LECTURE 18 BJT CHARACTERISTICS Common base Common emitter Common collector The Early effect

Notes

Fig. 117: Output Characteristics VBE CB Configuration

IC / mA
1

IE

e b

c IB

IC IC(VCB) VCB

Notes
Common-Base Output Characteristics The CB output characteristics are plots of IC vs VCB and are shown in Fig. 117. There are 4 points to note. 1) Even when IE = 0 a small current flows this is ICBO, the reverse current through the reverse-biased collector base junction. 2) For VCB > 0 the characteristics are essentially flat, i.e. IC is independent of VCB. Hence the output resistance is large. (In reality, there is a finite slope on the flat sections because  varies with IC and VCB.) Note also that in these flat regions IC IE since  1. 3) At large values of VCB the characteristics turn up due to breakdown at the reverse-biased collector-base junction. 4) The characteristics fall rapidly to zero for VCB < 0, i.e. when the collector-base junction becomes forward biased.

Active region IC IE, 1

IE = 1.0 mA IE = 0.75 mA IE = 0.50 mA IE = 0.25 mA

Saturation region

0.75 0.5 0.25

Breakdown region

Cutoff region
0 1 2 3 4

ICBO
5

IE = 0 6 7 8 V /V CB 3

-1

COMMON EMITTER CONFIGURATION IC

Notes
Common-Emitter and Common-Collector Characteristics From Fig. 115(b) and (c) it is clear that the characteristics for the CE and CC configurations will be the plots given below: Input Characteristics Output Characteristics Common-Emitter Configuration CE IB(VBE) IC(VCE) CC IB(VCB) IE(VCE)

Fig. 115 (b)

IB INPUT VBE
INPUT CHARACTERISTICS

c VCE OUTPUT e IE

IB(VBE) n p n

IC(VCE)

OUTPUT CHARACTERISTICS

The input characteristics for the CE configuration (Fig. 118) are again essentially those for a forward-biased diode. The plots depend on VCE because as VCE increases, the reverse bias at the collector-base junction increases and so the effective width of the base region decreases (the Early Effect again). If the base becomes narrower there will be less recombination taking place in it so IB will decrease, since IB supplies the carriers required for recombination in the base. The CE output characteristics (Fig. 119) are similar in shape to those for the CB configuration. A small current flows even when IB = 0 this is ICEO. Breakdown occurs at large values of VCE. Notice that IB is in microamps whereas IC is in milliamps this is because current amplification is occurring in this configuration: IC IB. 5 6

Fig. 118: Input Characteristic CE Configuration

IC

IB / A 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 0.2

VCE = 5V

VCE = 20V

Fig. 119: Output Characteristics CE Configuration

IC / mA Saturation region

IB VBE

c VCE e IE

Active region

Increasing VCE

IB = 40 A IB = 30 A

4 3 2 1 IB = 20 A IB = 10A

Breakdown region

Cutoff region 0.4 0.6 0.8 V / V BE

7 0 5 10

ICEO

IB = 0 15 20 V / V CE 8

COMMON COLLECTOR CONFIGURATION IE

Notes
Common Collector Configuration Because IC IE the CC output characteristics (Fig. 121) are almost identical with those for the CE configuration. However, the input characteristics (Fig. 120) are quite different. By considering the terminal voltages on the device it is easily seen that VBE = VCE VCB

Fig. 115 (c)

IB INPUT VCB
INPUT CHARACTERISTICS

e VCE OUTPUT c IC

IB(VCB)

IE(VCE)

OUTPUT CHARACTERISTICS

If the transistor is on, VBE must be ~0.7V, so VCB must be ~0.7V below VCE. As VCB is increased towards VCE, VBE will fall below 0.7V and the transistor will turn off, so the current will drop rapidly.

10

Fig. 120: Input Characteristics CC Configuration

IB / A
80 60 40 20

0.7V IB VCB b e

IE VCE c IC IE / mA Saturation region

4

IB vs. VCB for different values of VCE

VCE = 5V VCE = 10V VCE = 15V

Fig. 121: Output Characteristics CC Configuration

CC

CE

IE(VCE) f IC(VCE) IE IC since 1

IB = 40 A IB = 30 A

Transistor on u VBE 0.7V VCB VCE 0.7V As VCB t VCE, VBE t 0, transistor turns off

