Boylestad-Electronic Devices and Circuit-Bipolar Junction

Transistor
Electronics 2
LESSON 1. BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTOR
Intended Learning Outcomes

After the completion of the chapter, students will be able to:

1. Describe the basic structure of BJT
2. Explain how BJT is biased and discuss the transistor currents and their relationships

Transistor

✓ Developed in December 23, 1947, in Bell laboratories by:

• Dr. William Shockley – research team leader
• Dr. Walter Brattain – experimental physicist
• Dr. John Bardeen – theoretical physicist
✓ A semiconductor device that can control current and can be used as:
• Amplifier
• Electronic switch
✓ John Pierce coined the word “TRANSISTOR” which was derived from the words: TRANsfer
reSISTOR
• Solid state device in which the resistance property of its output is controlled by an
input.
✓ First working transistor: point contact germanium transistor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdYHljZi7ys

Basic Types of Transistors

BJT FET
Bipolar devices Unipolar devices
Current controlled Voltage controlled
NPN and PNP JFET, MOSFET, MESFET
Base, Emitter, Collector Gate, Source, Drain
Region: Cut-off, Saturation, Active Region: Cut-off, Ohmic/Linear,
Constant current region
Forward Bias: E-B Reverse Bias: G-S
Reverse Bias: C-B
Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

• It is a three-layer semiconductor device consisting of either two N and one P-type layers
of materials or two P and one N-type layers of semiconductor materials.

• Regions of BJT
o Base
▪ Region to which carriers flow from emitter to collector
▪ 1015 𝑑𝑜𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠/𝑐𝑚3 (dopants are impurity elements)
▪ Lightly doped
▪ 1/150 part of the transistor’s total width
o Emitter
▪ Region from which carriers flow
▪ 1019 𝑑𝑜𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠/𝑐𝑚3
▪ Heavily doped (lot of charged carriers, electrons if n-type, hole if p-type)
o Collector
▪ Region to which carriers flow
▪ 1017 𝑑𝑜𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠/𝑐𝑚3
▪ Moderately doped
▪ Largest
BJT Operation

𝑉𝐵𝐸 = 0.7 𝑉 and 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 𝑉𝐶𝐵 + 0.7𝑉

𝐼𝐸 = 𝐼𝐵 + 𝐼𝐶
BJT Characteristic Curve

BJT has three operating modes. These modes referred to its characteristic curve are called
regions of operations:
a. Cut-off mode / Cut-off Region
b. Saturation mode / Saturation Region
c. Active mode / Active Region

(See example BJT circuit operation below)

Cut-off Region or ‘OFF’

𝐼𝐶 = 𝛽𝐼𝐵
B-E. required 0.7 V as threshold voltage (silicon)
𝐼𝑓 𝑽𝑩 < 𝟎. 𝟕𝑽
The emitter is unable to emit charged carriers or
currents
(BE reverse-biased, BC reverse-biased)
𝑰𝑩 = 𝟎 𝒎𝑨
𝐼𝐶 = 𝛽𝐼𝐵
𝐼𝐶 = (100)(0 𝑚𝐴)
𝑰𝑪 = 𝟎 𝒎𝑨
By KVL:
3𝑉 − 1𝑘(𝐼𝐶) − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0
3𝑉 − 1𝑘(0𝑚𝐴) − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0
𝑽𝑪𝑬 = 𝟑𝑽 (𝒎𝒂𝒙)
𝑽𝑪 = 𝟑𝑽; 𝑽𝑬 = 𝟎𝑽

𝐼𝐸 = 𝐼𝐵 + 𝐼𝐶
𝑰𝑬 = 𝟎 𝒎𝑨

Cut-off Region
𝑉𝐵 < 0.7𝑉 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 3𝑉(max)
𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 𝑉𝑠
𝐼𝐵 = 0 𝑚𝐴 𝐼𝐶 = 0 𝑚𝐴
ACTIVE REGION (function as Linear Amplifier)
𝐼𝐶 = 𝛽𝐼𝐵
𝐼𝑓 𝑽𝑩𝑬 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝑽 and 𝑽𝑩 > 𝑽𝑩𝑬
The emitter is able to emit charged carriers or
currents
(BE forward-biased, BC reverse-biased)
Assuming that 𝑰𝑩 = 𝟏𝟎 𝒖𝑨
𝐼𝐶 = (100)(10 𝑢𝐴)
𝑰𝑪 = 𝟏 𝒎𝑨
By KVL:
3𝑉 − 1𝑘(1𝑚𝐴) − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0
𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 2𝑉

