ANALOG ELECTRONICS (EEP204)

Experiment Number 5 – Report

Aim: 1) To design a bipolar mirror as shown in figure 1 (left) to give IREF = 500µA and measure
the mirror ratio. Check for any change in the current ratio when another transistor Q 3 is
connected parallel to Q2
2) Replace the base emitter short circuit in figure 1 (left) to a transistor Q3 as in figure 2 (right)
and observe an improvement in the mirror ratio, if any
3) Convert the simple current mirror to a Widlar current mirror as shown in figure 3 (below the
top 2) to give IREF = 500 µA and IOUT =200 µA
Components: BC107, CRO, DC power supply and few resistors

Parameters to be measured: In the circuit shown below, quantity to be measured is IOUT

CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS
Theory:

An interesting and often-used circuit applying the bipolar junction transistor is the
so-called current mirror, which serves as a simple current regulator, supplying nearly
constant current to a load over a wide range of load resistances. Current mirrors are basic
building blocks of analog design.

1) Basic BJT Current Mirror

Figure 1 shows the basic npn current mirror. For

its analysis, we assume identical transistors and neglect
the Early effect, i.e. we assume VA→∞. This makes the
saturation current IS and current gain β independent of
the collector base voltage VCE. The input current to the
mirror is labeled IREF. This current might come from a
resistor connected to the positive rail or a current
source realized with a transistor or another current
mirror. The emitters of the two transistors are shown
connected to ground. These can be connected to a dc
voltage, e.g. the negative supply rail.

The simplest way to solve for the output current is to sum the currents at the node where
IREF enters the mirror. Because the two transistors have their base-emitter junctions in
parallel, it follows that both must have the same currents. Thus, we can write the equation
IREF = IO + 2IO/β

Solution for IO yields

IO =IREF/(1 + 2/β)

Note that this equation predicts that IO < IREF unless β→∞.

2) BJT Mirror with Base Current

Compensation

Figure 2 shows the basic current mirror with

a third transistor added. The collector of Q3
must be connected to a positive reference
voltage, e.g. the positive supply rail, which
biases it in the active mode. If we neglect
the Early effect and assume all transistors
are identical, we can write
IREF = IO +2IO/β (1 + β)

Solution for IO yields

IO = IREF/(1 + 2/ [β (1 + β)])

3) Widlar Current Mirror

Figure 3 is an example Widlar current source using bipolar transistors, where the
emitter resistor R2 is connected to the output transistor Q2, and has the effect of reducing the
current in Q2 relative to Q1. The key to this circuit is that the voltage drop across the
resistor R2 subtracts from the base-emitter voltage of transistor Q2, thereby turning this
transistor off compared to transistor Q1. This observation is expressed by equating the base
voltage expressions found on either side of the circuit in Figure 3 as:
VB = VBE1 = VBE2 + (β2 + 1)IB2R2
To design the mirror, the output current must be related to the two resistor
values R1 and R2. A basic observation is that the output transistor is in active mode only so long
as its collector-base voltage is non-zero. Thus, the simplest bias condition for design of the
mirror sets the applied voltage VA to equal the base voltage VB. This minimum useful value
of VA is called the compliance voltage of the current source. With that bias condition, the Early
effect plays no role in the design.

These considerations suggest the following design procedure:

1) Select the desired output current, IO = IC2.

2) Select the reference current, IR1, assumed to be larger than the output current, probably
considerably larger. (That is the purpose of the circuit.)

3) Determine the input collector current of Q1, IC1:

IC1 = β1(IR1–IC2/β2)/(β1+1)

4) Determine the base voltage VBE1 using the Shockley diode law
VBE1 =VT ln (IC1/IS) = VA
where IS is a device parameter sometimes called the scale current.
The value of base voltage also sets the compliance voltage VA = VBE1. This voltage is the
lowest voltage for which the mirror works properly.

5) Determine R1:
R1 = (VCC - VA)/IR1
 6) Determine the emitter leg resistance R2 using Eq. 1 (to reduce clutter, the scale currents
are chosen equal):
R2 = VT x ln(IC1/ IC2) / [(1 + 1/ β2)IC2]

Observation: βQ1=320, βQ2=319, βQ3=325

Part 1:
IREF (µA) VL (mV) RL (Ω) IOUT (µA) Ratio
(IOUT/IREF)
500 0.754 1500 506.12 1.00624
500 2.50 5000 505.32 1.01064
500 5.01 10000 504.22 1.01
500 7.63 15000 508.96 1.01792
500 10.185 20000 509.25 1.0185

Part 2:
IREF (µA) VL (mV) RL (Ω) IOUT (µA) Ratio
(IOUT/IREF)
506 0.76 1500 509.12 1.0061
506 2.55 5000 511.43 1.022
506 5.08 10000 508.13 1.01626
506 7.41 15000 512.76 1.0252
506 10.273 20000 513.65 1.0273

Part 3:
IREF (µA) VL (mV) RL (Ω) IOUT (µA)
508 0.354 1680 210.714
508 2.80 13230 211.640
508 1.80 8450 213.018
508 1.17 5420 215.867
508 0.69 3270 211.009
508 4.98 23400 212.821
508 6.38 30100 211.960

Results and Conclusions: As can be seen from the observations IOUT is nearly equal to IREF in all
the cases but the current mirror ratio is closer to unity in part 2 as compared to part 1 which is
also evident from the equations for the two cases. In Widlar Current Mirror part, output current
is around 200µA as expected.