Learning Outcome

ECA1212Introduction to Electrical &

Electronics EngineeringChapter 5: Bipolar Junction Transistor

by Muhazam Mustapha, October 2011

Learning Outcome

• Be able to explain some basic physical theory and operation of BJT

• Be able to do calculation on DC and AC analysis on BJT circuit

By the end of this chapter students are expected to:

Chapter Content

• Theory of BJT

• BJT Operation

• DC Analysis

• AC Analysis

Bipolar Junction Transistor

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Bipolar Junction Transistor

• If diodes are made by fabricating one PN junction, BJT are made by fabricating two PN junctions.

• It involves fabrication of 3 layers of P-N-P (pnp) or N-P-N (npn) types:

p

p

n

n

n

p

• The middle layer has to be very thin

• 3 terminals are attached to the 3 layers

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Terminals

• The middle layer is called BASE (B)• The top and bottom layers are not symmetrical• Top layer is called COLLECTOR (C) – doped

more lightly than the bottom layer (emitter)Collector

p

n

n

n

p

• Bottom layer is called EMITTER (E) – doped more heavily than the top layer (collector)

Collector

EmitterEmitter

BaseBase

p

+ +

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Circuit Symbol and Notations

• npn BJT symbol: • pnp BJT symbol:C C

E E

B B

• The direction of the arrow is the direction of the current when the BE junction is put on forward bias

C C

E E

B B

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Circuit Symbol and Notations

• In normal operation, BE junction is put to forward bias

• For that reason, npn is more popular since E is normally put to the lowest voltage on the BJT

• Hence, B has to be at higher voltage in order to put BE junction in forward bias

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Circuit Symbol and Notations• Notation for currents and voltage for npn:

C

E

B

iB

iC

iE

vCE

+

−

vCB

+

−

vBE

+

−

KCL: iE = iB + iC

KVL: vCE = vCB + vBE

• For pnp, the polarities are reversedCO1

Transport Phenomena• Transistor can be considered as two diode

joined back to back with the joint at base• Diode of BE junction is forward biased, hence

there will be current flowing• Diode of CB junction is reverse biased, hence

there is no currentC

E

B

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Transport Phenomena• So how do we get current flowing through C?• Current manages to get through C due to the

fact that B layer is very thin• Since B layer is very thin, the reversely flowing

transport (electron or hole) at BE junction will overshoot into the depletion region on the reverse biased CB junction

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Transport Phenomena

P

N

N

hole movement

forward biased electron movement

overshooting electrons across reverse biased junction causing large avalanche current

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Transport Phenomena• These overshot transport will further collide with

the covalence bond in depletion region and produce more holes and electrons

• The newly produced electrons and holes will further collide with other bonds and produce more and more new free electrons and holes

• The whole process explained above is called avalanche

• These avalanche produced electrons and holes will too move under the influence of the external field (voltage of vCE)

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Transport Phenomena• Hence the current through C (iC) is contributed

by the overshooting and avalanched transport

• Since the overshooting current is due to iB, and since the amount of the avalanche current is due to the overshooting current, then the amount of avalanche current would be proportional to iB

• So as to say, iB actually controls iC by some multiplication factor

• This factor is called the CURRENT GAIN, β

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I-V Characteristic• Since iC can be controlled by iB, we can consider

BJT like an input-output transfer box• The current and voltage input parameter of BJT

are iB and vBE respectively

• While the current and voltage output parameter of BJT are iC and vCE respectively

• The I-V characteristic of BJT is featured by the I-V characteristics of these input and output

C

E

B

iB

iC

vCE

+

−vBE

+

−

OU

TP

UTIN

PU

T

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BE (Input) Characteristic• Since BE junction is just like a forward biased

diode, the I-V characteristic is so like that too

500

400

300

200

100

0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0

I B (

μA

)

VBE (V)CO1

CE (Output) Characteristic• Since CB junction is reversed biased, the I-V

characteristic of CE is flat (zero) unless IB > 0

• With some values of IB, we get a family of I-V flattening curves for CE

50

40

30

20

10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I C (

mA

)

VCE (V)

IB = 50μA

IB = 100μA

IB = 150μA

IB = 200μA

IB = 250μA

IB = 300μA

IB = 0

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Operation Region• BJT may be put to operate at 4 different

operation mode – for our class we will be covering only 3 modes

• The 3 modes are called operation region• The region is defined by the areas in CE

(output) I-V characteristic graph:• Active• Saturation• Cutoff

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Operation Region

50

40

30

20

10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

I C (

mA

)

VCE (V)

IB = 50μA

IB = 100μA

IB = 150μA

IB = 200μA

IB = 250μA

IB = 300μA

IB = 0

CUTOFF REGION

SATURATION REGION

ACTIVE REGION

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Cutoff State / Region• The BJT is basically in OFF condition with no

current flowing because IB is zero

• Uses:• OFF state in digital circuit• OFF state for analog switch

• Detailed features:

• IB = 0

• IC = ICEO ≈ 0

• VCE ≥ 0

• VBE < VDCO1

Saturation State / Region• The BJT is basically in full ON condition with

very low VCE whereby the BJT may be considered to have a very low output resistance

• Uses:• ON state in digital circuit• ON state for analog switch


• IB > 0

• IC < βIB

• VCE = Vsat ≈ 0.2V

• VBE = VDCO1

Active State / Region• The BJT is in linear analog amplification mode

whereby IC is almost proportional to IB

• Uses:• Analog signal amplication


• IB > 0

• IC = βIB

• VCE > VD

• VBE = VD

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Detecting Operation Region• It’s easy:

• If VBE < VD (means IB is 0), then the BJT is in cutoff regardless of VCE

• If VBE = VD and VCE = Vsat, then the BJT is in saturation

• Otherwise it is in active region – BE junction forward biased and BC junction reverse biased

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Biasing (DC Analysis)

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DC Analysis (Biasing)

• Biasing of a transistor means putting the transistor’s VCE and IC into a desired position in the IC-VCE graph

• This is done normally if we want the transistor to operate in active region

• Cutoff and saturation region normally don’t require much biasing since the area is limited

• The biasing process is a little tricky since IC is controlled by IB – not directly by VCE

Refer to Giorgio Rizzoni’s Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering: Chapter 10.4, Example 10.7, Example 10.9

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• The position of the biased BJT’s VCE and IC is called Q point

• The value of IB is also required for the biasing

• There are a few biasing configuration exist, but for the purpose of non-EE class, we will only study the most popular configuration called self-bias common emitter configuration– Refer to Giorgio Rizzoni’s Fundamentals of Electrical

Engineering Figure 10.28CO1

Refer to Giorgio Rizzoni’s Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering: Chapter 10.4, Example 10.7, Example 10.9

DC Analysis (Biasing)Refer to Giorgio Rizzoni’s Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering: Figure 10.29

R2

R1

VCC

RC

RE

IB

IC

VCE

+

−VBE

+

−IE

RB

VCC

RC

RE

IB

IC

VCE

+

−VBE

+

−IE

VBB

Thevenin’s EquivalentVBB = (VCC)(R2)/(R1+R2)

RB = R1 || R2

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• The target of biasing process is to find the value of the resistors so that Q point is position at around VCC/2 in the IC-VCE characteristic graph

• R1, R2 and RE will determine IB

• IB will determine IC – either by IC = βIB, or by an IC-VCE graph

• Then from KVL, VCE = VCC−ICRC−IERE

– This equation is what called load-line equation

Refer to Giorgio Rizzoni’s Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering: pages 573 – 575

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Steps:

• R1 and R2 will be combined using Thevenin’s theorem to form RB

• Use KVL on BE loop to get IB from RB and IE

• Use β or IC-VCE graph to get IC

• Use KVL on CE loop (load-line equation) with the required VCE for the Q point to get RC

Refer to Giorgio Rizzoni’s Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering: pages 573 – 575

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• Class discussion: Giorgio Rizzoni’s Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering: pages 573 – 575, Example 10.9

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AC Analysis

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AC Analysis

• AC analysis is done to determine the performance of transistor amplifier circuit

• There are a few parameters of interest, like input and output resistance, but for the purpose of non-EE class, we will do only AC gain (current and voltage)

• AC analysis is done after biasing is completed and assuming there is some AC signal being introduced into the circuit as superimpose on top of the DC values (biasing)

Refer to Giorgio Rizzoni’s Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering: Example 10.8, page 570-574

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AC AnalysisRefer to Giorgio Rizzoni’s Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering: Example 10.8, page 570-574

• The oscillation of the input and output signals will be denoted by Δ (delta)

• For this class we will consider the I-V characteristic of the sinusoidal input and output signals will be the same as the DC relationship– next slide

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R2

R1

VCC

RC

RE

ΔVB

ΔVO

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B

C

I

I

CCCEO IRVV

B

BB R

VI

OutputInput

Voltage Gain

B

O

V

V

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ΔVO FormulaRefer to Giorgio Rizzoni’s Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering: Example 10.8, page 570-574

R2

R1

VCC

RC

RE

ΔVB

ΔVO

In the formula for ΔVO, it only depends on ΔIC even though from the KVL at the output it should also depends on ΔIE.

The reason for this is in real circuit we put a capacitor across RE which effectively SHORTS circuit RE when AC current flows – means we can disregard RE in AC analysis formula.

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AC Analysis

• Class discussion: Giorgio Rizzoni’s Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering: pages 570 – 574, Example 10.8

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Documents

Learning Outcome