DIODES

• SEMICONDUCTORS

• DOPING

• P-TYPE
N-TYPE
DIODE
VI Characteristics of PN junction diode
DIODES
 POLL

If the arrow of crystal diode symbol is positive w.r.t. bar, then diode is
………….. biased.
1. forward
2. reverse
3. either forward or reverse
4. none of the above
 POLL

The current I through the circuit if we consider

diode in ideal diode model.

a) 3mA
b) 3A
c) 1A
d) 0.4mA
TRANSISTOR - Introduction
 TRANSISTORS
• Beside diodes, the most popular semiconductor devices is transistors. Eg:
Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)
• Transistors are often said to be the most significant invention of the 20th
Century.
• If cells are the building blocks of life, transistors are the building blocks of
the digital revolution. Without transistors, the technological wonders you
use every day -- cell phones, computers, cars -- would be vastly different,
if they existed at all.
• Transistors are more complex and can be used in many ways
• Most important feature: can amplify signals and asswitch
• Amplification can make weak signal strong (make sounds louder and
signal levels greater), in general, provide function calledGain
 Who Invented the Transistor?
• In the mid 1940’s a team of scientists working for Bell Telephone Labs in
Murray Hill, New Jersey, were working to discover a device to replace the
then present vacuum tube technology. Vacuum tubes were the only
technology available at the time to amplify signals or serve as switching
devices in electronics. The problem was that they were expensive,
consumed a lot of power, gave off too much heat, and were unreliable,
causing a great deal of maintenance.
Transistor Structure
• BJTis bipolar because both holes (+) and electrons (-) will take part in the
current flow through thedevice
– N-type regions contains free electrons (negativecarriers)
–P-type regions contains free holes (positive carriers) 2
• types of BJT
– NPN transistor
– PNPtransistor
• The transistor regions are:
– Emitter (E) – send the carriers into the base region and then on to the
collector
– Base (B) – acts as control region. It can allow none,some or many
carriers to flow
– Collector (C) – collects the carriers
 PNPand NPN transistor
structure
P N
N P

P N

Ic(mA) IC(mA)
IB(µA) IB(µA)

IE(mA) IE(mA)

Arrow shows the current flows

 Transistor Construction
• A transistor has three doped regions.
• For both types, the base is a narrow region sandwiched between the larger
collector and emitter regions.

The emitter region is

heavily doped and its job is
to emit carriers into the
base.

The base region is very

thin and lightly doped.
Most of the current carriers
injected into the base pass
on to the collector.

The collector region is

moderately doped and is the
largest of all three regions.
 POLL

Which of the following is not a valid type of a BJT?

a) PNP
b) NPN
c) PPN
d) NNP
 NPN Transistor Structure

The collector is lightly doped. N C

The base is thin and

P B
is lightly doped.

N E
The emitter is heavily doped.
 Transistor
configuration
• Transistor configuration –is a connection of transistor toget variety operation.
• 3 types of configuration:
– Common Collector.
– Common Base.
– Common Emitter
 POLL

In a BJT, which of the following layers is heavily

doped?
a) Collector
b) Emitter
c) Base
d) Electron
 Common-Collector Configuration
The input signal is applied tothe base terminal and the output is taken
from the emitter terminal.
• Collector terminal is common to the input and output of the circuit
• Input – BC
• Output – EC
 Common-Base Configuration
• Base terminal is a common point for input andoutput.
• Input – EB
• Output – CB
• Not applicable as an amplifier because the relation between input current
gain (IE) and output current gain (IC) is approximately 1
 Common-Emitter Configuration
• Emitter terminal is common for input and output circuit
• Input – BE
• Output – CE
• Mostly applied in practical amplifier circuits, since it provides good voltage,
current and power gain
NPN Transistor Bias
No current flows.
N C
The C-B junction
is reverse biased.
P B

N E
NPN Transistor Bias

N C

The B-E junction P B

is forward biased.
N E

Current flows.
 NPN Transistor Bias
IC
Current flows
everywhere. N C

When both junctions P B

are biased.... IB
N E
Note that IB is smaller
IE
than IE or IC.
Transistor operation
 Note: when the IC
switch opens, all
currents go to zero. N C

Although IB is smaller
P B
it controls IE and IC.
IB
Gain is something small N E
controlling something large
IE
(IB is small).
 IC = 99 mA

The current gain from

base to collector C
is called 
IB = 1 mA P B

99
I mA N E
 = C
= 99
1I mA
B

IE = 100 mA
 POLL

In a BJT
A. The base region is sandwiched between emitter
and collector
B. The collector is sandwiched between base and
emitter
C. The emitter region is sandwiched between base
and collector
D. None of the above
 IC = 99 mA

Kirchhoff’s
current law: C

IB = 1 mA P B
IE = IB + IC
= 1 mA + 99 mA N E
= 100 mA

IE = 100 mA
 IC = 99 mA

In a PNP transistor,
holes flow from C
emitter to collector.

