2/21/2015

TRANSISTOR
as a switch

TRANSISTOR
NPN & PNP type bipolar transistors can be made to operate as ON/OFF type solid
state switches by biasing the transistors base differently to that of a signal amplifier.

1
 2/21/2015

IDEAL TRANSISTOR SWITCH

COMMON EMITTER CIRCUIT

2
 2/21/2015

IDEAL TRANSISTOR SWITCH IN OFF CONDITION IDEAL TRANSISTOR SWITCH IN ON CONDITION

IDEAL TRANSISTOR SWITCH CHARACTERISTICS

The terminals of the switch are the transistor collector and emitter.
The input voltage, or controlling voltage, for the transistor switch is the
base-emitter voltage VBE.
VBE = VCC ICRC
OFF Condition VCE = VCC
ON Condition VCE = 0

3
 2/21/2015

PRACTICAL TRANSISTOR SWITCH

PRACTICAL TRANSISTOR SWITCH CHARACTERISTICS

The terminals of the switch are the transistor collector and emitter.
The input voltage, or controlling voltage, for the transistor switch is the
base-emitter voltage VBE.
VBE = VCC ICRC
OFF Condition VCE = VCC
ON Condition VCE = 0

4
 2/21/2015

BJT COMMON EMITTER CIRCUIT CHARACTERISTICS

AND DC LOAD LINE
The areas of operation for a Transistor Switch are known as the SATURATION REGION and the
CUT-OFF REGION. This means then that we can ignore the operating Q-point biasing and voltage
divider circuitry required for amplification, and use the transistor as a switch by driving it back
and forth between its fully-OFF (cut-off) and fully-ON (saturation) regions as shown above.

3 REGIONS OF OPERATION
ACTIVE REGION CUT-OFF REGION SATURATION REGION
Only employed in an amplifier Exists below the level of IB=0 VCE exists depends upon IC
circuits & internal resistances of a
When IB =0, a small current ICO transistor.
A linear change in IB results in a flows
nearly linear VCE change. ICO collector-base reverse leackage
current (Collector Cut-off Current)
Known as ICBO practically at 25 C in a
nA range and when the temp increase the
current also increase in uA scale

5
 2/21/2015

TRANSISTOR IN ACTIVE REGION OF CHARACTERISTICS

CUT-OFF CHARACTERISTICS

1. The input and Base are grounded ( 0v )

2. Base-Emitter voltage VBE < 0.7v
3. Base-Emitter junction is reverse biased
4. Base-Collector junction is reverse biased
5. Transistor is fully-OFF ( Cut-off region )
6. No Collector current flows ( IC = 0 )
7. VOUT = VCE = VCC = 1
8. Transistor operates as an open switch

BJT COMMON EMITTER CIRCUIT IN CUT-OFF

6
 2/21/2015

SATURATION CHARACTERISTICS

1. The input and Base are connected to VCC

2. Base-Emitter voltage VBE > 0.7v
3. Base-Emitter junction is forward biased
4. Base-Collector junction is forward biased
5. Max Collector current flows ( IC = Vcc/RL )
6. Transistor is fully-ON ( saturation region )
7. VCE = 0 ( ideal saturation )
8. VOUT = VCE = 0
9. Transistor operates as a closed switch

BJT COMMON EMITTER CIRCUIT IN SATURATION

When more base current flows than is needed to drive the

transistor into saturation. The extra base current flows out
though the emitter terminal and this situation is said to be.

OVERDRIVEN

BJT COMMON EMITTER CIRCUIT IN SATURATION

7
 2/21/2015

TRANSISTOR SWITCHING TIME

8
 2/21/2015

Time relationship between base current and collector current in a

transistor switching circuit.

DELAY TIME (td)

The time between application of base current and
commencement of collector current. Also the time
required for IC to reach 10% of its final level after IB has
commenced.

RISE TIME (tr)

The time it takes for IC to go from 10% to 90% of its
maximum level.

TURN-ON TIME (ton)

It is the sum of td and tr

STORAGE TIME (ts)

The time between switch-off and IC falling to 90% of its
maximum level.
FALL TIME (tf)
The time required for IC to fall from 90% to 10% of its
maximum.

DECAY TIME (tf)

The time required for IC to fall from 90% to 10% of its
maximum.

TURN-OFF TIME (toff)

It is the sum of ts, tf & Decay time

9
 2/21/2015

IMPROVING TRANSISTOR
SWITCHING TIME

10
 2/21/2015

WAYS TO IMPROVE TRANSISTOR SWITCHING TIMES

To minimize the turn-on time, VBE should be zero or have a very small reverse bias
before switch on.
Larger IB so that the junction capacitance are charged faster.
To shorten turn-off time one must provide a larger negative input voltage at switch
off.
Ideally for fast switching, VBE should start at zero and IB should be large at switch-
on. Also switch-off should be occupied by a large reverse bias voltage which
quickly returns to zero.

HOW TO IMPROVE TRANSISTOR SWITCHING TIMES

The best way to improve switching speed is to select a speed-up capacitor that is
large enough to maintain the charging current.
ton = 0.1RSCS
C1 charges by 10% during the time of 0.1 0.1RSCS

For correct switching CS should be at least 90% discharged during the time
interval between transistor switch-off and switch-on.

RECOVERY TIME tRE Time required for the capacitor to return to its discharged
condition.
tre = 2.3RBCS

11
 2/21/2015

EFFECT OF THE SPEED-UP OR

COMMUTING CAPACITOR

DARLINGTON TRANSISTOR SWITCH

12
 2/21/2015

Darlington Transistors simply contain two individual bipolar

NPN or PNP type transistors connected together so that the
current gain of the first transistor is multiplied with that of the
current gain of the second transistor to produce a device which
acts like a single transistor with a very high current gain for a
much smaller Base current. The overall current gain Beta () or
Hfe value of a Darlington device is the product of the two
individual gains of the transistors and is given as:

TOTAL = 1 X 2

13