Lecture-7

BJT Biasing & DC Analysis

Martha T/Giorgis

Addis Ababa University

Addis Ababa Institute of Technology
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Applied Electronics I
ECEG-2131

2019/20AY, Semester-I
Martha T/Giorgis (AAiT/SECE) Lecture-7 2019/20AY, Semester-I 1 / 27
 Overview

Overview

1 Overview

2 Objective

3 Biasing
DC Biasing
Linear Operation
Voltage-Divider Bias
Emitter Bias
Base Bias
Emitter-Feedback Bias
Collector-Feedback Bias

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 Objective

Lecture Objectives

In this lecture you will learn the following:

The structure and operation of the pn junction
A basic semiconductor structure that implements the diode and
plays a dominant role in semiconductors.

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 Biasing DC Biasing

DC Biasing
A transistor must be properly biased in order to operate as an
amplifier.
DC biasing is used to establish fixed dc values for the transistor
currents and voltages called the dc operating point or quiescent
point (Q-point).

Figure 1: Examples of linear and nonlinear operation of an inverting amplifier.

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 Biasing DC Biasing

Graphical Analysis
The transistor in Figure below is biased with VCC and VBB to
obtain certain values of IB , IC , IE , and VCE .

Figure 2: A dc-biased transistor circuit with variable bias voltage (VBB )

for generating the collector characteristic curves shown in part (b).

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 Biasing DC Biasing

VCE = VCC − IC RC = 10V − (20mA)(220Ω) = 10V − 4.4V = 5.6V

VCE = VCC − IC RC = 10V − (30mA)(220Ω) = 10V − 6.6V = 3.4V

Martha T/Giorgis (AAiT/SECE) Lecture-7 2019/20AY, Semester-I 6 / 27
 Biasing DC Biasing

VCE = VCC − IC RC = 10V − (40mA)(220Ω) = 10V − 8.8V = 1.2V

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 Biasing DC Biasing

 
VCC − VCE VCC VCE 1 VCC
IC = = − =− VCE +
RC RC RC RC RC
This is the equation of a straight line with a slope of −1/RC , an x-
intercept of VCE = VCC , and a y-intercept of VCC /RC , which is IC(sat) .

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 Biasing Linear Operation

Linear Operation
Bias establishes the operating point (Q-point) of a transistor amplifier;
the ac signal moves above and below this point.
For this example, the dc base current is 300µA. When the input causes
the base current to vary between 200µA and 400µA, the collector current
varies between 20mA and 40mA.

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 Biasing Linear Operation

Waveform Distortion
A signal that swings outside the active region will be clipped.
For example, the bias has established a low Q-point.
As a result, the signal will be clipped because it is too close to
cutoff.

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 Biasing Linear Operation

Figure 3: Input signal too large. The Figure 4: High Q-point. The signal will
signal will be clipped from both sides. be clipped because it is too close to
saturation.

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 Biasing Linear Operation

Example (1)
Determine IB , IC , IE , VBE , VCE and VCB in the circuit of Figure
below. The transistor has βDC = 150

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 Biasing Linear Operation

Example (1)
VBE ∼
= 0.7V
VBB − VBE 5V − 0.7V
IB = = = 430µA
RB 10kΩ

IC = βDC IB = (150)(430µA) = 64.5mA

IE = IC + IB = 430µA + 64.5mA = 64.9mA
Solve for VCE and VCB .

VCE = VCC − IC RC = 10V − (64.5mA)(100Ω) = 10V − 6.45V = 3.55V

VCB = VCE − VBE = 3.55V − 0.7V = 2.85V

Since the collector is at a higher voltage than the base, the
collector-base junction is reverse-biased.

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 Biasing Voltage-Divider Bias

Voltage-Divider Bias

A practical way to establish a Q-point is to form a voltage-divider from

VCC .

R1 and R2 are selected to establish VB . If the

divider is stiff, IB is small compared to I2 .
Then,
R2
VB ≈ VCC
R1 + R2

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 Biasing Voltage-Divider Bias

Example (2)
Determine VCE and IC in the stiff voltage-divider biased transistor
circuit of Figure below if βDC = 100.
The base voltage is
R2 5.6kΩ
VB ≈ VCC = 10V = 3.59V
R1 + R2 15.6kΩ
VE is one diode drop less than VB :
VE = VB − 0.7V = 3.59V − 0.7V = 2.89V

and
VE 2.89V
IE = = = 5.16mA
RE 560Ω
Therefore,
IC ∼
= IE = 5.16mA
and
VC = VCC − IC RC = 10V − (5.16mA)(1.0Ω) = 4.84V
VCE = VC − VE = 4.84V − 2.89V = 1.95V
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 Biasing Voltage-Divider Bias

