BIPOLAR JUNCTION

TRANSISTOR
The transistor is a three-layer semiconductor device
consisting of either two N-Type and one P-Type layers of
material or two P-Type and one N-type layers of material.
The former is called an NPN transistor, while the latter is
called a NPN transistor.
Accordingly, there are two types of transistors, namely:

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BIPOLAR JUNCTION
TRANSISTOR

EET 05102 Lecture Notes Sem I 2018/19

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NAMING THE TRANSISTOR TERMIALS
Emitter
The emitter is always forward biased with respect to the
base so that it can supply a large number of majority
carriers. The above figure show the emitter of NPN
transistor is forward biased and supplies free electron
charges to its junction with the base. Similarly, the
emitter of PNP transistor has a forward bias and
supplies holes to its junction with the base.

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NAMING THE TRANSISTOR TERMIALS
Collector
The section on the other side that collects the charges
is called the collector. The collector is always reverse
biased. Its function is to remove charges from its
junction with the base. The collector of PNP transistor
has a reverse bias and receives hole charges that flow
in the output circuit. Similarly, the collector (n-type) of
NPN transistor has reverse bias and receives free
electrons.

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NAMING THE TRANSISTOR TERMIALS
Base.
The middle section which forms two PN junctions
between the emitter and collector is called the base. The
base-emitter junction is forward biased, allowing low
resistance for the emitter circuit. The base-collector
junction is reverse biased and provides high resistance
in the collector circuit.

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 BIPOLAR JUNCTION
TRANSISTOR
Before discussing transistor action, it is important that
the reader may keep in mind the following facts about
the transistor : In each type of transistor, the following
points may be noted :
1. These are two PN junctions. Therefore, a transistor may
be regarded as a combination of two diodes connected
back to back.
2. There are three terminals, one taken from each type of
semiconductor.
3. The middle section is a very thin layer. This is the most
important factor in the function of a transistor.

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 BIPOLAR JUNCTION
TRANSISTOR
4. The base is much thinner than the emitter while
collector is wider than both.
5. The emitter is heavily doped so that it can inject a
large number of charge carriers (electrons or holes)
into the base. The base is lightly doped and very thin
it passes most of the emitter injected charge
carriers to the collector. The collector is moderately
doped.

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 TRANSISTOR ACTION
The emitter-base junction of a transistor is forward
biased whereas collector-base junction is reverse biased.
Suppose we ignore the presence of emitter-base junction,
then practically no current would flow in the collector
circuit because of the reverse bias. However, if the
emitter-base junction is also present, then forward bias
on it causes the emitter current to flow. It is seen that this
emitter current almost entirely flows in the collector
circuit. Therefore, the current in the collector circuit
depends upon the emitter current. If the emitter current
is zero, then collector current is nearly zero. However, if
the emitter current is 1mA, then collector current is also
about 1mA.

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 TRANSISTOR ACTION
Consider an NPN Junction Transistor…

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 TRANSISTOR ACTION
The forward bias causes the electrons in the N-type
emitter to flow towards the base. This constitutes the
emitter current IE. As these electrons flow through the
P-type base, they tend to combine with holes. As the
base is lightly doped and very thin, therefore, only a few
electrons (less than 5%) combine with holes to
constitute base current IB. The remainder (more than
95%) cross over into the collector region to constitute
collector current IC. In this way, almost the entire emitter
current flows in the collector circuit. It is clear that
emitter current is the sum of collector and base currents
i.e.
IE = IB + IC
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 TRANSISTOR ACTION
Assignment 2
1. Explain the transistor Action of the PNP transistor.
2. State one Major Importance of transistor action.

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 TRANSISTOR AS AN AMPLIFIER
A transistor raises the strength of a weak signal and
thus acts as an amplifier. Fig. below shows the basic
circuit of a transistor amplifier

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 TRANSISTOR AS AN AMPLIFIER

As the input circuit has low resistance, therefore, a small

change in signal voltage causes an appreciable change
in emitter current. This causes almost the same change
in collector current due to transistor action. The
collector current flowing through a high load resistance
RC produces a large voltage across it. Thus, a weak
signal applied in the input circuit appears in the
amplified form in the collector circuit.
It is in this way that a transistor acts as an amplifier

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 TRANSISTOR AS AN AMPLIFIER
Example 01
A common-base transistor amplifier has an input
resistance of 20Ω and output resistance of 100 kΩ. The
collector load is 1 kΩ. If a signal of 500 mV is applied
between emitter and base, find the voltage amplification.
Assume αac to be nearly one.

Fig. 8.8

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 TRANSISTOR AS AN AMPLIFIER
Example 02
For the common base circuit shown in Fig. Below,
determine IC and VCB. Assume the transistor to be of
silicon.

