EXPERIMENT 13

BIPOLAR TRANSISTTORS AND AMPLIFIERS

Objective:

In this experiment you will study the i-v characteristics of a npn bipolar junction transistor. You will
bias the transistor at an appropriate point for use as an amplifier and will try it as a microphone
preamplifier. Some of the steps here parallel those in Experiment 12; if that experiment has been
done, your instructor may ask you to skip these steps.

Background

The bipolar junction transistor (BJT) is a three-terminal device often used in amplifiers and other
electronic circuits. In this experiment we will work with a version of the device known as the npn
transistor (another version, which we will not consider here, is the pnp transistor). We will
consider only the external i-v characteristics of the device; its physics and operation are studied in
semiconductor device classes.

The symbol for a npn transistor is shown in fig. 1. Assume that positive voltage Vce of at least
several tenths of 1V is applied between the collector and emitter. A collector current Ic can flow,
depending of the voltage Vbe between the base and the emitter. In other words, Vbe controls the
value of Ic. The dependence od Ic on Vbe is exponential. Thus, the collector current can vary
drastically as the base- emitter voltage is varied, and it makes possible the realization of high-gain
amplifiers, as we will see in this experiment.

The first part of this experiment, we will view Ib as the controlling variable for Ic, to
provide some familiarity with a common way of showing the transistor
characteristics. We should note, however, that when designing circuits, it is more
appropriate to view Veb as the controlling variable; this view is more directly
connected to the way transistors are used in more circuits. We will switch to this
latter point of view when using the transistor as an amplifier.

The BJT we will be using in the experiment is the 2N2222A. Lead assignments for two
common packages for this device are shown in the bottom view of fig. 2. In the
package you are using, the lead assignment may be different; check with your instructor to make
sure you know which lead which in your transistor is.

BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR I-V CHARACTERISTICS

1.- You will measure the transistor characteristics, using the setup in fig. 3. The part labeled
“Measuring setup” is a piece of instrumentation designed for making transistors measurements.
The voltage of PS1 is used for varying the base current Ib. the resistor is used for limiting this
current (connecting PS1 directly across the base emitter would be risky since the base current
depends exponentially on the base-emitter voltage; thus, a slight increase in the latter could cause
a huge change in the base current). The circles labeled A are ammeters, used to monitor the base
collector currents. Hook up the circuit, using connections as short as possible. To avoid some
problems associated with nonidealities of digitals ammeters, connect them as shown in the figure.
Note that when hooked up in this way, the ammeters will not show the base and collector
currents but, rather, their opposite. Thus, you should change the sign of these readings to obtain
the two currents.

2.- Measure the collector current Ic, versus the collector-emitter voltage Vce, from 0 to 10V, for a
fixed value of Ib, equal to 10 µA, using the following procedure:

 Set PS2 for a desired value of Vce.

 If necessary, readjust PS1 so that ib = 10µA.
 Read the corresponding calue of Ic.

By reapiting this procedure for several Vce values, you can form a table of Ic versus Vce, which you
can use to generate a plot later on. In the region where Ic is almost constant with respect to Vce,
you will need only a very few points. However, be sure you take a sufficieny number of readings in
the region where Ic is a strong function of Vce, you will need this later to produce a smooth plot.

3.- Repeat step 2 for Ib values of 20 µA, 30 µA 40 µA.

4.- Using the date you have collected in the previous two steps, plot a family of curves for the
collector current Ic, versus the collector-emmitter voltage, Vce, form 0 to 10 V, with Ib as a
paremeter. Use a single set of axes for this plot. These should be a total of four curves on this plot.

Label be plot properly. What is the approsimate value of the current gain, βf = Ic/ib? we
emphazise that this is not a value one can rely on. If the temperature changes, so will βf.

TRANSISTOR INVERTER

5.-You will next use the circuits of fig.4, but do not hook it up yet. This circuit is an example of a
setup that is very sensitive because, as you will see, the transistor can amplify the effect of voltage
variations present between its base and emitter. Thus, if interference finds its way to the base or
emitter, it will be amplified and can produce a large error, or puzzling readings, in the collector-
emitter voltage. To minimize this possibility, follow these guidelines:

 Use connections as short as possible.

 Use only a single ground point, as indicated in the figure (if you use multiple ground
points, the currents followings from one such point to the next can use minute voltage
drops across the wires which are not perfect short circuits. These minute voltage drops
can appear measurements.)

Following these guidelines, setup the circuit of fig.4. but do not turn on the power supplies
yet.

6.- By varying PS1, Vbe can be varied. When this voltage is raised sufficiently (e.g. to roughly 0.7V
for silicon transistors, such as the one we are using), the collector current Ic, of the transistor will
become significant for our purposes. This current will cause a voltage drop Vr= R Ic across the load
resistor R. Using KVL you can see that the collector-emitter voltage Vce will be equal to Vcc- Vr and
will thus be less than Vcc. As vbe is increased, Ic and thus Vr will also increase, and Vce will
decrease. Given that Ic is exponentially related to Vbe, a very slight increase of the latter can cause
a drastic decrease in Vce. Eventually, Vce can become so small that it will limit further increases in
Ic, and thus Vr. Based on this description, answer the following questions without doing the
experiment. What do you think the plot of Vce versus Vbr would look like?

7.- Turn on the power supplies. Take measurements and produce the plot of Vce versus Vbe. Be
sure that you take enough measurements to adequately reproduce the steep part of the plot.
Does the plot agree with your prediction in the step 6?

8.- In the plot produced in the previous step, consider the point at which Vce =4V. What is the
corresponding value of Vbe?

9.- Your plot should be steep around the point defined in the previous step. If Vbe varies around
this point, the corresponding variation of Vce, should be much larger. What is the approximately,
∆V CE
the value of the slope around this point? Is it positive or negative? Why? The behavior you
∆V BE

see is often said to be inverting. Why this name?