KADIR HAS UNIVERSITY

ELECTRONICS CIRCUITS LABORATORY-1

EXPERIMENT NO :3
EXPERIMENT NAME : Analysis of Bipolar Junction
Transistor (BJT)
OBJECTIVE

The objective of this experiment is to investigate the characteristics of Bipolar Junction

Transistors. We will start by determining transistor type (npn, pnp), terminals and material
using a digital multimeter. The collector characteristics and alpha and beta ratios of a
transistor will be investigated using experimental methods.

COMPONENTS AND EQUIPMENT

DMM
DC Power Supply
Signal Generator
Oscilloscope
2N3903 transistor
1K, 330K, 1M resistors
10K potentiometer

GENERAL THEORY

Bipolar transistors are made of either silicon (Si) or germanium (Ge). Their structure consists
if two layers of n-type material separated by a layer of p-type material (npn), or of two layers
of p-type material separated by a layer of n-type material (pnp). In either case, the center
layer forms the base of the transistor, while the external layers form the collector and the
emitter of the transistor. It is this structure that determines the polarities of any voltages
applied and the direction of the electron or conventional current flow. With regard to the
latter, the arrow at the emitter terminal of the transistor symbol for either type of transistor
points in the direction of conventional current flow.

One part of this experiment will demonstrate how you can determine the type of transistor, its
material, and identify its three terminals.

The relationships between the voltages and the currents associated with a bipolar junction
transistor under various operating conditions determine its performance. These relationships
are collectively known as the characteristics of the transistor. As such, they are published by
the manufacturer of a given transistor in a specification sheet. It is one of the objectives of
this laboratory experiment to experimentally measure these characteristics and to compare
them to their published values.

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collector collector
c c c c

n p
base b b base b b
p n

n p

e e e e
emitter emitter

npn TRANSISTOR pnp TRANSISTOR

A BJT is comprised basically of three doped semiconductor regions forming two p-n
junctions connected back to back. The three semiconductor regions are identified as the Base
(B), the collector (C), and the emitter (E). The labelling codes "npn" and "pnp" identify the
doping the three semiconductor regions that make up a BJT: npn implies n-type doping of the
collector and emitter and p-type doping of the base; pnp implies the inverse. While the
collector and emitter are always of the same doping type, the doping concentrations may be
different in those two regions.

The operation of a BJT depends on both electron and hole conduction. Depending on the bias
of each of the two p-n junctions, the BJT operates in one of four distinct regions as shown in
figure.

Base-Collector
Junction

Inverse Active Forward-Bias Saturation

Region Region

Reverse-Bias Forward-Bias Base-Emitter

Junction

Cutoff Reverse-Bias Forward-Active

Region Region

BJT Characteristics

The BJT functions, in general, as a current amplifier with some non-linear characteristics. The
characteristic curves, shown below, for an npn BJT give a graphical representation of the
transistor's amplifying properties.

In the active region, a small change in base current will produce a large change in collector
current. This gain factor is called "beta" and is designated F for the forward current gain.
This parameter is typically listed in the manufacturer's data sheet and specified as either a
minimum value or a range -- typical values are 50 to 500. Although the minimum beta is

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guaranteed, each device from a batch of the same part number could vary greatly; we will see
how to configure a BJT amplifier with a gain that is fairly independent of the beta value.

In the saturation region, the BJT's collector current is not very dependent on an increase in
base current; this is the typical mode used as the "LOW" state for a digital switching circuit.
In the cut-off region, the base current is below a threshold value (VBE has not reach the diode
threshold voltage) and the collector current is virtually shut off; this is the typical "HIGH"
state for a digital circuit. These two regions are the desired states for logic circuits but are to
be avoiding by most analog circuits. For instance, the "clipping" of an audio signal would be
due to the amplifier over-driving into these regions.

SATURATIO
N
REGION

IB ACTIVE
IC REGION
VCE
VBE

CUT-OFF
REGION
Characteristic Curves for an npn BJT (CE Mode)

The design methods used to keep an amplifier within the active region of the transistor device
are called "biasing". In the following section we will see how a few resistors will add a DC
offset to hold the circuit in a relatively linear operating mode.