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 TRANSISTOR AS AN AMPLIFIER
The reader may note that basic amplifying action is
produced by transferring a current from a low-resistance
to a high-resistance circuit.
Consequently, the name transistor is given to the device
by combining the two terms given in magenta letters
below :
Transfer + Resistor ⎯--- Transistor

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 TRANSISTOR CONNECTIONS
There are three leads in a transistor namely, emitter, base
and collector terminals. However, when a transistor is to
be connected in a circuit, we require four terminals;
Two for the input and Two for the output. This difficulty is
overcome by making one terminal of the transistor
common to both input and output terminals.
The input is fed between this common terminal and one of
the other two terminals. The output is obtained between
the common terminal and the remaining terminal.

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 TRANSISTOR CONNECTIONS
Accordingly, a transistor can be connected in a circuit in
the following three ways :
i. Common Base Connection
ii. Common Emitter Connection
iii. Common Collector Connection

Each circuit connection has specific advantages and

disadvantages. It may be noted here that regardless of
circuit connection, the emitter is always biased in the
forward direction, while the col- lector always has a
reverse bias.

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 COMMON BASE CONNECTION
In this circuit arrangement, input is applied between
emitter and base and output is taken from collector and
base. Here, base of the transistor is common to both input
and output circuits and hence the name common base
connection.

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COMMON BASE CONNECTION

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 COMMON BASE CONNECTION
Example 03
In a common base connection, α = 0.95. The voltage drop
across 2 kΩ resistance which is connected in the
collector is 2V. Find the base current. (Ans: 0.05 mA)

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON BASE
CONNECTION
The most important characteristics of common base
connection are input characteristics and output
characteristics.
1. Input characteristics.

It is the curve between emitter current IE and emitter-base

voltage VEB at constant collector-base voltage VCB. The
emitter current is generally taken along y-axis and
emitter-base voltage along x-axis.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON BASE
CONNECTION

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON BASE
CONNECTION
The following points may be noted from these
characteristics:
1. The emitter current IE increases rapidly with small
increase in emitter-base voltage VEB. It means that
input resistance is very small.
2. The emitter current is almost independent of collector-
base voltage VCB. This leads to the conclusion that
emitter current (and hence collector current) is almost
independent of collector voltage.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON BASE
CONNECTION

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON BASE
CONNECTION
2. Output characteristics.
It is the curve between collector current IC and collector-
base voltage VCB at constant emitter current IE. Generally,
collector current is taken along y-axis and collector-base
voltage along x-axis.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON BASE
CONNECTION
The following points may be noted from the output
characteristics:
1. The collector current IC varies with VCB only at very low
voltages ( < 1V). The transistor is never operated in this
region.
2. When the value of VCB is raised above 1 - 2 V, the
collector current becomes constant as indicated by
straight horizontal curves. It means that now IC is
independent of VCB and depends upon IE only. This is
consistent with the theory that the emitter current
flows almost entirely to the collector terminal. The
transistor is always operated in this region.
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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON BASE
CONNECTION
3. A very large change in collector-base voltage
produces only a tiny change in collector current. This
means that output resistance is very high.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON BASE
CONNECTION

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 COMMON EMITTER CONNECTION
In this circuit arrangement, input is applied between base
and emitter and output is taken from the collector and
emitter. Here, emitter of the transistor is common to both
input and output circuits and hence the name common
emitter connection.

Fig. 8.16 30
COMMON EMITTER CONNECTION

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 COMMON EMITTER CONNECTION
Assignment 3
Develop the Relationship between β and α.

Example 04.
Determine VCB in the transistor circuit shown in Fig. below
The transistor is of silicon and has β = 150 ( Ans: 2.85V)

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 CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON
EMITTER CONNECTION
The most important characteristics of common base
connection are input characteristics and output
characteristics.
1. Input characteristics.
It is the curve between base current IB and base-emitter
voltage VBE at constant collector-emitter voltage VCE of the
input characteristics of a CE connection.
Keeping VCE constant (say at 10 V), note the base current
IB for various values of VBE. Then plot the readings
obtained on the graph, taking IB along y-axis and VBE along
x-axis. This gives the input characteristic at VCE = 10V as
shown.
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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON
EMITTER CONNECTION

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON
EMITTER CONNECTION

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON
EMITTER CONNECTION

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 CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON
EMITTER CONNECTION
The following points may be noted from these
characteristics:
1. The collector current IC varies with VCE for VCE between
0 and 1V only. After this, collector current becomes
almost constant and independent of VCE. This value of
VCE up to which collector current IC changes with VCE is
called the knee voltage (VKnee). The transistors are
always operated in the region above knee voltage.
2. For any value of VCE above knee voltage, the collector
current IC is approximately equal to β IB.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMON
EMITTER CONNECTION

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 TRANSISTOR BIASING

H/W

Discuss on the common collector connection with its

characteristics.

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