT MODE FOR TRANSISTOR
OPERATION

Bias Mode E-B Junction C-B Junction

Saturation Forward Forward

Active Forward Reverse

Inverted Reverse Forward
Cutoff Reverse Reverse
PNP BJT COMMON BASE
CHARACTERISTIC CURVES

1.input curve
2.output curve
In the active region the base–emitter junction is forward-
biased, whereas the collector– base junction is reverse-
biased.
 COMMON BASE DC CURRENT GAIN -
PNP
Common Base – Active Bias mode:

IC = IE + ICB0

IC = Cmajority+ ICBO
CUTOFF REGION: REVERSE
SATURATION CURRENT
ECE 663