The unloaded voltage divider approximation for VB gives

reasonable results.
A more exact solution is to Thevenize the input circuit.
Looking from the base to the left:

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 Biasing Voltage-Divider Bias

The Thevenin Voltage

R2
VT H = VCC
R1 + R2
and the Thevenin Resistance is
R1 R2
RT H = R1 k R2 =
R1 + R2
Applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law around the equivalent base-
emitter loop gives: VT H − VRT H − VBE − VRE = 0
Substituting, using Ohm’s law, and solving for VT H ,
VT H = IB RT H + VBE + IE RE
Substituting IE /βDC for IB ,
VT H = IE (RE + RT H /βDC ) + VBE
Then, solving for IE ,
VT H − VBE
IE =
RE + RT H /βDC
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 Biasing Voltage-Divider Bias

A pnp transistor can be biased from either a positive or negative supply.

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 Biasing Emitter Bias

Emitter Bias

Emitter bias provides excellent bias stability in spite of changes in

or temperature.
It uses both a positive and a negative supply voltage.
For troubleshooting analysis, assume that VE for an npn transistor
is about −1V .

Using the approximation

−VEE − 1V
IE =
RE
Can approximate IC ∼
= IE

VC = VCC − IC RC

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 Biasing Emitter Bias

The approximation that VE ≈ −1V and the neglect of βDC may

not be accurate enough for design work or detailed analysis.
In this case, KVL can be applied to develop a more detailed
formula for IE . KVL applied around the base-emitter circuit in
Figure below, which has been redrawn in part (b) for analysis,
gives the following equation:

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 Biasing Emitter Bias

VEE + VRB + VBE + VRE = 0 (VEE is a negative value)

Substituting, using Ohm’s Law

VEE + IB RB + VBE + IE RE = 0

Substituting for IB ∼
= IE /βDC and transposing VEE
 
IE
RB + VBE + IE RE = −VEE
βDC

Factoring out IE and solving for IE ,

−VEE − VBE
IE =
RE + RB /βDC

VE = VEE + IE RE (VEE is a negative value)

VB = VE + VBE
VC = VCC − IC RC
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 Biasing Base Bias

Base Bias
Base bias is used in switching circuits because of its simplicity, but
not widely used in linear applications because the Q-point is β
dependent.
Base current is derived from the collector supply through a large
base resistor.
KVL around the base circuit,
VCC − IB RB − VBE = 0

Solving for IB ,
VCC − VBE
IB =
RB
Substituting IC = βDC IB ,
 
VCC − VBE
IC = βDC
RB
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 Biasing Emitter-Feedback Bias

Emitter-Feedback Bias

An emitter resistor (RE ) changes base bias into emitter-feedback

bias, which is more predictable.
The emitter resistor (RE ) is a form of negative feedback.

If IC tries to increase, VE increases,

causing an increase in VB because
VB = VE + VBE .
This increase in VB reduces the voltage
across RB VRB = VCC − VB , thus
reducing IB and keeping IC from
increasing.
A similar action occurs if IC tries to
decrease.

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 Biasing Emitter-Feedback Bias

The equation for emitter current is found by writing KVL around

the base circuit.

−VCC + IB RB + VBE + IE RE = 0

The result is:

VCC − VBE
IE =
RE + RB /βDC

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 Biasing Collector-Feedback Bias

Collector-Feedback Bias

Collector feedback bias uses another form of negative feedback to

increase stability.
Instead of returning the base resistor (RE ) to VCC , it is returned
to the collector.

The equation for collector current (IC ) is

found by writing KVL around the base
circuit.
The result is
VCC − VBE
IC =
RC + RB βDC

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 Biasing Collector-Feedback Bias

Collector feedback bias uses another form of negative feedback to in-

crease stability.

Instead of returning the base resistor to VCC , it is returned to the col-

lector.

The negative feedback creates an ”offsetting” effect that tends to

keep the Q-point stable.
If IC tries to increase, it drops more voltage across RC , thereby
causing VC to decrease.
When VC decreases, there is a decrease in voltage across RB ,
which decreases IB .
The decrease in IB produces less IC which, in turn, drops less
voltage across RC and thus offsets the decrease in VC .

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 Biasing Collector-Feedback Bias

Questions?

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