Fall 2020

ECET208
Electronic Devices and Design Lab

Lab # 4- Fall Online

NPN Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

Date
Student Name Student ID

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Grade: /100

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 1. Introduction

In this experiment the characteristics of the NPN Bipolar junction transistor is examined by
the students. In particular, the base emitter junction and the base collector junction are
characterized with the use of the OrCAD capture CIS lite software tool, hand calculation
formulas.

2. Objectives

 To characterize the base-emitter PN-junction (BEJ) and base-collector PN-junction (BCJ) of a BJT.
 To compare measured characterization results with calculated values.

3. Equipment/Components/Software:

Software OrCAD Capture CIS Lite

Boards
Equipment
Components/
Specimen/
….

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 4. Pre-lab Preparation [20 Points, 5 points each]

This part is to be completed during the first 30 minutes of the lab session.

Use your book or a search engine to answer the following questions. Each answer should be concise
and not exceed three lines:

1) List the type of charge carries a bipolar junction transistor uses.

2) List three applications of bipolar transistor.

3) Explain the different regions where, a BJT transistor operates as a switch.

4) What type of transistor is used in Figure1, and why it is more preferred to used for this lab?

5. Experimental Work [80 points]

Part 1: Simulation [10 points, 5 points each]

1. Build & simulate the circuit in Figure 1(a) using PSPICE.

Figure 1

2. Use primary sweep to set VCE to step from 0 to 10V with 0.2V increments.

3. Use parametric sweep to set IB to step from 10µA to 50µA with increments of 20 µA.

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4. Use a current probe to plot IC vs VCE at each step of IB to generate 3 curves.

5. Insert a snapshot of the simulation below, and record the values for IC at the 3 different
increments of IB at VCE = 2V from the curve markers in Table 1. [5 points]

Insert a snapshot here

6. Delete the IC current probe & place a voltage probe at node VB as shown in Figure 2(b).

7. Re-run the same simulation and place markers at VCE = 2V on each curve.

8. Insert a snapshot of the simulation below, and record the values for: VBE, from the curve
markers in Table 1. [5 points]

Insert a snapshot here

9. Calculate the value of the DC current gain (βeta = IC / IB) for each row of Table 1.
[27points, 3 points each]
Simulated values

IB VCE IC VBE βeta

10 µA 2V

30 µA 2V

50 µA 2V

Table 1

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Part 2: Hand Calculations [27points, 3 points each]

V BE

IC ≅IS e( )VT

Use the equation above to calculate IC and record the values in the “calculated value” section of
Table 2 as follows:
1. Calculate IC for each value of VBE found from step 8 in the PSPICE simulation section.
Assume IS = 6.92 fA = 6.92∗10−15A, and the typical value for VT ≈ 26mV (thermal voltage).

2. Calculate the value of the DC current gain (βeta = IC / IB) for each row of Table 2.
Calculated Values

IB VCE IC VBE βeta

10 µA 2V 674.321mV

30 µA 2V 707.178mV

50 µA 2V 722.402mV

Table 2

Analysis: [16 points]

1. How does the value of IC with respect to varying IB? [5 points]

2. Explain how a BJT transistor’s collector–emitter current is being controlled. [5 points]

3. Explain a BJT transistor operates as an amplifier. [6 points]

Bonus: State the difference in base emitter voltage values for a transistor made of silicon and other
made of germanium? [5 points]

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