International University

Compus Kampot

CHAPTER 3

Bipolar Junction Transistor

(BJT)

Mr Chhoeung Yean
 Introduction
• The basic of electronic system nowadays is
semiconductor device.
• The famous and commonly use of this device
is BJTs
(Bipolar Junction Transistors).
• It can be use as amplifier and logic switches.
• BJT consists of three terminal:
→ collector : C
→ base : B
→emitter : E
• Two types of BJT : pnp and npn
 Transistor Construction

• 3 layer semiconductor device consisting:

• 2 n- and 1 p-type layers of material → npn transistor
• 2 p- and 1 n-type layers of material →pnp transistor
• The term bipolar reflects the fact that holes and
electrons participate in the injection process into the
oppositely polarized material
• A single pn junction has two different types of bias:
• forward bias
• reverse bias
• Thus, a two-pn-junction device has four types of bias.
 Position of the terminals and symbol
of BJT.

• Base is located at the middle

and more thin from the level
of collector and emitter
• The emitter and collector
terminals are made of the
same type of semiconductor
material, while the base of the
other type of material
 Transistor currents
-The arrow is always drawn
on the emitter

-The arrow always point

toward the n-type

-The arrow indicates the

direction of the emitter
current:
pnp:E→ B
IC=the collector current
npn: B→ E
IB= the base current
IE= the emitter current
• By imaging the analogy of diode, transistor can be
construct like two diodes that connetecd together.
• It can be conclude that the work of transistor is base on
work of diode.
 Transistor Operation
• The basic operation will be described using the pnp
transistor. The operation of the pnp transistor is
exactly the same if the roles played by the electron
and hole are interchanged.
• One p-n junction of a transistor is reverse-biased,
whereas the other is forward-biased.

Forward-biased junction Reverse-biased junction

of a pnp transistor of a pnp transistor
• Both biasing potentials have been applied to a pnp
transistor and resulting majority and minority carrier
flows indicated.
• Majority carriers (+) will diffuse across the forward-
biased p-n junction into the n-type material.
• A very small number of carriers (+) will through n-type
material to the base terminal. Resulting IB is typically in
order of microamperes.
• The large number of majority carriers will diffuse across
the reverse-biased junction into the p-type material
connected to the collector terminal.
• Majority carriers can cross the reverse-biased
junction because the injected majority carriers will
appear as minority carriers in the n-type material.
• Applying KCL to the transistor :
IE = IC + IB
• The comprises of two components – the majority
and minority carriers
IC = ICmajority + ICOminority
• ICO – IC current with emitter terminal open and is
called leakage current.
 Common-Base Configuration
• Common-base terminology is derived from the fact that
the :
- base is common to both input and output of the
configuration.
- base is usually the terminal closest to or at
ground potential.
• All current directions will refer to conventional (hole)
flow and the arrows in all electronic symbols have a
direction defined by this convention.
• Note that the applied biasing (voltage sources) are such
as to establish current in the direction indicated for each
branch.
• To describe the behavior of common-base amplifiers
requires two set of characteristics:
- Input or driving point characteristics.
- Output or collector characteristics
• The output characteristics has 3 basic regions:
- Active region –defined by the biasing arrangements
- Cutoff region – region where the collector current is 0A
- Saturation region- region of the characteristics to the left
of VCB = 0V
• The curves (output characteristics) clearly indicate
that a first approximation to the relationship between
IE and IC in the active region is given by
IC ≈IE
• Once a transistor is in the ‘on’ state, the base-emitter
voltage will be assumed to be
VBE = 0.7V
• In the dc mode the level of IC and IE due to the
majority carriers are related by a quantity called
alpha
IC
=
IE
IC = IE + ICBO
• It can then be summarize to IC = IE (ignore ICBO due
to small value)
• For ac situations where the point of operation moves
on the characteristics curve, an ac alpha defined by

 = IC
IE

• Alpha a common base current gain factor that shows

the efficiency by calculating the current percent from
current flow from emitter to collector.The value of 
is typical from 0.9 ~ 0.998.
 Biasing
• Proper biasing CB configuration in active region by
approximation IC  IE (IB  0 uA)
Transistor as an amplifier
Simulation of transistor as an
amplifier
 Common-Emitter Configuration
• It is called common-emitter configuration since :
- emitter is common or reference to both input and
output terminals.
- emitter is usually the terminal closest to or at
ground
potential.
• Almost amplifier design is using connection of CE due
to the high gain for current and voltage.
• Two set of characteristics are necessary to describe
the behavior for CE ;input (base terminal) and output
(collector terminal) parameters.
Proper Biasing common-emitter configuration in active region
 • IB is microamperes compared
to miliamperes of IC.
• IB will flow when VBE > 0.7V
for silicon and 0.3V for
germanium
• Before this value IB is very
small and no IB.
• Base-emitter junction is
forward bias
• Increasing VCE will reduce IB
for different values.

