Bipolar Junction Transistors

(BJTs)
 BJT is constructed with three doped
semiconductor regions separated by two pn
junctions
 The three regions are called emitter, base and
collector
Base Base

Collector Emitter Collector Emitter

n p n p n p
Base-collector Base-emitter
junction junction PNP transistor
NPN transistor
ES110 ETE Department 1
 Bipolar Junction Transistors
(BJTs)….
 The base region is lightly doped and very narrow
compared to the heavily doped emitter and
collector regions
 The term Bipolar refers to the use of both holes
and electrons as carriers in the transistor
 In order for the transistor to function, the base-
emitter and base-collector pn junctions have to be
correctly biased (i.e. Forward or Reverse Bias)

ES110 ETE Department 2

 NPN BJTs
 We shall use the NPN transistor for illustration

Emitter Collector
n p n
Base-Emitter Base Base-Collector
junction junction +
- (Reverse
(Forward
Biased) Biased) -
+

 The transistor pn junctions are forward-reverse

biased
ES110 ETE Department 3
 NPN BJTs….
 We shall use the NPN transistor for illustration

n p n
Emitter Collector
IE IC
e e
+
- Base-Emitter Base-Collector
junction e junction
(Forward (Reverse
IB
-
+ Biased) Biased)

ES110 ETE Department 4

BJT Operation

In normal operation, the base-emitter is forward-biased

and the base-collector is reverse-biased.
For the npn type shown, the
collector is more positive BC reverse-
than the base, which is more biased
BC reverse-
biased +
positive than the emitter. –
+
–
++ –
For the pnp type, the voltages –
– –
+
are reversed to maintain the – BE forward- + +
–
biased
forward-reverse bias. +
BE forward-
biased
npn
pnp
 NPN BJTs…
 The base region has only a few free holes
 It is not likely that an electron coming from the
emitter will find a hole in the base to with which
to combine
 With so few electron-hole recombination in the
base, the base current is very small
 The collector is n-type region but positively
charged

ES110 ETE Department 6

 NPN BJTs….
 Since the base is such a narrow region, the
positive field of the collector is quite strong and
the great majority of the electrons coming from
the emitter are attracted and collected by the
collector
 The flow of electrons in the emitter, collector and
base will cause currents IE , IC , and IB to flow
respectively
 Current IC can flow only if current IB exists
ES110 ETE Department 7
 NPN BJTs….
Emitter Collector
n p n
e e
Base-Emitter Base Base-Collector
junction e junction +
- (Reverse
(Forward
Biased) Biased) -
+
IE IC
Circuit
Symbol
IE = IC + IB
+
(NPN) -
IB -
+
ES110 ETE Department 8
 PNP BJTs….
Emitter Collector
p n p
e e
Base-Emitter Base Base-Collector
junction
+ junction
e -
(Forward (Reverse
Biased) Biased)
- +
IE IC
Circuit
Symbol IE = IC + IB
-
+
(PNP)
IB
+
-

ES110 ETE Department 9

 BJTs Current Relationship

RC IC
RC IC
IB
IB
pnp
npn RB
+ RB + - -
VBB IE VC C
VBB IE VC C
- - + +

ES110 ETE Department 10

 BJTs Current Relationship….
IE = IC + IB
IC flows only if IB exits and their relationship is given by:
IC dc beta
 dc 
IB
IB is considered to be Input dc current and IC is Output
dc current
Output I C
dc current gain = 
Input IB
Therefore βdc dc current gain
ES110 ETE Department 11
 BJTs Current Relationship…
 The ratio of the collector current to the emitter
current is the dc alpha (  dc) and is given by:

IC
 dc 
IE

 Since IC < IE, then dc alpha is always < 1

ES110 ETE Department 12

 Relationship of βdc and αdc
Starting with IE = IC + IB and dividing by IC

I E IC I B IB
   1
IC IC IC IC 1
1
 dc
 dc
1 1
 1
 dc  dc

ES110 ETE Department 13

 Relationship of βdc and αdc …..
1  dc  1
Rearranging, we get 
 dc  dc
 dc
Therefore:  dc 
1   dc

