Incheon National University

Electronic Circuits

<Chapter 5>
BJTs
OUTLINE

 Small-Signal Operation and Models

 Biasing in BJT Amplifier Circuits
 Basic Configurations of BJT Amplifiers

Incheon National University –2– Chong-Gun Yu

Small-Signal Operation and Models

DC Bias Point

dc analysis I C  I S eVBE / VT
I E  IC / 
I B  IC / 
VC  VCE  VCC  I C RC

VBC  VBE  VCE  0.4V for active region

Incheon National University –3– Chong-Gun Yu

Collector Current
Small-Signal Approximation
 total current  Small Signal Condition
iC  I C  ic vBE  VBE  vbe
 dc component
iC  I S e vBE / VT
I C  I S eVBE / VT  I S eVBE / VT e vbe / VT
 ac signal component  I C e vbe / VT
 v 
 i   I C 1  be , if vbe  VT
ic   C
  vbe  VT 
 vBE vBE VBE 
I
 ( I C / VT )  vbe  I C  C vbe
VT

i i I ic  g m vbe IC
 ic  vbe  g m vbe
gm  C gm  c  C
vBE iC  I C
vbe VT transconductance
VT

Incheon National University –4– Chong-Gun Yu

Base & Emitter Current
 base current  small-signal base resistance

iC IC 1 IC vbe  VT
iB    vbe r   
   VT ib gm I B
ic 1 IC g
ib   vbe  m vbe
  VT 

 emitter current  small-signal emitter resistance

iE 
iC

IC

1 IC
vbe vbe  VT
   VT re   
ie gm I E
ic 1 IC g
ie   vbe  m vbe ie
  VT  vbe  r ib  reie  r  re  (   1)re
ib
r
r  (   1)re , re 
 1
Incheon National University –5– Chong-Gun Yu
Voltage Gain

signal analysis
vce   RC ic   RC g m vbe  ( g m RC )vbe
vce
 Av    g m RC
vbe

vCE  VCC  RC iC  VCC  RC ( I C  ic )

 (VCC  RC I C )  RC ic  VCE  RC ic
I C RC
vce   RC ic   RC g m vbe  ( g m RC )vbe Av   g m RC  
VT

Incheon National University –6– Chong-Gun Yu

Small-Signal Equivalent Circuit : Hybrid-π
VA  
ic  g m vbe , ib  vbe / r
vbe v
ie   g m vbe  be (1  g m r )
r r
vbe v
 (1   )  be
r re

g m vbe  g m ( r ib )   ib

Incheon National University –7– Chong-Gun Yu

Small-Signal Equivalent Circuit : T Model
VA  

ic  g m vbe , ie  vbe / re
vbe v v vbe v
ib   g m vbe  be (1  g m re )  be (1   )   be
re re re re (   1) r

g m vbe  g m (reie )  ie

Incheon National University –8– Chong-Gun Yu

PSPICE Example : Small-Signal Parameters
VBE  0.7 V, I S  1.722 10 15 ,   100, VA  20V

 Early Effect : neglected

I C  I S eVBE / VT  1.722 f  e 0.7 / 25.852 m  0.99mA
g m  I C / VT  0.99m / 25.852m  38.3mA/V
r   / g m  100 / 38.3m  2.61kΩ
VA 
ro   
I C 1m

 Early Effect : included

VA VA 20
ro  '
 VBE / VT
  20.2k
IC I S e 0.99m
VA  

Incheon National University –9– Chong-Gun Yu

Bias Analysis

 Early Effect : neglected  Early Effect : included

I C  0.99mA I C  0.991mA
 dc  100  dc  107
g m  38.3mA/V g m  38.3mA/V
r  2.61kΩ r  2.78kΩ
ro   ro  21.5kΩ

