ECE 220:

TRANSISTORS
Bipolar Junction Transistor Biasing

Prepared by: Engr. Arcel Salem

2nd Sem. AY 2022-2023
BIASING
Biasing: The DC voltages applied to a transistor in order to turn it
ON so that it can amplify the AC signal

ECE220 Engr. Salem

OPERATING POINT
• The DC input establishes an
operating or quiescent point called
the Q-point

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THREE STAGES OF OPERATION
• Active or Linear Region of Operation
• Base-Emitter junction is forward biased
• Base-Collector junction is reversed biased
• Cutoff Region of Operation
• Base-Emitter junction is reverse biased
• Saturation Region of Operation
• Base-Emitter junction is forward biased
• Base-Collector junction is forward biased

ECE220 Engr. Salem

DC BIASING CIRCUITS
• Voltage-divider bias circuit
• Emitter-biased circuit
• Collector-feedback bias
• Emitter follower configuration

ECE220 Engr. Salem

Voltage Divider Bias
• This is the very stable bias circuit
• The currents and voltages are nearly independent of any variations in β.

ECE220 Engr. Salem

Exact Analysis

ECE220 Engr. Salem

Exact Analysis

ECE220 Engr. Salem

Voltage Divider Bias Analysis

ECE220 Engr. Salem

Example
Determine the dc bias voltage 𝑉𝐶𝐸 and the current 𝐼𝐶 for the voltage-divider
configuration shown below using exact analysis.

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Approximate Analysis
• This analysis can be used only when specific conditions are met.
• Conditions for approximate analysis:

𝛃𝐑 𝐄 ≥ 𝟏𝟎𝐑 𝟐

ECE220 Engr. Salem

Approximate Analysis

𝐑 𝟐 𝐕𝐂𝐂
𝐕𝐁 =
𝐑𝟏 + 𝐑𝟐

𝐕𝐄
𝐈𝐄 =
𝐑𝐄

𝐈 𝐂𝐐 = 𝐈 𝐄

𝐕𝐂𝐄𝐐 = 𝐕𝐂𝐂 − 𝐈𝐂 (𝐑 𝐂 + 𝐑 𝐄 )

ECE220 Engr. Salem

Example
Determine the dc bias voltage 𝑉𝐶𝐸 and the current 𝐼𝐶 for the voltage-divider
configuration shown below using approximate analysis.

ECE220 Engr. Salem

Collector Feedback Configuration
• Also called DC Bias with Voltage
Feedback
• Another way to improve the stability of a
bias circuit is to add a feedback path from
collector to base.
• In this bias circuit the Q-point is only
slightly dependent on the transistor beta, β.

ECE220 Engr. Salem

Collector Feedback Configuration
• Transistor Saturation Level
𝐕𝐂𝐂 − 𝐕𝐁𝐄
𝐈𝐁 = 𝐕𝐂𝐂
𝐑 𝐁 + 𝛃(𝐑 𝐂 + 𝐑 𝐄 ) 𝐈𝐂𝐬𝐚𝐭 = 𝐈𝐂𝐦𝐚𝐱 =
𝐑𝐂 + 𝐑𝐄

• Transistor Cutoff

𝐕𝐂𝐄 = 𝐕𝐂𝐂 − 𝐈𝐂 (𝐑 𝐂 + 𝐑 𝐄 ) 𝐕𝐂𝐄 = 𝐕𝐂𝐂

ECE220 Engr. Salem

Emitter Follower Configuration
• Voltage is taken off from collector: Saturation

𝐕𝐄𝐄 − 𝐕𝐁𝐄
𝐈𝐁 =
𝐑 𝐁 + (𝛃 + 𝟏)𝐑 𝐄

𝐕𝐂𝐄 = 𝐕𝐄𝐄 − 𝐈𝐄 𝐑 𝐄

ECE220 Engr. Salem

REFERENCES

• Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory, 10th & 11th edition by

Robert L. Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
• Electronic Devices, 9th edition by Thomas L. Floyd

ECE220 Engr. Salem