Transistor Biasing Circuits

"Load lines" are used to visualize the static and dynamic conditions in a transistor-based
amplifier. An intersecting line is superimposed on the common-emitter BJT characteristics (or
common source FET characteristics) which represents the voltage/current relationship of the
amplifier's output. In other words, the load resistor limits the active region to a linear I-V
curve. Here is an example of a simple common emitter amplifier and its load line:

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VCC
ICM =VCC / RC
= 5ma
RB RC=3K
IC
IB Q-Point
or
VCE = Bias Point
7.5V
VBE  0.7V

RB = VCC - VBE = 14.3 =

572K
VCC =15V
IB 25A

Simple Common Emitter Biasing and Load Line

With the output load resistor, RC, connected between the collector and the power supply, the
NPN transistor is in its forward-active region. The bias point allows an input signal (variation
in base current) to control an output signal (larger variation in collector current). The base
resistor, RB, sets the value of IB for the current gain characteristics of this particular
transistor. The value of  is about 100 (determined from the IC /IB near the bias point on
the graph). However, if the  was doubled (a different transistor was substituted, for instance)
then the bias point would move up at the intersection of the 40A IB curve. This dependence
of the bias point would make the amplifier's performance unpredictable over a range of
devices (and temperature range, too).

A solution to this problem is to use a 4-resistor biasing scheme where the variations in  and
VBE have a less significant effect on the bias point. An emitter resistor, Re, is added to set the
voltage gain at the collector, and a base voltage divider is added to set the bias point based

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VB

Equivalent
Base Ckt.

Four-Resistor Biasing Circuit

primarily on VRe>>VBE. Solving the loop equation around the base-emitter loop illustrates
this point:

VB = Vbb - VRb
= VBE + RE IE
= 0.7V + (1K)(2.5mA)
= 0.7V + 2.5V = 3.2V

The 'feedback' voltage across RE is much greater than 0.7V, making the bias point less
dependent on variations in VBE (which depends on IB and temperature since it's a diode
junction). The design of the resistor divider at the base is simpler if the resistor values give a
Thevenin equivalent much less than the value of RE (approximate input resistance at the
base). Otherwise, the input resistance would significantly load the voltage source. Also, if R E
is too small, the dynamic resistance of the B-E diode would become a factor (~25mV/IE).

Transistors

 Essential component of many electronic circuits

 Used in amps, oscillators, digital computers
 Provide power gain, voltage gain, and current gain
 IC's composed of transistor arrays fabricated onto single chip of Si

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PRELIMINARY WORK

1. The following measurements are made on the circuit shown below:

VC  8.788V
VB  1.920V
VE  1.220V

Determine  ,  and I CO for the circuit above. Assume n  1 .

PROCEDURE

Check with the instructor before starting on the next procedure.

1) Determination of the Transistor’s Type, Terminals, and Material

The following procedure will determine the type of a transistor, the terminals of a transistor,
and the material from which it is made. The procedure will utilize the diode testing scale
found on many modern multimeters. If no such scale is available, the resistance scales of the
meter may be used.

a. Label the transistor terminals of Fig. 1 as 1, 2, and 3. Use the transistor without terminal
identification for this part of the experiment.

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Figure 1. Determination of the identities of BJT leads

b. Set the selector switch of the multimeter to the diode scale (or to the 4k-ohm range if the
diode scale is unavailable).

c. Connect the positive lead of the meter to terminal 1 and the negative lead to terminal 2;
record your reading in Table 1.

TABLE 1

Meter leads connected to BJT Diode Check reading (or Highest Resistive Range)
Step Positive Negative
C 1 2
D 2 1
E 1 3
F 3 1
G 2 3
H 3 2

d. Reverse the leads and record your reading.

e. Connect the positive lead to terminal 1 and the negative lead to terminal 3; record your
reading.

f. Reverse the leads and record your reading.

g. Connect the positive lead to terminal 2 and the negative lead to terminal 3; record your
reading.

h. Reverse the leads and record your reading.

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i. The meter readings between two of the terminals will read high (O.L. or higher
resistance) regardless of the polarity of the meter leads connected. Neither of these two
terminals will be the base. Based on the above, record the number of the base terminal in
Table 2.

TABLE 2

Part 1 (i): Base terminal

Part 1 (j): Transistor types
Part 1 (k): Collector terminal
Part 1 (k): Emitter terminal
Part 1 (l): Transistor material

j. Connect the negative lead to the base terminal and the positive lead to either of the other
terminals. If then meter reading is low (approximately 0.7 V for Si and 0.3 V for Ge or
lower resistance), the transistor type is pnp; go to step k(1). If the reading is high, the
transistor type is npn; go to step k(2).

k. (1) For pnp type, connect the negative lead to the base terminal and the positive lead
alternately to either of the other two terminals. The lower of the two readings obtained
indicates that the base and collector are connected; thus the other terminal is the emitter.
Record the terminals in Table 2.