Incheon National University – 10 – Chong-Gun Yu

Example
 Determine the voltage gain vo / vi
  100, VA   <dc analysis>

VBB  VBE 3  0.7

IB    0.023mA
RBB 100
I C  I B  100  0.023  2.3mA

VC  VCC  RC I C  10  3  2.3  3.1V

VBC  2.4V  0.4V  active

Incheon National University – 11 – Chong-Gun Yu

<ac analysis>

Directly on the
I C 2.3m  100 circuit diagram
gm    92mA/V, r    1.09k
VT 25m g m 92

r 1.09
vbe  vi  vi  0.011vi
r  RBB 101.09
vo   g m RC vbe  92  3  0.011vi  3.04vi
vo
 Av   3.04V/V
vi

Incheon National University – 12 – Chong-Gun Yu

PSPICE Example
  100, VA   I C  2.3mA
IC 2.3m
VBE  0.7 V  I S  VBE / VT
  4.002 10 15
e e 0.7 / 25.852 m

Vout (3.3976  2.8042) / 2

Av     2.97 V/V
Vin 0.1

Av = -2.97 V/V (simulation), -3.04 V/V (analysis)

Incheon National University – 13 – Chong-Gun Yu

Summary: Small-Signal Low-Frequency Model

ic I
gm   C
vbe VT
vbe VT β
rπ   
ib I B gm
rπ  (   1) re
vbe VT α
re    rπ
ie I E gm re 
 1
vce VA  VA  1
ro      ro  rπ 
1
 re
ic I C  VT  g m gm

Incheon National University – 14 – Chong-Gun Yu

Biasing in BJT Amplifier Circuits
 DC emitter (or collector) current
 has to be calculable and predictable
 insensitive to variations in temperature or β

 Biasing by fixing VBE

 any small differences in VBE will result in large differences in IC and in VCE.
⸪ very sharp exponential relationship
 not a viable approach

 Biasing by establishing a constant IB

 large variations in β will result in large variations in IC and hence in VCE.
 not a recommended approach

VCC  0.7
IB 
RB

Incheon National University – 15 – Chong-Gun Yu

Biasing Using a Degeneration Resistor
 Classical Discrete-Circuit Bias Arrangement
 used extensively in discrete circuits and occasionally in integrated circuits

 To make IE insensitive to temperature variations :

VBB  VBE  VRE  VBE
 VBB   ( RC I C  VCB )   Av  & signal swing 
 a rule of thumb

1 1 1
VBB  VCC , VCB (or VCE )  VCC , RC I C  VCC
3 3 3
VBB  RB I B  VBE  RE I E VBB  VBE
IE 
I B  I E /(   1) RE  RB /(   1)

Incheon National University – 16 – Chong-Gun Yu

 VBB  VBE
I divider IE 
RE  RB /(   1)

 Dual power supply version

 To make IE insensitive to β variations :

RB V  VBE
 RE  I E  BB , I B  0 & VB  VBB
 1 RE
VEE  VBE
 RB   R1 & R2   Pdiss  & Rin  IE 
RE  RB /(   1)
 typically R1 & R2 are selected such that
I divider  I B
I divider  0.1I E ~ I E
 I divider  10 I B ~ 100 I B if   100

Incheon National University – 17 – Chong-Gun Yu

 Example
VCC  12V

 Design the circuit to establish a dc current : I E  1mA (   100, VA  )

I divider
■ Follow the rule of thumb  VB  4V, VC  8V
VE 3.3 V V 12  8
VE  VB  VBE  4  0.7  3.3V,  RE    3.3k, RC  CC C   4.04k  4k
I E 1m  IE 0.99 1m

■ Select I divider  0.1I E  0.1mA and neglecting I B

12 R2
R1  R2   120k, VCC  4V  R1  80k & R2  40k
0.1m R1  R2

■ Check I E taking into account the nonzero base current VBB  VBE 4  0.7
IE    0.93mA
RE  RB /(   1) 3.3  (80 // 40) / 101
■ First way to restore IE to its nominal value would be to reduce RE quite a bit lower than 1 mA,
Select RE  3k  I E  1.01mA  1mA  sensitivity to  
■ Second way would be to increase I divider