Input characteristics for a

common-emitter NPN transistor
 Output characteristics for a
common-emitter npn
transistor

• For small VCE (VCE < VCESAT, IC increase linearly with

increasing of VCE
• VCE > VCESAT IC not totally depends on VCE → constant IC
• IB(uA) is very small compare to IC (mA). Small increase in
IB cause big increase in IC
• IB=0 A → ICEO occur.
• Noticing the value when IC=0A. There is still some value of
current flows.
 Beta () or amplification factor
• The ratio of dc collector current (IC) to the dc base current
(IB) is dc beta (dc ) which is dc current gain where IC
and IB are determined at a particular operating point, Q-
point (quiescent point).
• It’s define by the following equation:

30 < dc < 300 → 2N3904

• On data sheet, dc=hFE with h is derived from ac hybrid

equivalent cct. FE are derived from forward-current
amplification and common-emitter configuration
respectively.
• For ac conditions an ac beta has been defined as the
changes of collector current (IC) compared to the
changes of base current (IB) where IC and IB are
determined at operating point.
• On data sheet, ac=hfe
• It can defined by the following equation:
 Example
From output characteristics of common
emitter configuration, find ac and dc with an
Operating point at IB=25 A and VCE =7.5V.
Solution:
Relationship analysis between α and β
 Common – Collector Configuration
• Also called emitter-follower (EF).
• It is called common-emitter configuration since both the
signal source and the load share the collector terminal
as a common connection point.
• The output voltage is obtained at emitter terminal.
• The input characteristic of common-collector
configuration is similar with common-emitter.
configuration.
• Common-collector circuit configuration is provided with
the load resistor connected from emitter to ground.
• It is used primarily for impedance-matching purpose
since it has high input impedance and low output
impedance.
Notation and symbols used with the common-collector configuration:
(a) pnp transistor ; (b) npn transistor.
• For the common-collector configuration, the output
characteristics are a plot of IE vs VCE for a range of values of
IB.
 Limits of Operation
• Many BJT transistor used as an amplifier. Thus it is
important to notice the limits of operations.
• At least 3 maximum values is mentioned in data sheet.
• There are:
a) Maximum power dissipation at collector: PCmax
or PD
b) Maximum collector-emitter voltage: VCEmax
sometimes named as VBR(CEO) or VCEO.
c) Maximum collector current: ICmax
• There are few rules that need to be followed for BJT
transistor used as an amplifier. The rules are:
i) transistor need to be operate in active region!
ii) IC < ICmax
ii) PC < PCmax
Note: VCE is at maximum and IC is at minimum (ICmax=ICEO) in the
cutoff region. IC is at maximum and VCE is at minimum
(VCE max = VCEsat = VCEO) in the saturation region. The transistor
operates in the active region between saturation and cutoff.
Refer to the fig.
Step1:
The maximum collector
power dissipation,
PD=ICmax x VCEmax (1)
= 18m x 20 = 360 mW
Step 2:
At any point on the
characteristics the product of
and must be equal to 360 mW.
Ex. 1. If choose ICmax= 5 mA,
subtitute into the (1), we get
VCEmaxICmax= 360 mW
VCEmax(5 m)=360/5=7.2 V

Ex.2. If choose VCEmax=18 V,

subtitute into (1), we get
VCEmaxICmax= 360 mW
(10) ICmax=360m/18=20 mA
 Derating PDmax

• PDmax is usually specified at 25°C.

• The higher temperature goes, the less is PDmax
• Example;
• A derating factor of 2mW/°C indicates the power
dissipation is reduced 2mW each degree centigrade
increase of temperature.
 Example

Transistor 2N3904 used in the circuit with

VCE=20 V. This circuit used at temperature
1250C. Calculate the new maximum IC.
Transistor 2N3904 have maximum power
dissipation is 625 mW. Derating factor is
5mW/0C.
 Solution
• Step 1:
Temperature increase : 1250C – 250C = 1000C
• Step 2:
Derate transistor : 5 mW/0C x 1000C = 500 mW
• Step 3:
Maximum power dissipation at 1250C = 625 mW–500
mW=125 mW.
• Step 4:
Thus ICmax = PCmax / VCE=125m/20 = 6.25 mA.
• Step 5:
Draw the new line of power dissipation at 1250C .
 Example

The parameters of transistor 2N3055 as follows:

- Maximum power dissipation @ 250C=115 W
- Derate factor=0.66 mW/0C.
This transistor used at temperature 780C.
Find the new maximum value of power dissipation.
Find the set of new maximum of IC if VCE=10V,
20V and 40 V.
 Solution

• Step 1:
Temperature increase : 780C – 250C = 530C
• Step 2:
Derate transistor : 0.66mW/0C x 530C = 35 mW
• Step 3:
Maximum power dissipation at 780C = 115W– 35W=80
mW.
• Step 4:
ICmax = PCmax / VCE=80m/10 = 8 mA (point C)
ICmax = PCmax / VCE=80m/20 = 4 mA. (point B)
ICmax = PCmax / VCE=80m/40 = 2 mA (point A)
Step 5:
Draw the new line of power dissipation at 780C .
Transistor Specification Sheet
Transistor Terminal Identification
 Transistor Testing
1. Curve Tracer
Provides a graph of the characteristic curves.
2. DMM
Some DMM’s will measure DC or HFE.
3. Ohmmeter