Electronic Circuits I

Lecture 4 - DC BIASING
OF BJT

1
 Topics To Cover
• Operating Point
• Fixed-Bias Circuit
• Emitter Bias Configuration
• Voltage-Divider Bias
• Miscellaneous Bias Configurations
• Design of Operations
• Application - Transistor Switching Circuit

2
 DC BIASING - BJTs
Introduction
• The analysis of electronic amplifier requires two types of response –
dc and ac response(analysis)
• First, perform dc analysis to the device, in this case, BJT then, later
conduct ac analysis
• Keep in mind of the choice of parameters for the required dc levels
may affect the ac response (vice versa)
• The dc level of operation is controlled by several factors such as the
range of possible operating points on the device characteristics

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 DC BIASING - BJTs
IC(mA)
OPERATING POINT
70uA

BIASING ICmax
60uA
50
Application of dc 50uA

voltages to 40 40uA
Saturation

establish a fixed PCmax

Region

30 30uA
level of current B 20uA
and voltage. (Q- 20
D
10uA
point) 10
C

IB=0uA
0A VCE(V)
5 10 15 20
VCEsat Cutoff Region VCE max

4
 OPERATING POINT
• Must NOT exceed the Maximum Rating of the transistor.
I C max PC max VCE max
At point A:
Transistor “OFF”, zero current and voltage (not applicable)
At point B:
Center Point Biasing (applicable). Signal will swing in both
Positive and Negative without entering into Cutoff or
Saturation region.
At point C:
Applicable but not a good region since this will raise
Nonlinearities to the output signal. Limitation of peak-to-
Peak value of VCE=0 Vand IC=0 A.

5
 OPERATING POINT
At point D:
Applicable but not a good region also since this will sets the
Device operating region near the maximum power.
Summary of the Biasing operation
Mode EBJ CBJ
Cutoff Reverse Reverse

Active Forward Reverse

(forward)
Saturation Forward Forward

6
 STANDARD NOTATION FOR
CURRENT AND VOLTAGE
• For Linear (active) operation
BE junction FB. NPN PNP
BC junction RB. C C

IC
IC
VCB V BC
IB IB

B VCE B VEC

VB E VEB
IE
IE

E E

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 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
VCC VCC

RC C2 IC
RB RC
RB
IB
VCB ac output
C1 VCB
VCE
ac input VCE
VBE
VBE

DC Equivalent
Fixed-Bias Circuit of Fixed-Bias

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 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
VCC VCC

Base-Emitter Loop:
VCC  I B RB  VBE  0
VCC  VBE IC
RC
IB  BE loop RB

RB IB
VCB

Collector-Emitter Loop:
VCE

IC   I B VE  0V
VBE

VCE  I C RC  VC C  0 VCE  VC CE
VBE  VB  VE loop
VCE  VC C  I C RC
VCE  VC  VE VBE  VB

9
 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT 12V
Example 4.1

Find
RB RC
(a) IBQ and ICQ (c) VB and VC 2.2k
240k
(b) VCEQ (d) VBC
VCB
  50
VCE
VCC  VBE 12  0.7
I BQ    47.08  A VBE
RB 240k
I CQ   I BQ   50  47.08   2.35mA

VCEQ  VC C  ICQ RC VB  VBE  0.7V

VC  VCE  6.83V
 12   2.35m  2.2k  V  V  V
BC B C
 6.83V
 0.7V  6.83V  6.13V
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 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
Transistor Saturation:
• Not suitable for amplifier design, output distorted.
• ICsat designed should be less than the maximum collector
current provided by the data sheet.
• Resistor, RCE between collector and emitter,
VCE VCEsa t I C sa t
RCE  
IC I Csat
• Assume VCEsat = 0 V then, assume short-circuit.
VCE VCEsa t 0
RCE     0
IC I Csat I Csat

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 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
Transistor Saturation

Actual saturation region Approx. saturation region

IC IC

ICsat ICsat

V CE V CE
VCEsat VCEsat = 0 V

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 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
Transistor Saturation
VCC

Saturation current for fixed-bias

IC
VCC RB RC

I Csat 
RC
ICsat

Icsat = maximum possible IC RCE= 0

VCE= 0
IC= ICsat

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 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
Load-Line Analysis for Fixed-Bias Circuit:

• To investigate the possible range of the Q-points.