(2) For npn type, connect the positive lead to the base terminal and the negative lead
alternately to either of the other two terminals. The lower of the two readings obtained
indicates that the base and collector are connected; thus the other terminal is the emitter.
Record the terminals in Table 2.

l. If the readings in either (1) or (2) of Part 1(k) were approximately 700 mV, the transistor
material is silicon. If the readings were approximately 300 mV, the material is
germanium. If the meter does not have a diode testing scale, the material cannot be
determined directly. Record the type of material in Table 2.

2) DC Analysis of a fixed bias circuit

Build the circuit shown in Fig. 2.

a. Determine the Base, Collector, and Emitter currents ( I B , I C , I E ) by measuring the

voltage drop across each resistor. Since you are going to determine the current indirectly,
make sure that you measure the exact values of the resistors R B , R C and R E .

b. Calculate the  and  for this transistor where:

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IC 
 , 
IB  1

d. Measure VBE as accurately as possible using the Digital Voltmeter. Make sure that you
use the appropriate range.

IC
e. Calculate the I CO for this transistor where I CO 
 VBE 
 
e T 
nV

Figure 2

3) The Collector Characteristics

a. Construct the network of Fig 3.

b. Set the voltage VR to 3.3 V by varying the 1 M-ohm potentiometer. This adjustment will
set I B  VR B / R B to 10  A as indicated in Table 3.

c. Then set VCE to 2 V by varying the 10 k potentiometer as required by the first line of
Table 3.

d. Record the voltages VRC and VBE in Table 3.

e. Vary the 10 k-ohm potentiometer to increase VCE from 2 V to the values appearing in
Table 3. Note that IB is maintained to 10A for the range of VCE levels.

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Figure 3. Circuit to determine the characteristics of a BJT.

f. For each value of VCE measure and record VRC and VBE. Use the mV scale for VBE.

g. Repeat steps (b) through (f) for all values of VRB indicated in Table 3. Each value of VRB
will establish a different level of IB for the sequence of VCE values.

h. After all data have been obtained, compute the values of IC from IC = VRC/RC and IE from
IE = IC + IB. Use the measured resistor value for RC.

i. Using the data of Table 3, plot the collector characteristics of the transistor on the graph
of Fig 4. That is, plot IC versus VCE for the various values of IB. Choose an appropriate
scale for IC and label each IB curve.

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Figure 4. Characteristic curve from the experimental data of Part 2

3) Variation of  and 
IC
a. For each line of Table 3 calculate the corresponding levels of  and  using  
IE
IC
and   and complete the Table.
IB

b. Is there a significant variation in  and  from one region of the characteristics to another?

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TABLE 3
Data for Construction of Transistor Collector Curve and Calculations of Transistor Parameters
VRB(V) IB (uA) VCE (V) VRC (V) IC(V) VBE(V) IE(mA)  
(meas) (calc) (meas) (meas) (meas) (meas) (calc) (calc) (calc)
3.3 10 2
3.3 10 4
3.3 10 6
3.3 10 8
3.3 10 10
3.3 10 12
3.3 10 14
3.3 10 16
6.6 20 2
6.6 20 4
6.6 20 6
6.6 20 8
6.6 20 10
6.6 20 12
6.6 20 14
9.9 30 2
9.9 30 4
9.9 30 6
9.9 30 8
9.9 30 10
13.2 40 2
13.2 40 4
13.2 40 6
13.2 40 8
16.5 50 2
16.5 50 4
16.5 50 6
In which region are the largest values of  found? Specify using the relative levels of VCE and IC.
In which region are the smallest values of  found? Specify using the relative levels of VCE and IC.
c. Find the largest and smallest levels of  and mark their locations on the plot of Fig 3 using
the notation  max and  min .
d. In general, did  increase or decrease with an increase in IC?
e. In general, did  increase or decrease with an increase VCE? Was the effect of VCE on 
greater or less than the effect of IC?
4) QUESTIONS
1) Compare the theoretical results that you obtained with experimental results. Comment the
differences between them. Using the results that you obtained in section 3 draw the
transistor curves. ( I C vs. VCE , I B vs. VBE )

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