Active region

3 2 1 IB = 20 A IB = 10A

Breakdown region

Cutoff region
0 4.3 5 10 15 20 V / V CB 11 0 5 10

ICEO

IB = 0 15 20 V / V CE 12

THE EARLY EFFECT, OR BASE-WIDTH MODULATION

depletion regions
emitter base collector collector

Notes
The Early Effect, or Base-Width Modulation The BJT contains two pn junctions and around each of these is a depletion region. Recall that the width of a depletion region depends on the applied bias: - under forward bias, the width decreases as we increase the forward bias - under reverse bias, the width increases as we increase the reverse bias Under normal operation the emitter-base junction is forward biased, the collector-base junction is reverse-biased. If the reverse bias across the collector-base junction increases, so too will the width of the depletion region for this junction i.e. the depletion region will extend more into the collector and, in particular, the base. This is illustrated for a pnp device in Fig. 122. Note that the base is already narrow (~ 1m) to reduce recombination. This decrease in the effective width of the base region due to increasing reverse bias of the collector-base junction is termed the Early effect or base-width modulation.

e- b junction

c- b junction

IB VBE +

VCB

+
13 14

Effect of bias on width of the depletion region

0

Effect of bias on width of the depletion region

0

Reverse bias (p-type -ve w.r.t. n-type)

-14 -12 -10 -8

-2 -4 -6

Fig. 55

Forward bias (p-type +ve w.r.t. n-type)

V

0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4

0.1 0.2 0.3

Fig. 55

Potential

V VB - - ++ - - ++ - - ++ - - ++ Depletion region widens

VB
- + - +

+
VB+V

n Depletion region narrows

Potential

VB Distance 15

VB VB-V Distance 16

THE EARLY EFFECT, OR BASE-WIDTH MODULATION

Notes
The Early Effect, or Base-Width Modulation As the reverse bias across the collector-base junction increases, so too does the width of the depletion region for this junction i.e. the depletion region extends more into the collector and, in particular, the base (see Fig. 122). This decrease in the effective width of the base region due to increasing reverse bias of the collector-base junction is termed the Early effect and has three consequences:

Fig. 122
emitter

depletion regions
base collector collector

effective width of base

1.  increases with increasing |VCB| because there is less chance for

recombination to occur in the base region if it is narrower. 2. The minority carrier concentration gradient in the base is increased, so |IE| increases as |VCB | increases. (The hole concentration gradient in the base of a pnp transistor is p/x, where p is the difference in hole concentration between either end of the base region and x is the width of the base.) 3. At high values of |VCB| the depletion region associated with the collector-base junction can extend right across to the emitter-base junction. This effect is termed punch-through a large current flows because the emitter-base energy barrier drops, and transistor action ceases. Punch-through is a reversible effect provided power dissipation in the device is limited. 17 The Early effect significantly influences the characteristics of the BJT. 18

n
e- b junction

p
c- b junction

IB VBE +

VCB=1V =4V =3V =2V =6V =5V

VCB +

If the effective width of the base decreases: 1. There will be less recombination in the base, so (and hence ) will increase. = / (1- )
n-type emitter pp-type base nn-type collector (lightly doped) |IE| electrons (1(1-)|IE| holes
basebase-emitter junction

If the effective width of the base decreases: 2. The minority carrier concentration gradient (n/x) will increase: |IE| } n/x (x is the basewidth)

so |IE| will increase.

IC

IE

|IE|

electrons

n emitter Electron concentration

holes

ICBO holes IC = IE + ICBO

collectorcollector-base junction

|IE|

p base

n collector

IB

VBE +

VCB

19

20

Notes If the effective width of the base decreases: 3. The c-b depletion region may extend all the way over to the e-b junction PUNCH-THROUGH
emitter base collector collector Influence of the Early effect on BJT output characteristics The Early effect has a significant influence on both the input and output characteristics for the BJT. CB output characteristics (IC vs. VCB for different values of IE) IC IE: as VCB increases, both IE and  increase. Hence IC will increase, which gives rise to a slope in the flat part of the output characteristics, i.e. the output current will depend slightly on the output voltage. CE output characteristics (IC vs. VCE for different values of IB) IC IB: As VCE increases, VCB will also increase. The Early effect causes  to increase (i.e  1), so will also increase, since = /(-1). Hence IC will increase, creating a slope in the flat part of the output characteristics, i.e. the output current will depend slightly on the output voltage. CC output characteristics (IE vs. VCE for different values of IB) IE IC IB: As VCE increases, VCB will also increase. As the Early effect causes  to increase (i.e  1), will also increase, since = /(-1). Hence IC will increase, which results in a slope in the flat part of the output characteristics, i.e. the output current will depend slightly on the output voltage.

n
e- b junction

p
c- b junction

IB VBE +

VCB

+
21

22

Early effect implies and |IE| increases as VBE VCB increases, hence IC ( IE )increases IC / mA Active region IC IE 1 Saturation region
0.75 0.5 0.25