• Can obtain the load-line from the output characteristics.

VCE  VC C  IC RC ---- (1)

From eqn.1, we can obtain two possible points. When IC = 0A,
VCE  VC C   0  RC VCE  VCC IC  0 A

When VCE = 0V,

VCC
IC 
RC VCE  0V
Insert this two points into the output characteristic curve.

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FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
I C(mA)
Load line

VCC
RC

Q point I BQ
ICQ

0 VCE (V)
VCEQ VCC 20

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FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
I C(mA)

•If we vary IB by
VCC
varying RB, Q-point will
RC I B3
Q point3 move up and down.
Q point2 I B2
ICQ
Q point1 I B1

0 VCE (V)
VCEQ VCC 20

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 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
IC (mA)

VCC • VCC is fixed, RC varies.

RC 1
VCC RC3>RC2>RC1
RC 2 IBQ
Q2 Q1
VCC
RC 3 Q3

0 VCE (V)
VCC 20

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 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
IC(mA)

• RC is fixed, VCC varies.

VCC1>VCC2>VCC3
VCC 1
RC

VCC 2
RC IB Q
Q2 Q1
VCC 3
RC Q3

0 VCE(V)
VCC3 VCC2 VCC1 20

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 EMITTER-BIAS CIRCUIT
• An emitter resistor is used to improve the stability level of the
V
fixed-bias circuit CC

RC C2
RB

VCB ac output
C1

VCE
ac input
VBE

RE

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 EMITTER-BIAS CIRCUIT
VCC VCC
Base-Emitter Loop:
VCC  I B RB  VBE  I E RE  0
I E  (   1) I B IC
VCC  VBE RB RC

IB  BE loop IB
RB  (   1) RE VCB

Collector-Emitter Loop: VCE

VCE  VCC  I C RC  RE  and I E  I C VBE

VE  I E RE VB  VCC  I B RB IE RE
CE
VC  VCE  VE loop
VB  VE  VBE
VC  VCC  I C RC

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 IMPROVED BIAS STABILITY
Comparison between Fixed-Bias and Emitter-Bias Stability

PARAMETER
Circuit  IB(µA) IC(mA) VCE(V) Remarks

Fixed-Bias 50 47.08 2.35 6.83 IC changes by 100%

VCE changes by 76%
100 47.08 4.71 1.64

Emitter- 50 40.1 2.01 13.97 IC changes by 81%

Bias VCE changes by 35%
100 36.3 3.63 9.11
(MORE STABLE!!)

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 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
• A bias circuit that provide less VCC

dependent or totally independent

of transistor .
(less affected by the temperature
variation). R1 RC

• Two analysis methods: C1

C2
ac output

Exact
Approximation ac input

R2 RE

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 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
Exact Analysis: R1

1. Redraw the input side of VCC

the voltage-divider circuit. R2 RE

R1
2. Obtain Rth and Vth.
Rth,VCC short Circuit.
Rt h
RR R2
Rth  R1 || R2  1 2
R1  R2

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 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
R1

Vth? V  V   R2 
th R2   VCC
 R1  R2  VCC
Vt h
R2
3. Combine Rth and Vth,
 Vth  I B Rth  VBE  I E RE  0
Vth  VBE Rt h
IB 
Rth  (   1) RE IB
VBE
Vt h
I E  (   1) I B RE

Vth  VBE
I E    1
Rth  (   1) RE

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 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
Vth  VBE
IE 
R
RE  th
  1
If RE >> Rth/(+1), then

Vth  VBE
IE  Independent of ……
RE
The output equation can be found using the same method as
the emitter-bias circuit.