We can calculate αdc if we know βdc

ES110 ETE Department 14

 Relationship of βdc and αdc …..
 dc
From  dc   dc 1  dc   dc
1   dc

dc 1   dc    dc
 dc
 dc 
1   dc

We can calculate βdc if we know αdc

ES110 ETE Department 15
 DC Analysis

RC
VCB IC
IB
VCE
+ RB +
VBE
VBB IE VC C -
-

Ground = 0V
Reference point
ES110 ETE Department 16
 DC Analysis…
 VBB forward biases the base-emitter junction
 VCC reverse-biases the base-collector junction
 There are three transistor Currents IB , IE , IC
 There are three transistor voltages: VBE , VCB and
VCE
 When the base-emitter pn junction is forward-
biased, it is like a forward biased diode. Therefore
VBE ≈ 0.7V (Si) or 0.3V (Ge)

ES110 ETE Department 17

 DC Analysis…
The voltage across RB is VR8 = VBB - VBE
And VR8 = IB RB
Therefore IB RB = VBB - VBE
VBB  VBE
IB  I C   dc I B
RB
VRC = IC RC

VCE = VCC – IC RC VCB = VCE – VBE

ES110 ETE Department 18

 DC Analysis…

RC = 100Ω Determine:
IC
IB , IC , IE , αdc , VCE and
IB
VCB if βdc = 150
+ RB = 10k +

VBB= 5V
IE - VC C
= 10V
-

ES110 ETE Department 19

 DC Analysis…
VBB  VBE 5V  0.7V
IB    430A
RB 10k
IC = βdcIB = 150 x 430µA = 64.5mA
 dc 150 IE 
IC

64.5mA
 64.95mA
 dc    0.993
1   dc 151  dc 0.993

VCE = VCC – IC RC = 10V – 64.5mA x 100Ω = 3.55V

VCB = VCE – VBE = 3.55V – 0.7V = 2.85V

ES110 ETE Department 20

BJT Characteristics
The collector characteristic curves show the relationship
of the three transistor currents.
IC
The curve shown is for a fixed Breakdown
region
based current. The first region is
C
the saturation region. B
Active region
As VCE is increased, IC increases
until B. Then it flattens in region
between points B and C, which Saturation
is the active region. region
After C, is the breakdown
A
VCE
region. 0 0.7 V VCE(max)
BJT Characteristics

The collector characteristic curves illustrate the relationship of the

three transistor currents. I C

By setting up other values of I B6

base current, a family of I B5

collector curves is developed.
I B4
DC is the ratio of collector
I B3
current to base current.
I B2
I
 DC  C I B1
IB
Cutoff region IB = 0
It can be read from the curves. VCE

The value of DC is nearly the

0

same wherever it is read.

BJT Characteristics

What is the DC for the transistor shown?

I C (mA)

IB6 = 60 A
10.0
Choose a base current near the IB5 = 50 A
center of the range – in this 8.0
IB4 = 40 A
case IB3 which is 30 A.
6.0
I B3 = 30 A
Read the corresponding
IB2 = 20 A
collector current – in this case, 4.0

IB1 = 10 A
5.0 mA. Calculate the ratio: 2.0

IB = 0
I 5.0 mA
 DC  C   167 0 VCE

I B 30  A
 Collector Characteristic Curves
IC (mA)
IC Linear Region

IB
IB = 30uA
VCE
10k
+ +
IC = βdc IB
- VBBΩ
IE - VC C

VCE
0 (V)
VBB  VBE
IB  1V  0.7V
RB For VBB = 1V IB   30A
10k
ES110 ETE Department 24
 Collector Characteristic Curves
IC (mA)
IC
IB
VCE IB
+ +

VBB - VC C
-
VCE
VBB  VBE 0 (V)
IB 
RB
ES110 ETE Department 25
 Collector Characteristic Curves…
 Both VBB and VCC are adjustable
 VBB is set to produce a specific value of IB while
VCC = 0 then IC = 0 and VCE = 0 (Base-collector is
forward biased)
 As VCC is gradually increased, VCE will increase and
so will IC
 When VCE reaches approximately 0.7V the base-
collector junction becomes forward-biased
 IC reaches its maximum value given by IC = βdcIB
ES110 ETE Department 26
 Collector Characteristic Curves…
IC (mA)

IB = 50µA

IB = 40µA

IB = 30µA

IB = 20µA
IB = 10µA
VCE
0 (V)

