Chapter 3 & 4:

Bipolar Junction Transistors and Applications

Modified by Yuttapong Jiraraksopakun
ENE, KMUTT 2009
 Transistor Construction
There are two types of transistors:
pnp
npn
pnp

The terminals are labeled:

E - Emitter
B - Base
C - Collector

npn

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 2 Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Transistor Operation
With the external sources, VEE and VCC, connected as shown:

The emitter-base junction is forward biased

The base-collector junction is reverse biased

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 3 Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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 Currents in a Transistor

Emitter current is the sum of the collector and

base currents:

IE = IC + IB

The collector current is comprised of two

currents:
IC = IC + I CO
majority minority

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 Common-Base Configuration

The base is common to both input (emitterbase) and

output (collectorbase) of the transistor.

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 Common-Base Amplifier

Input Characteristics

This curve shows the relationship

between of input current (IE) to input
voltage (VBE) for three output voltage
(VCB) levels.

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 Common-Base Amplifier

Output Characteristics
This graph demonstrates
the output current (IC) to
an output voltage (VCB) for
various levels of input
current (IE).

I CO = I CBO

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 7 Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Operating Regions

Active Operating range of the

amplifier.
Cutoff The amplifier is basically
off. There is voltage, but little
current.
Saturation The amplifier is full on.
There is current, but little voltage.

Regions Base-Emitter Collector-Base

Active Forward-biased Reverse-biased
Cutoff Reverse-biased Reverse-biased
Saturation Forward-biased Forward-biased

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Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Approximations

Emitter and collector currents:

I I
C E

Base-emitter voltage:

VBE = 0.7 V (for Silicon)

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Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Alpha ()

Alpha () is the ratio of IC to IE :

IC
dc =
IE

Ideally: = 1
I C = I E + I CBO
In reality: is between 0.9 and 0.998

Alpha () in the AC mode:

I C
ac =
I E V = constant
CB

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 10 Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Transistor Amplification
Omit DC biasing to demonstrate AC response
Assume Ri and Ro from input & output
characteristic curves

Currents and Voltages: Voltage Gain:

V 200mV VL 50V
I E = Ii = i = = 10mA Av = = = 250
Ri 20 Vi 200mV
I I
C E
I I = 10 mA
L i
V = I R = (10 ma )(5 k) = 50 V
L L

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 11 Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 CommonEmitter Configuration

The emitter is common to both input

(base-emitter) and output (collector-
emitter).

The input is on the base and the

output is on the collector.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 12 Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Common-Emitter Characteristics

Collector Characteristics Base Characteristics

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Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Common-Emitter Amplifier Currents
Ideal Currents

IE = IC + IB IC = IE

Actual Currents

IC = IE + ICBO where ICBO = minority collector current

ICBO is usually so small that it can be ignored, except in high

power transistors and in high temperature environments.

When IB = 0 A the transistor is in cutoff, but there is some minority

current flowing called ICEO.
ICBO
ICEO = I B =0 A
1

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 14 Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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 Beta ()
represents the amplification factor of a transistor. ( is
sometimes referred to as hfe, a term used in transistor modeling
calculations)

In DC mode:
IC
dc =
IB

In AC mode:
IC
ac = V CE = constant
IB

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 15 Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Beta ()
Determining from a Graph

(3.2 mA 2.2 mA)

AC =
(30 A 20 A)
1 mA
= V = 7.5
10 A CE
= 100

2.7 mA
DC = V CE = 7.5
25 A
= 108

Both values are usually reasonably close and are often used interchangeably

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 16 Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Beta ()

Relationship between amplification factors and

= =
+1 1

Relationship Between Currents

I C = IB I E = ( + 1)I B

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Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 CommonCollector Configuration

The input is on the

base and the output is
on the emitter.

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Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 CommonCollector Configuration

The characteristics are

similar to those of the
common-emitter
configuration, except the
vertical axis is IE.

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Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Operating Limits for Each Configuration

VCE is at maximum and IC is at

minimum (ICmax= ICEO) in the cutoff
region.

IC is at maximum and VCE is at

minimum (VCE max = VCEsat = VCEO) in
the saturation region.

The transistor operates in the active

region between saturation and cutoff.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 20 Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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 Power Dissipation
Common-base:
PCmax = VCB I C

Common-emitter:

PCmax = VCE I C

Common-collector:

PCmax = VCE I E

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e 21 Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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 Transistor Specification Sheet

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 Transistor Specification Sheet

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Transistor Terminal Identification

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 Biasing

Biasing: The DC voltages applied to a transistor in

order to turn it on so that it can amplify the AC signal.
V BE = 0 . 7 V
I E = ( + 1 )I B I C
IC = IB

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Operating Point

The DC input
establishes an
operating or
quiescent point
called the Q-point.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 The Three States of Operation

Active or Linear Region Operation

BaseEmitter junction is forward biased
BaseCollector junction is reverse biased

Cutoff Region Operation

BaseEmitter junction is reverse biased

Saturation Region Operation

BaseEmitter junction is forward biased
BaseCollector junction is forward biased

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 DC Biasing Circuits

Fixed-bias circuit
Emitter-stabilized bias circuit
Collector-emitter loop
Voltage divider bias circuit
DC bias with voltage feedback

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Fixed Bias

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 The Base-Emitter Loop

From Kirchhoffs voltage

law:
+VCC IBRB VBE = 0

Solving for base current:

V CC V BE
IB =
RB

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Collector-Emitter Loop

Collector current:
I C = I B

From Kirchhoffs voltage law:

VCE = VCC I C R C

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Saturation

When the transistor is operating in saturation, current

through the transistor is at its maximum possible value.