VCE  VCC  I C  RC  RE 

25
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
 RE  10 R2
Approximate Analysis:
The input section can be approximated as,
I1 R1

 Reflected resistance
Ri    1 RE
IB
VC C
I2 R2 VB Ri

Assume that IB is small compare to I1 and I2,

I1  I 2 R2VCC
VB 
R1  R2

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 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
Ri    1 RE   RE
VB equation as shown previously can only be used if,  RE  10 R2
VE can be calculated as VE  VB  VBE VE
IE 
I CQ  I E RE

The output equation is

VCE  VCC  I C RC  I E RE or VCEQ  VCC  IC  RC  RE 
Independent of  ……

27
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS

Transistor Saturation:

From the output collector-emitter circuit,

VCEQ  VCC  I C  RC  RE 
For saturation, let VCE=0, therefore
VCC
I Csat 
RC  RE

28
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
Load-line Analysis
IC(mA)

VCE  VCC IC  0 mA
VCC
RC + RE VCC
IC 
IB Q
RC  RE VCE  0V
Q point
ICQ

0 VCE(V)
VCEQ VCC 20

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 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
VCC
Example 4.2 18V

Determine the levels of ICQ and VCEQ for

the circuit, using the exact &
approximation techniques. 82kW R1 5.6kW RC

Exact Analysis:
Rth  R1 || R2  82k  || 22k 
b = 50
 17.35k 
R2VCC 22k (18V ) 22kW 1.2kW
Vth   R2 RE

R1  R2 82k  22k
 3.81V

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 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS

Vth  VBE VCEQ  VCC  I C  RC  RE 

IB 
Rth    1 RE  18  (1.98m )(5.6k  1.2k )
3.81  0.7  4.54V
  39.6A
17.35k  (51)(1.2k )
I CQ   I B  (50)(39.6 )  1.98mA

Approximate Analysis:

 RE  10 R2 (50)(1.2k )  10(22k ) 60k  220k

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 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
R2VCC
Cannot use this formula VB 
R1  R2
VB  Vth  3.81V
VE  VB  VBE  3.81  0.7  3.11V
VE 3.11
I CQ  IE    2.59mA
RE 1.2k
VCEQ  VCC  I C ( RC  RE )
 18  (2.59m )(5.6k  1.2k )
 3.88V

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 MISCELLANEOUS BIAS
Example 4.3 (from q4.16 Boylestad 9th ed.)

Determine VCEQ and ICQ for the network below.

b = 90
C1
b = 90
RB 240kW
C2
RB 240kW 2kW RE

2kW RE
20V
VEE
-20V
VEE

33
 MISCELLANEOUS BIAS
Analyze the input circuit first:

 I B RB  VBE  I E RE  VEE  0
b = 90
I E    1 I B
VEE  VBE RB
VBE
IB 
RB    1 RE
RE
240kW
2kW
I B  45.73A
20V
IC  I B VEE

I C  4.12mA
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 MISCELLANEOUS BIAS
Analyze the output circuit :
 I E RE  VEE  VCE  0 b = 90

VCE  VEE  I E RE
VBE
I E    1 I B RB
RE
240kW
VCEQ  VEE  (  1) I B RE 2kW
20V
VCEQ  11.68V VEE

I E  4.16mA
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 DESIGN OPERATIONS

• Currents and/or Voltage maybe specified but the

elements of the network are unknown.
• Design process requires:
 understanding on the characteristic of the transistor
 basic equations of the network
 basic laws of circuit analysis
 basic assumptions
• Upon the determination of resistors, use the nearest
standard commercial resistance values not the exact
resistance values.

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DESIGN OPERATIONS
Example 4.4

Referring to the device characteristic below, determine

VCC, RB, and RC for the fixed-bias circuit. VCC

IC(mA)
RB RC
8
IBQ=40uA
Q

VCE
20 V

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 DESIGN OPERATIONS
VCC  VBE
From the load line, RB 
IB
VCE  VCC  20V
20  0.7
VCC RB   482.5k 
IC  40A
RC VCE  0V Standard resistor values:
VCC 20V RC  2.4k 
RC    2.5k 
IC 8mA RB  470k 
VCC  VBE This will produce,
IB 
RB I B  41.1A
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 DESIGN OPERATIONS
Example 4.5
18 V
Given that ICQ = 2mA and VCEQ = 10V,
determine R1 and RC for the bias circuit