ES110 ETE Department 27

 Collector Characteristic Curves…
 Both VBB and VCC are adjustable
 VBB is set to produce a specific value of IB while
VCC = 0 then IC = 0 and VCE = 0 (Base-collector is
forward biased)
 As VCC is gradually increased, VCE will increase and
so will IC
 When VCE reaches approximately 0.7V the base-
collector junction becomes forward-biased
 IC reaches its maximum value given by IC = βdcIB
ES110 ETE Department 28
 Collector Characteristic Curves…
IC (mA)
IB = 50µA

IB = 40µA

IB = 30µA

IB = 20µA

IB = 10µA

VCE
0 Linear (V)
Breakdown
Saturation

ES110 ETE Department 29

 Cut-off Region
 When IB = 0, the transistor is in cut-off, it does
not conduct

 Under this condition there is very small collector

leakage current, ICE0 due to thermally generated
carriers

 In cut-off both the base-emitter and base-

collector junctions are reverse-biased
ES110 ETE Department 30
 Cut-off Region….
IC (mA)

ICE0
IB = 0
VCE +
+
VBB =0 VCC
ICE0
-
IB = 0
-

0 VCE (V)

Cut-off Region

ES110 ETE Department 31

 Saturation Region
 When VCC is increased from zero (the base-
collector junction is forward biased), VCE will
increase and IC will also increase.
But IC ≠ β IC
 When VCE reaches approximately 0.7V (for Si) the
base-emitter junction becomes forward biased.
This collector-emitter voltage is called Saturation
voltage (VCE(sat)) and IC reached its full value.

ES110 ETE Department 32

 Saturation Region….
IC (mA)
Saturation Region
IC
IB1
IB4
VCE +
IB3
IB2
+
VBB VCC - IB1
ICE0
-
IB = 0

0 VCE (V)

ES110 ETE Department 33

 Linear Region
IC (mA)

IB5
Saturation IB4
Region Linear Region
IB3
IC = βdcIB
IB2

IB1
ICE0 IB = 0
VCE
0 VCE(sat) (V)
Cut-off Region
ES110 ETE Department 34
 Maximum Transistor Ratings
 The transistor, like other electronic devices, has
limitations on its operation
 The limitations are stated in the form of maximum
ratings and normally given in Manufacturer’s data
sheet
 Typical maximum ratings include:
 maximum Collector Current, IC(max)
 Maximum Collector Emitter Voltage, VCE(max)
 Maximum Power Dissipation, PD(max)

ES110 ETE Department 35

 Maximum Transistor Ratings…
 IC(max) IC
 Is the maximum collector current
a transistor can carry safely VCE
 VCE(max)
 Is the maximum voltage that can
safely be applied between
collector and emitter
PD = IC VCE
 PD(max)
 Is the maximum power that a IC VCE ≤ PD(max)
transistor can dissipate safely
ES110 ETE Department 36
 Maximum Transistor Ratings…
IC (mA) PD(max) PD(max) VCE IC
IC(max) IB5 0.25W 5V 50mA

IB4 0.25W 10V 25mA

Saturation
Region IB3 0.25W 15V 17.5mA
IB2
0.25W 20V 12.5mA
IB1
ICE0
VCE
0 VCE(sat) VCE(max) (V) PD(max) = IC VCE
Cut-off Region

ES110 ETE Department 37

 Safe Operating Area (SOAR)
IC (mA)
PD(max)
IC(max)
IB5

IB4
Saturation
Region IB3
SOAR
IB2

IB1
ICE0
VCE
0 VCE(sat) VCE(max) (V)
Cut-off Region
ES110 ETE Department 38
 Derating PD(max)
O
 PD(max) is usually specified at 25 C
 For higher temperatures, PD(max) is less i.e. it is not
easy for the transistor to dissipate heat the
surroundings
 Data sheets often give derating factors for
determining PD(max) at any temperature above
O
25 C
 The unit for derating factor is W/OC

ES110 ETE Department 39

 Derating PD(max) ….
 Example: A certain transistor has PD(max) of 1W at
25OC. The derating factor is 5mW/OC. What is the
O
PD(max) at a temperature of 70 C ?

PD(max) at 70OC = PD(max) at 25OC - Df x ∆T

= 1W - 5mW/OC x (70OC – 25OC)

= 1W – 225mW

= 775mW

ES110 ETE Department 40