Select I divider  I E  1mA  R1  8k & R2  4k, I E  0.99mA  1mA  Pdiss  & Rin 

Incheon National University – 18 – Chong-Gun Yu

Biasing Using a C-to-B Feedback Resistor

VCC  RC I E  RB I B  VBE , I B  I E /(   1)

VCC  VBE
IE 
RC  RB /(   1)

 Self-biased stage
 commonly used in discrete and integrated circuits
 guarantees the active mode regardless of device and circuit parameters

To make IE insensitive to β variations:

 RC  I E  VCC  VBE
 RB
 RB   signal swing   1 RC
RB
VCB  RB I B  IE
 1

Incheon National University – 19 – Chong-Gun Yu

 Example
 Design the circuit to establish a dc current : I C  2mA VCC  1.8V

( I S  5 10 16 ,   100, VA  ) VCC  VBE

IE 
RC  RB /(   1)
RB
■ Choose RC  10  RB  10 RC

RB
 RC
VBE  VT ln
IC
 25.852m  ln
2m
 750.2mV  1
IS 0.5 f

VCC  VBE V  VBE V  VBE

IC  I E   CC  CC
RC  RB /(   1) RC  RB /  1.1RC

VCC  VBE 1.8  0.75

RC    477, RB  10 RC  4.77k
1.1I C 1.1 2m

VC  I B RB  VBE  20u  4.77k  750.2m  95.4m  750.2m  845.6mV

Incheon National University – 20 – Chong-Gun Yu

Biasing Using a Constant Current Source

 IE is independent of β and RB
 RB can be made large → input resistance ↑

 a simple implementation of the constant-current source

 a current mirror (a pair of matched Q1 and Q2)
 assume Q1 and Q2 have high β → neglect their base
currents
 neglecting the Early effect in Q2, the collector current will
remain constant as long as Q2 remains in the active region
VCC  VEE  VBE
I  I REF 
R

Incheon National University – 21 – Chong-Gun Yu

Applications : The First Transistor Radio
Simplified front end of Regency’s TR-1 radio.

 the first transistor radio

 introduced by Regency and Texas Instruments in 1954
 it was recognized that the simple biasing technique would be a poor choice for production.
 each stage incorporated emitter degeneration to stabilize the bias point.

Incheon National University – 22 – Chong-Gun Yu

 Applications : FM Transmitter

 Simple FM transmitter
 operating in the vicinity of 100MHz
 A self-biased CE stage amplifies the microphone signal,
applying the result to an oscillator.
 The audio signal modulates (varies) the frequency of the
oscillator, creating an FM output.

Incheon National University – 23 – Chong-Gun Yu

Basic Configurations of BJT Amplifiers

Three Basic Configurations

 Common-Emitter (CE)  Common-Base (CB)  Common-Collector (CC) or Emitter Follower

Incheon National University – 24 – Chong-Gun Yu

Resistances Seen at Terminals

 re

1
for VA   & vc  0, re // ro 
gm  go

1
Rout  r // // ro  re // ro
gm

Incheon National University – 25 – Chong-Gun Yu

Common-Emitter (CE)

VA   Rin  r VA   Rin  r
Ro  RC Ro  ro // RC
Gm   g m Gm   g m
Av 0   g m RC Av 0   g m (ro // RC )
Av   g m ( RC // RL ) Av   g m (ro // RC // RL )
r r
Gv   g m ( RC // RL ) Gv   g m (ro // RC // RL )
r  Rsig r  Rsig

 applications : amplifiers, part of a larger amplifier circuit

Incheon National University – 26 – Chong-Gun Yu
Common-Base (CB)
VA  

Rin  re   / g m  1 / g m re  ( RC // RL ) RC // RL
Ro  RC Gv  Av  
re  Rsig re  Rsig 1 / g m  Rsig
Gm  g m
Av 0  g m RC  applications :
Av  g m ( RC // RL ) ■ unity-gain current amplifier
■ cascode circuit