Assuming that 𝑰𝑩 = 𝟐𝟎 𝒖𝑨
𝐼𝐶 = (100)(20 𝑢𝐴)
𝑰𝑪 = 𝟐 𝒎𝑨
By KVL:
3𝑉 − 1𝑘(2𝑚𝐴) − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0
𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 1𝑉

Assuming that 𝑰𝑩 = 𝟑𝟎𝒖𝑨

𝐼𝐶 = (100)(30𝑢𝐴)
𝐼𝐶 = 3 𝑚𝐴

By KVL:
3𝑉 − 1𝑘(3 𝑚𝐴) − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0
𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0 𝑉

To compute for 𝐼𝐶(max):

Set 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0𝑉 or closed switch
3𝑉 − 1𝑘(𝐼𝐶(𝑚𝑎𝑥)) − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0
𝑰𝑪(𝒎𝒂𝒙) = 𝟑𝒎𝑨

To compute for 𝐼𝐵(max ):

𝐼𝐶(𝑚𝑎𝑥) = 𝛽𝐼𝐵(𝑚𝑎𝑥)
𝑰𝑩(𝒎𝒂𝒙) = 𝟑𝟎𝒖𝑨

Active Region
𝑉𝐵𝐸 = 0.7𝑉 0 < 𝑉𝐶𝐸 < 3𝑉(max)
0 < 𝑉𝐶𝐸 < 𝑉𝑠
0 < 𝐼𝐵 < 30𝑢𝐴 0 < 𝐼𝐶 < 3 𝑚𝐴
0 < 𝐼𝐵 < 𝐼𝐵(max) 0 < 𝐼𝑐 < 𝐼𝑐(max)
SATURATION REGION or ‘ON’
𝐼𝐶 = 𝛽𝐼𝐵
𝐼𝑓 𝑽𝑩𝑬 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝑽 and 𝑉𝐵 > 𝑉𝐵𝐸
The emitter is able to emit maximum charged
carriers or currents.
(BE forward-biased, BC forward-biased)
𝑰𝑩 = 𝟑𝟎 𝒖𝑨
𝐼𝐶 = (100)(30 𝑢𝐴)
𝑰𝑪 = 𝟑 𝒎𝑨
By KVL:
3𝑉 − 1𝑘(3𝑚𝐴) − 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0
𝑽𝑪𝑬 = 𝟎𝑽 (𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒎)

Saturation Region
𝑉𝐵𝐸 = 0.7𝑉 𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 0𝑉(𝑚𝑖𝑛)
𝑉𝐶𝐸 = 𝑉𝐶𝐸(𝑠𝑎𝑡)
𝐼𝐵 ≥ 30𝑢𝐴 𝐼𝐶 ≥ 3 𝑚𝐴
𝐼𝐵 ≥ 𝐼𝐵(max) 𝐼𝐶 ≥ 𝐼𝑐(max)

Key Points

• Semiconductor devices have the following advantages over vacuum tubes: They are (1) of
smaller size, (2) more lightweight, (3) more rugged, and (4) more efficient. In addition, they
have (1) no warm-up period, (2) no heater requirement, and (3) lower operating voltages.
• Transistors are three-terminal devices of three semiconductor layers having a base or
center layer a great deal thinner than the other two layers. The outer two layers are both of
either n- or p -type materials, with the sandwiched layer the opposite type.

• Transistors may be consisted of either two n- and one p- type layers of material or two p-
and one n- type layers of material. The former is called an npn transistor, and the latter is
called a pnp transistor.

• The outer layers have widths much greater than the sandwiched p- or n- type material. For
the transistors shown on the right, the ratio of the total width to that of the center layer is
0.150/0.001 = 150:1.

• The bipolar junction transistor (BJT) is a three-terminal device with terminals have been
indicated by the capital letters E for emitter, C for collector, and B for base.

• The term bipolar reflects the fact that holes and electrons participate in the injection
process into the oppositely polarized material. If only one carrier is employed (electron or
hole), it is considered a unipolar device.