IB = 1 mA B
Notice the PNP
bias voltages.
E

IE = 100 mA
Amplifiers and oscillators using BJT, operate in ......
region

A.Inverted mode
B.Active
C.Cut off
D.Saturation
 NPN Schematic Symbol

Collector

C
Base BE

Emitter
NPN
means Not Pointing iN.
 PNP Schematic Symbol

Collector

C
Base BE

Emitter

PNP
means Pointing iN Properly.
 Recall: NPN and PNP Bias

• Fundamental operation of pnp transistor and npn transistor is similarexcept for:

– role of electron andhole,
– voltage bias polarity, and
– Current direction
What is the collector current when the base resistor is
open?
a. 1 mA
b. 2 mA
c. 0
d. 10 mA
 I-V Characteristic for CEconfiguration :Input
• Input characteristic: input
characteristic
current (IB) against input
voltage (VBE) for several output
voltage (VCE)
• From the graph
– I =0A
B
VBE< 0.7V (Si)
– I = value
B
VBE> 0.7V (Si)
• The transistor turned on when
VBE = 0.7V
 I-V Characteristic for CEconfiguration :Output
characteristic
• Output characteristic: output
current (IC) against output
voltage (VCE)forseveral
input current (IB)
• 3 operating regions:
– Saturation region
– Cut-off region
– Active region
For a transistor to operate in an active region what is the
essential possible condition of biasing?

a. Collector-base and emitter-base junctions are reverse

biased.
b. Collector-base junction is reverse biased and the
emitter-base is forward biased
c. Collector-base and emitter-base junctions are forward
biased
d. Collector-base junction is forward biased and emitter-
base is reverse biased
 I-V Characteristic for CEconfiguration:
Output characteristic
• Saturation region – in which both junctions are forward-biased andIC
increase linearly with VCE

• Cut-off region – where both junctions are reverse-biased, the IBis very
small, and essentially no ICflows, ICis essentially zero with increasingVCE

• Active region – in which the transistor can act as a linear amplifier, where
the BEjunction is forward-biased and BCjunction is reverse-biased. IC
increases drastically although only small changes of IB.

• Saturation and cut-off regions – areas where the transistor can operateas
a switch

• Active region – area where transistor operates as an amplifier

Which of the following leakage current
causes a small collector current with zero
base current
a. Collector diode
b. Base diode
c. Emitter diode
d. Transistor
In a BJT, if the collector-base junction is reverse-
biased and the base-emitter junction is forward-
biased, which region is the BJT operating in?

a) Saturation region
b) Active region
c) Cutoff region
d) Reverse active region
 Current Relationships

• Relations between ICand IE:

α = IC
IE
• Value of α usually 0.9998 to 0.9999, α ≈ 1
• Relations between ICand IB:
β = IC means IC= βIB
IB
• Value of β usually in range of 50-400
• The equation, IE=IC+ IBcan also written in β
IC= βIB
IE = βIB + IB => IE= (β + 1)IB
• The current gain factor , α and βis:
α= β @ β= α .
β+1 α -1
From the given characteristics, what is the approximate value of
IC at VBE=0.7 V and VCE=15 V?
For a BJT, for common base configuration the output
characteristics is represented by a plot between which of
the following parameters?

a) VBE and IB
b) VCE and IC
c) VCB and IC
d) VCE and IB
From the given characteristics, what is the approximate
value of IC at IB=30 uA and VCE=10 V?

3 mA
b) 3.4 mA
c) 0 mA
d) 2 mA
 Simple Transistor Circuit
• Pictured below is a very simple circuit which demonstrates the use of
transistors. When a finger is placed in the circuit where shown, a tiny
current of around 0.1mA flows (assuming a finger resistance of 50,000
Ohms). This is nowhere near enough to light the LED which needs at least
10mA. However the tiny current is applied to the Base of the transistor
where it is boosted by a factor (gain) of around 100 times and the LED
lights!
The power rating of a BJT is determined
by which of the following

A.Collector base area

B.Base width
C.Heat sink
D.Emitter base junction area
For a BJT, for common base configuration the input
characteristics is represented by a plot between which of
the following parameters?

a) VBE and IE
b) VBE and IB
c) VCE and IC
d) VCC and IC
 Checking a Transistor with an Ohmmeter

An analog ohmmeter can be used to check a transistor because the

emitter-base and collector-base junctions are p-n junctions.
This is illustrated in Fig. where the npn transistor is replaced by its
diode equivalent circuit.
 Checking a Transistor with an Ohmmeter

To check the base-emitter junction of an npn transistor, first connect

the ohmmeter as shown in Fig. (a) and then reverse the ohmmeter
leads as shown in (b).
For a good p-n junction made of silicon, the ratio RR/RF should be
equal to or greater than 1000:1.
 Checking a Transistor with an Ohmmeter
To check the collector-base junction, first connect the ohmmeter as shown in
Fig. 28-10 (a) and then reverse the ohmmeter leads as shown in (b).
For a good p-n junction made of silicon, the ratio RR/RF should be equal to or
greater than 1000:1.
The resistance measured between the collector and emitter should read high
or infinite for both connections of the meter leads.
Checking a Transistor with an Ohmmeter

Low resistance across the junctions in both directions:

transistor is shorted.

High resistance on both directions: transistor is open.

In these cases, the transistor is defective and must be

replaced.