• Only two resistors known. R1 RC

VE  I E RE  I C RE  (2mA)(1.2k  )  2.4V
VB  VBE  VE  0.7V  2.4V  3.1V
R2VCC
VB   3.1V 18k 1.2k
R1  R2
18k  18V 
 3.1V R1  86.52k 
R1  18k 

39
 DESIGN OPERATIONS
VRC VCC  VC
RC  
IC IC 1
VE  VCC
VC  VCE  VE  10V  2.4V  12.4V 10
18V  12.4V
RC   2.8k 
2mA
R1  86.52k 
• Calculated values:
RC  2.8k 
• Commercial values: R1  82k  / 91k 
RC  2.8k 
If do not have enough information to solve the problem (too many
unknown) and if there is RE,we can approximate by using…

40
 DESIGN OPERATIONS 1
Example 4.6: (using approximation)
VE  VCC
10
20 V
Determine the values of R1, R2,
RC and RE for the
voltage-divider bias circuit below.
R1 RC
ICQ = 10mA C2
ac
C1 output
ac
input V CEQ = 8V

  80
R2 RE
CE

41
 DESIGN OPERATIONS
Note: Capacitors will be open circuit during DC biasing

1 1
VE  VCC   20V   2V
10 10
VE V E 2V
RE     200
I E I C 10mA

VRC VCC  VCE  VE 20  8  2

RC     1k 
IC IC 10mA

VB  VBE  VE  0.7V  2V  2.7V

42
 DESIGN OPERATIONS
1
 RE  10 R2 and R2   RE
10
R2
VB  VCC
R1  R2
1
R2   80  0.2k    1.6k 
10

1.6k   20V 
VB  2.7V 
. R1  1.6k 
.
R1  10.25k  (use 10k)

43
 TRANSISTOR SWITCHING CCT.
• Besides the amplifiers, transistor can also be used as a switch.
• Useful for computer and control applications.
• Example the inverter circuit (shows the switching process).

VCC = 5 V
vi vc

5V RC 0.82k
5V
vc
RB
  125
0V 68k 0V t
t

44
 TRANSISTOR SWITCHING CCT.
IC(mA)

I B=60uA

7
IB=50uA
• For proper design , the
I Csat=6.1mA
operating point should
I B=40uA switch from cutoff to
5
I B=30uA
saturation along the load
4 line.
Assume:
3 I B=20uA IC=ICEO=0mA
2 when IB=0uA
IB=10uA
VCE=VCEsat=0V
1

0 IB=0uA VCE (V)

1 2 3 4 VCC=5V
ICEO=0mA
VCEsat=0V

45
 TRANSISTOR SWITCHING CCT.
For the transistor to be “on”, V
I Csat  CC
the network must be heavily RC
saturated that is IB > 50uA.
I Csat
Just before saturation, I B max 
 dc
I Csat
To ensure saturation, IB 
 dc
For the transistor switching circuit b4,
V  0.7V 5V  0.7V I Csat 6.1mA
IB  i   63  A   48.8  A
RB 68k   dc 125

I Csat 
VCC

5
 6.1mA
63 A  48.8  A
RC 0.82k 
• Well saturated transistor.

46
 TRANSISTOR SWITCHING CCT.
Example 4.7
Design an inverter circuit. Given Icsat = 10mA.
VCC = 10 V
vi vc

10V RC
10V
vc
RB
  250
0V 0V t
t

VCC 10V
I Csat  10mA  RC=1k
RC RC

47
 TRANSISTOR SWITCHING CCT.

I Csat 10mA
IB    40  A
 dc 250
Choose IB=60uA to ensure saturation Vi  0.7V
IB 
RB
Vi  0.7V 10  0.7
RB    155k 
IB 60 A

Choose RB=150k for a commercial resistor value.

Vi  0.7V 10 i  0.7V
IB    62  A
RB 150k 

48
Question & Answer ?

49