Incheon National University – 27 – Chong-Gun Yu

CB: Input Resistance
VA   io  ix  v / r , v  v x 1 1 1
re  r //    gm
gm re r
v x  ro (ix  v / re )  RL io
vx r  RL
Rin   o
ix 1  ro  RL
re r
 r  RL 
r   o 
r (ro  RL )  1  g m o 
r
Rin  
ro  RL  r (1  g m ro )  r  RL 
r   o 
 1  g m ro 

total collector resistance

ro  RL r  RL
Rin  r //  r // o Reflection Rule
1  g m ro Avo

open-circuit voltage gain

Incheon National University – 28 – Chong-Gun Yu

CB: Voltage Gains
VA   Open-Circuit Voltage Gain

vo
vo  ro g m vi  vi  (1  g m ro )vi Avo   1  g m ro
vi RL  

Avo  Gm Ro  ( g m  g o )ro  1  g m ro

Voltage Gain & Overall Voltage Gain

vo Rin
Gv   Av
vo RL vsig Rin  Re
Av   Avo
vi RL  ro 1/ gm
 g m RL for ro  
 ( g m  g o )(ro // RL ) 1 / g m  Re
 g m (ro // RL ) g m RL

1  g m Re

Incheon National University – 29 – Chong-Gun Yu

CB: Output Resistance
VA  

vx
Rout   ro  (1  g m ro )( Re // r )
ix

Rout  ro  Avo ( Re // r ) Reflection Rule

Incheon National University – 30 – Chong-Gun Yu

Reflection Rule Between C & E

 ro (1  g m Re ) for Re  r
Rout  ro  Avo ( Re // r )  ro [1  g m ( Re // r )]
 ro for Re  r

ro  RL  1 R 
Rin  r //  r //   L 
Avo  g m g m ro 
Avo  1  g m ro
 re for RL  0
 2re for RL  ro
 r for RL  

Incheon National University – 31 – Chong-Gun Yu

CE with an Emitter Resistance
VA  

Ro  RC

Input & Output Resistance

vi  R 
ie  Rin  (   1)(re  Re )  (   1)re  1  e 
re  Re  re 
ie vi  R 
ib  (1   )ie    r 1  e   r (1  g m Re )
  1 (   1)(re  Re )
 re 
vi
Rin   (   1)(re  Re ) Reflection Rule
ib  Emitter degeneration resistor Re
■ Increase of Rin by (1  g m Re )

Incheon National University – 32 – Chong-Gun Yu

Reflection Rule Between B & E
VA  

Rb Re

Rb  (   1)(re  RE ) RB R r
Re  re   B 
 r  (   1) RE  1  1

 the base resistance is divided by β + 1 when seen from the emitter.

 the emitter resistance is multiplied by β + 1 when seen from the base.

Incheon National University – 33 – Chong-Gun Yu

Voltage Gains

vi
ie  , vo  ie ( RC // RL )
re  Re
vo  ( RC // RL ) g ( R // RL ) g ( R // RL )
Av    m C  m C
vi re  Re 1  ( Re / re ) 1  g m Re

io ic i  gm
Gm    e  
vi vo  0
vi vi re  Re 1  g m Re

Rin Rin g m ( RC // RL )
Gv  Av  
Rsig  Rin Rsig  Rin 1  g m Re

 Emitter degeneration resistor Re  Voltage gain from base to collector (VA  )

■ reduction of Gm & Av by (1  g m Re ) total resistance in the collector
Av  
re  total resistance in the emitter

Incheon National University – 34 – Chong-Gun Yu

 VA  

ro  RL /(   1)
Rin  (   1)re  (   1) Re
ro  RL  Re
1
 (   1)re  (   1) Re
1  RL / ro
 (   1)(re  Re )