IE

e b

c IB

IC IC(VCB) VCB

IE = 1.0 mA IE = 0.75 mA IE = 0.50 mA IE = 0.25 mA

Saturation region

As VCE increases, VCB increases. Early effect implies , and hence , increases as VCB VBE increases. IC IB, hence IC increases IC / mA Active region IC IB
4 3 2 1

IB

c e IE

IC VCE

IB = 40 A IB = 30 A IB = 20 A IB = 10A

Breakdown region

Breakdown region

Cutoff region
0 1 2 3 4

ICBO
5

IE = 0 6 7 8 V /V CB

-1

Cutoff region
0 23 5 10

ICEO

IB = 0 15 20 V / V CE 24

CommonCommon-base output characteristics

CommonCommon-emitter output characteristics

Notes
Influence of the Early effect on BJT input characteristics CB input characteristics (IE vs. VBE for different values of VCB) |IE| increases as VCB increases, so the characteristic becomes more vertical. CE input characteristics (IB vs. VBE for different values of VCE) As VCE increases, VCB will also increase. The early effect reduces the base width and hence there will be less recombination taking place in the base. IB will therefore decrease, since IB supplies the carriers required for recombination in the base, so the characteristic will become less vertical. CC input characteristics (IB vs. VCB for different values of VCE) As for CE configuration, as VCE increases, VCB will also increase. The Early effect reduces the base width and hence there will be less recombination taking place in the base. IB will therefore decrease, since IB supplies the carriers required for recombination in the base, so the characteristic will become less vertical as VCE increases. 25 26

IE / mA 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 0.2

VCB = 25V

VCB = 0V

Increasing VCB

Early effect implies |IE| increases as VCB increases.

0.4

0.6

0.8 V / V BE

CommonCommon-base input characteristics

10. Bandgap voltage reference

IB / A 10 8 6 4 2 0 Increasing VCE Early effect implies less recombination in the base as VCB/VCE increases hence IB decreases VCE = 5V VCE = 20V

(a) Show that for the circuit below, I2 increases as temperature, T, increases.
Ip (constant) Q1 VBE2 VBE1 R1 I2 Q2

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 V / V BE CommonCommon-emitter input characteristics

27

(b) Given that VBE for a BJT decreases as temperature increases, design a circuit, based on that in (a), which will produce an output voltage that is independent of temperature. 28

BJT CHARACTERISTICS Common-base configuration Input characteristics (IE vs. VBE) resemble that for a forward-biased diode but depend on output voltage VCB due to Early effect Dynamic emitter resistance:
IE / mA 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 VBE / V Increasing VCB VCB = 25V VCB = 0V

Summary CB output characteristics are plots of IC vs. VCB: IC = ICBO for IE = 0 IC IE in flat regions IC t 0 as VCB goes negative IC increases at large values of VCB due to breakdown at the reverse-biased c-b junction
IC / mA
1

Active region IC IE, 1

IE = 1.0 mA IE = 0.75 mA IE = 0.50 mA IE = 0.25 mA

Saturation region

0.75 0.5 0.25

Breakdown region

re =

kT
eI E

Cutoff region
0 1 2 3 4

ICBO
5

IE = 0 6 7 8 V /V CB

29

-1

30

Common-emitter configuration Input characteristics (IB vs. VBE) resemble that for a forward-biased diode but depend on output voltage VCE due to Early effect
IB / A 10 8 6 4 2 0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 V / V BE VCE = 5V VCE = 20V

CE output characteristics are plots of IC vs. VCE for different values of the input current IB: IC = ICEO for IB = 0 IC >> IB in flat regions due to current amplification IC increases at large values of VCE due to breakdown at the reverse-biased c-b junction
IC / mA Saturation region Active region
IB = 40 A IB = 30 A 3 2 1 IB = 20 A IB = 10A

Increasing VCE

Breakdown region

Cutoff region
31
0 5 10

ICEO

IB = 0 15 20 V / V CE

32

Common-collector configuration Input characteristics (IB vs. VCB) VCB = VCE VBE hence: If transistor is on VCB is fixed at VCE 0.7V As VCB t VCE device turns off, IB t 0
IB / A
80 60 VCE = 5V VCE = 10V VCE = 15V

Output characteristics are plots of IE vs. VCE for different values of IB Since IE IC, CC output characteristics are essentially the same as those for CE
THE EARLY EFFECT, OR BASE-WIDTH MODULATION
depletion regions
emitter base collector collector

effective width of base

p
e-b junction c-b junction

40 20
VBE +

IB

VCB=6V
VCB +

4.3 5

10

15

20 V / V CB

33

34