V CC
I Csat =
RC

VCE 0 V

This approximation is equivalent to move the region below

VCEsat of the output curves to align on the output current
axis.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Load Line Analysis

The end points of the load line are:

ICsat
IC = VCC / RC
VCE = 0 V
VCEcutoff
VCE = VCC
IC = 0 mA

The Q-point is the operating point:

where the value of RB sets the value of
IB
that sets the values of VCE and IC
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Circuit Values Affect the Q-Point

more

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Circuit Values Affect the Q-Point

more

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Circuit Values Affect the Q-Point

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Emitter-Stabilized Bias Circuit

Adding a resistor
(RE) to the emitter
circuit stabilizes
the bias circuit.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Base-Emitter Loop
This image cannot currently be displayed.

From Kirchhoffs voltage law:

+ VCC - I B R B - VBE - I E R E = 0

Since IE = ( + 1)IB:

VCC - I B R B - VBE - ( + 1)I B R E = 0

Solving for IB:

VCC - VBE
IB =
R B + ( + 1)R E

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Collector-Emitter Loop
This image cannot currently be displayed.

From Kirchhoffs voltage law:

I R +V +I R V =0
E E CE C C CC

Since IE IC:
VCE = VCC I C (R C + R E )

Also:
VE = I E R E
VC = VCE + VE = VCC - I C R C
VB = VCC I R R B = VBE + VE

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Improved Biased Stability

Stability refers to a circuit condition in which the currents and voltages

will remain fairly constant over a wide range of temperatures and
transistor Beta () values.

Adding RE to the emitter improves the stability of a transistor.

Fixed-bias circuit Emitter-stabilized bias circuit

V CC V BE VCC - VBE
IB = IB =
RB R B + ( + 1)R E

I C = I B
IB in fixed-bias circuit cannot change, so change in results in large
change in output current and voltage.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Saturation Level

The endpoints can be determined from the load line.

VCEcutoff: ICsat:
VCE = VCC VCE = 0 V
I C = 0 mA VCC
IC =
RC + RE

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Voltage Divider Bias

This is a very stable

bias circuit.

The currents and

voltages are nearly
independent of any
variations in .

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Approximate Analysis
Where IB << I1 and I1 I2 :
R 2 VCC
VB =
R1 + R 2

Where RE > 10R2:

VE
IE =
RE
VE = VB VBE

From Kirchhoffs voltage law:

VCE = VCC I C R C I E R E
IE IC
VCE = V CC I C (R C + R E )

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Voltage Divider Bias Analysis

Transistor Saturation Level

V CC
I Csat = I Cmax =
RC + RE

Load Line Analysis

Cutoff: Saturation:
VCC
VCE = VCC IC =
RC + RE
I C = 0mA
VCE = 0V

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Voltage Divider Bias

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Voltage Divider Bias (Exact)

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 DC Bias with Voltage Feedback

Another way to
improve the stability
of a bias circuit is to
add a feedback path
from collector to
base.

In this bias circuit

the Q-point is only
slightly dependent on
the transistor beta, .

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Base-Emitter Loop
From Kirchhoffs voltage law:
VCC I C R C I B R B VBE I E R E = 0

Where IB << IC:

I' = I + I I
C C B C

Knowing IC = IB and IE IC, the loop

equation becomes:
VCC I B R C I B R B VBE I B R E = 0

Solving for IB:

VCC VBE
IB =
R B + (R C + R E )

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Collector-Emitter Loop

Applying Kirchoffs voltage law:

IE + VCE + ICRC VCC = 0

Since IC IC and IC = IB:

IC(RC + RE)+ VCE VCC =0

Solving for VCE:

VCE = VCC IC(RC + RE)

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Base-Emitter Bias Analysis

Transistor Saturation Level

V CC
I Csat = I Cmax =
RC + RE

Load Line Analysis

Cutoff: Saturation:
V
VCE = VCC I = CC
C R +R
I C = 0 mA C E
VCE = 0 V

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Transistor Switching Networks

Transistors with only the DC source applied can be used

as electronic switches.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Switching Circuit Calculations

Saturation current:
VCC
I Csat =
RC

To ensure saturation:
I Csat
IB >
dc

Emitter-collector resistance
at saturation and cutoff:

VCEsat
R sat =
I Csat

VCC
R cutoff =
I CEO

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Switching Time

Transistor switching times:

t on = t r + t d

t off = t s + t f

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 Troubleshooting Hints
Approximate voltages
VBE .7 V for silicon transistors
VCE 25% to 75% of VCC
Test for opens and shorts with an ohmmeter.
Test the solder joints.
Test the transistor with a transistor tester or a curve tracer.
Note that the load or the next stage affects the transistor operation.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
 PNP Transistors

The analysis for pnp transistor biasing circuits is the same

as that for npn transistor circuits. The only difference is that
the currents are flowing in the opposite direction.

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Homework 3 (Chapter 3)

Common-Base Configuration
3.4 (13)
Transistor Amplifying Action
3.5 (18)
Common-Emitter Configuration
3.6 (23)

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky 56 Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 All rights reserved.
Homework 3 (Chapter 4)

Fixed-Bias Configuration
4.3 (1)
Emitter-Bias Configuration
4.4 (8)
Voltage Divider Configuration
4.5 (13)
Collector-Feedback Configuration
4.6 (23)
Miscellaneous Bias Configuration
4.59 (30)

Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10/e Copyright 2009 by Pearson Education, Inc.
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