Basics of Transistors

Introduction to Transistors
Transistors were invented by J.Bardeen and W.H.Brattain of bell laboratories in USA in 1947 and that
was a point contact transistor. William shockey first invented junction transistor in 1951 which consists of
two back to back p-n junctions. These are current controlled devices, and capable of amplifying electrical
signals.
Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)
A bipolar junction transistor is a three-terminal semiconductor device that consists of two p-n junctions
and three layers of differently doped semiconductors.
The middle layer is thinner and having lowest

doping level is known as base. One outer layer is emitter, having highest doping level and medium size.
The other layer is collector region, having maximum size and medium doping. The semiconductor regions
have external terminals with the same names. Junction between emitter and base regions, J1 is referred as
emitter junction and the other J2 as collector junction.
There are two type of BJTs on the basis of structures, NPN and PNP.
In NPN transistor base is P type and emitter and collector regions are N type semiconductor. The outward
arrow in the emitter terminal represents normal direction of current flow through emitter terminal.
In PNP transistor Base region is N type, Emitter and Collector regions are P type.
Transistor Biasing
Application of suitable dc voltages to transistor terminals is known as biasing. Across the two junctions, it
is possible to apply four different types of biasing to BJTs. The four operating modes of transistors are:
Active mode
In the active mode, emitter to base junction is forward biased and collector to base junction is reverse
biased. Active mode is used in amplifiers.
Saturation mode
In the saturation mode, both the junctions of the transistor (emitter to base and collector to base) are
forward biased.
In saturation mode, free electrons (charge carriers) flows from emitter to base as well as from collector to
base. As a result, a huge current will flow to the base of transistor.
Therefore, the transistor in saturation mode will be in on state and acts like a closed switch.
The saturation mode of the transistor is used in switching operation for switch ON application.
Cutoff mode
In the cutoff mode, both the junctions of the transistor (emitter to base and collector to base) are reverse
biased. In other words, if we assume two p-n junctions as two p-n junction diodes, both the diodes are
reverse biased in cutoff mode. We know that in reverse bias condition, no current flows through the
device. Hence, no current flows through the transistor. Therefore, the transistor is in off state and acts like
an open switch.
The cutoff mode of the transistor is used in switching operation for switch OFF application. \
Inverted mode
In this mode, Emitter base junction is reverse biased, and Collector base junction forward biased. This
mode is not generally used.
Working of NPN Transistor
The circuit diagram of the NPN transistor in active mode of operation is shown. The forward bias is
applied across the emitter-base junction, which reduces the width of depletion region. Reverse bias is
applied across the collector-base junction, which increases width of depletion region. The forward biased
voltage VEB is small as compared to the reverse bias voltage VCB.
The emitter of the NPN transistor is heavily doped. When the forward bias is applied across the emitter,
the majority charge carriers – electrons - move towards the base. This causes the emitter current IE.
The electrons enter into the P-type material and combine with the holes. The base of the NPN transistor is
narrow and lightly doped. Due to which only a few electrons are able to combine with holes causing base
current IB, which is relatively low.
As the reverse bias potential of the collector region applies high attractive force on the electrons in base
region, most of the electrons swept in to collector. These electrons going out of collector terminal under
the influence of collector voltage causing collector current IC.
This component of collector current is referred as injected current, as it id due to the movement of carriers
injected in to collector from emitter. There is another component in collector current due to the presence
of thermally generated minority carriers which is quite small.
From this IE = IB+ IC..
As only very few electrons recombine with holes in base region, IB is very low.
So, IE~IC.
Transistor Action
BJT can be considered as two diodes connected back to back. In active region, emitter junction is forward
biased and has low junction resistance, while collector junction offers high impidence as it has reverse
bias.
If considered seperately, collector current may be very small due to its reverse bias. But in active mode,
collector current IC is almost same as emitter current IE. This ability of transistor to transfer current from a
low resistance input side to high resistance out put side without much loss is referred as transistor action.
This makes transister as an amplifier to amplify voltages in a low resistance input to a high resistance
output circuit.

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Basics of Transistors

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Introduction to Transistors

Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

The middle layer is thinner and having lowest

Working of NPN Transistor

From this IE = IB+ IC..

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