• The operation of the npn transistor is exactly the same with the pnp transistor if the roles
played by the electron and hole are interchanged.

• The emitter layer is heavily doped, with the base and collector only lightly doped.

• The dc emitter current is always the largest current of a transistor, whereas the base current
is always the smallest. The magnitude of the base current is typically on the order of
microamperes, as compared to milliamperes for the emitter and collector currents.

• Emitter current is the sum of the collector and base currents: 𝐼𝐸 = 𝐼𝐶 + 𝐼𝐵

• The collector current, however, comprises two components—the majority and the minority
carriers. The minority-current component is called the leakage current and is given the
symbol 𝐼𝐶𝑂 (𝐼𝐶 current with emitter terminal Open): 𝐼𝐶 = 𝐼𝐶(𝑚𝑎𝑗𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑦) + 𝐼𝐶𝑂(𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑦)

• For general-purpose transistors, 𝐼𝐶 is measured in milliamperes and 𝐼𝐶𝑂 is measured in

microamperes or nanoamperes. 𝐼𝐶𝑂, like 𝐼𝑆 for a reverse-biased diode, is temperature
sensitive.

• The arrow in the transistor symbol defines the direction of conventional current flow for the
emitter current and thereby defines the direction for the other currents of the device.

• A three-terminal device needs two sets of characteristics to completely define its

characteristics—one for the driving point or input parameters and the other for the output
side.

• On an average basis, as a first approximation, the base-to-emitter voltage, 𝑉𝐵𝐸 of an

operating transistor can be assumed to be 0.7 V.
• The quantity alpha (𝛼) relates the collector and emitter currents and is always close to one
since 𝐼𝐶 ≅ 𝐼𝐸. For practical devices alpha typically extends from 0.90 to 0.998, with most
values approaching the high end of the range.

• In the dc mode, alpha is defined by the following equation:

𝐼𝐶
𝛼𝑑𝑐 =
𝐼𝐸
• For ac situations where the point of operation moves on the characteristic curve, an ac
alpha is defined by: Δ𝐼𝐶
𝛼 = |
𝑎𝑐
Δ𝐼𝐸 𝑉𝐶𝐵=𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
The ac alpha is formally called the common-base, short-circuit, amplification factor.

• For most situations, the magnitudes of 𝛼𝑎𝑐 and 𝛼𝑑𝑐 are quite close, permitting the use of the
magnitude of one for the other.

• The impedance between terminals of a forward-biased junction is always relatively small,

whereas the impedance between terminals of a reverse-biased junction is usually quite
large.

• The arrow in the symbol of an npn transistor points out of the device (not pointing in),
whereas the arrow points in to the center of the symbol for a pnp transistor (pointing in).

• The quantity beta (β) provides an important relationship between the base and collector
currents, and is usually between 50 and 400.

• The dc beta is defined by a simple ratio of dc currents at an operating point.

𝐼𝐶
𝛽𝑑𝑐 =
𝐼𝐵
• The ac beta is sensitive to the characteristics in the region of interest.
Δ𝐼𝐶
𝛽𝑎𝑐 = |𝑉 =𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
Δ𝐼𝐵 𝐶𝐸

• For most applications, however, the magnitudes of 𝛽𝑎𝑐 and 𝛽𝑑𝑐 are considered equivalent
as a first approximation.

• A relationship can also be developed between 𝛼 and 𝛽 using the basic relationships
introduced:

• As stated earlier the base-to-collector junction is reversed biased in the active region, but
there is a point where too large reverse-bias voltage will lead to the avalanche effect. This
can result to a breakdown region.
 • Negative resistance is the term used to describe a drop in voltage due to an increase in
current.

• To ensure that a transistor is operating within its maximum power level rating, simply find
the product of the collector-to-emitter voltage and the collector current, and compare it to
the rated value: 𝑃𝐶(𝑚𝑎𝑥) = 𝑉𝐶𝐸 ∗ 𝐼𝐶

Summary Tables

Relationship between DC Currents and Gains

Transistor Biasing and Regions of Operations (To be discussed on next lesson)

Bipolar junction transistor (BJT) has two junctions, the base-emitter (B-E) junction and the
base-collector (B-C) junction therefore there are four possible combinations of biasing the
junctions.

BJT Biasing Configurations (To be discussed on next lesson)