Ro  ro  ( Re // r )(1  g m ro )
 ro [1  g m ( Re // r )]

i ro  Re /(   1) Rout ,tot  RL // Ro Av 

vo
 Gm Rout ,tot
Gm  o  vi
vi vo  0
(re  Re )ro  Re re  RL //[ ro  ( Re // r )(1  g m ro )]
Rin
 gm  RL // ro [1  g m ( Re // r )] Gv  Av
  if ro   Rsig  Rin
re  Re 1  g m Re

Incheon National University – 35 – Chong-Gun Yu

Common-Collector (CC) or Emitter Follower
VA  

Rin  (   1)(re  RL ) RL
Av 
 (   1) RL if RL  re re  RL
1 RL
Ro  re  1 / g m Av  Gm Rout ,tot  (re // RL ) 
re re  RL  applications :
Gm  1 / re  g m
Rin ■ unity-gain voltage buffer
Av 0  Gm Ro  1 Gv  Av
Rsig  Rin ■ dc level shifter

Incheon National University – 36 – Chong-Gun Yu

 Overall Voltage Gain VA  
Reflecting re and RL to Reflecting vsig and Rsig to
vo the base side the emitter side
Gv 
vsig
Rin
 Av
Rsig  Rin
(   1)(re  RL ) RL

Rsig  (   1)(re  RL ) re  RL
(   1) RL

Rsig  (   1)re  (   1) RL
RL

Rsig /(   1)  re  RL Rsig
 re
re  1
 RL is multiplied by (β+1) before it is presented to the
input source.
 Rsig is reduced by the factor (β+1) before presenting it to
the load resistance RL

Incheon National University – 37 – Chong-Gun Yu

Thévenin Representation VA  
Rsig
Gvo  1, Rout  re 
 1

 overall open-circuit voltage gain

v v vo  RL 
Gvo  o Rout  x Gv   Gvo  
vsig
RL  
ix vsig  0
vsig  RL  Rout 

Incheon National University – 38 – Chong-Gun Yu

VA  

RL'

RL'  ro // RL

RL'
Gv 
Rsig /(   1)  re  RL'
Rin  (   1)(re  RL' ) RL' ro // RL
Av  
 (   1)(re  ro // RL ) re  RL' re  ro // RL ro
Gv 0 
Ro  re // ro 1 RL' Rsig /(   1)  re  ro
Av  Gm Rout ,tot  (re // ro // RL ) 
Gm  1 / re  g m re re  RL'  Rsig 
Rout 
 ro //  re  
ro Gv 
Rin
Av   1
Av 0  Gm Ro  Rsig  Rin
re  ro  RL 
Gv  Gvo  
 RL  Rout 
Incheon National University – 39 – Chong-Gun Yu
Summary and Comparisons
VA  

Incheon National University – 40 – Chong-Gun Yu

Voltage Gain Summary (BJT)
 Using small-signal equivalent circuit
Rout ,tot

 Using Lemma
v i v  Rin 
Rin  i , Gm  o , Rout ,tot  x , Av  Gm Rout ,tot , Gv    Av
ii vi ix R R 
RL  0 vi  0  in sig 

VA   VA  

CE CE_R E CB CC CE CE_R E CB CC
 1 ro  Re /(   1) 1
Gm  gm gm Gm  gm  gm  go
re  RE re (re  Re )ro  Re re re

gm
  gm
1  g m Re

Incheon National University – 41 – Chong-Gun Yu

 Overall Voltage Gain VA  

■ CE & CE_RE ■ CB ■ CC

RC ,tot RC ,tot RE ,tot

Av   Gv  Av 
re  RE ,tot re  RE ,tot re  RE ,tot

 RC
Gv   RC Gv 
RL
Rsig /(   1)  re  Re Gv 
re  Rsig Rsig /(   1)  re  RL

Incheon National University – 42 – Chong-Gun Yu