EMJ17104

Analog
Electronics
CHAPTER 5:
TRANSISTOR BIAS CIRCUITS
Chapter Outline
•The DC Operating Point

•Voltage-Divider Bias

•Other Bias Methods

DC Operating Point
•The goal of amplification in most cases is to
increase the amplitude of an ac signal
without altering it.

•If not correctly bias, output can go into

saturation or cutoff.
 DC Operating Point
• For a transistor circuit to amplify, it must be properly biased with
dc voltages. The dc operating point between saturation and
cutoff is called the Q-point. The goal is to set the Q-point such
that it does not go into saturation or cutoff when an ac signal is
applied.

• VBB is adjusted: (To illustrate Q-point adjustment)

a) If IB = 200μA, so IC = 20mA and

VCE = VCC – ICRC = 10 – (20mA)(220Ω) = 5.6V

b) If IB = 300μA, so IC = 30mA and

VCE = VCC – ICRC = 10 – (30mA)(220Ω) = 3.4V

c) If IB = 400μA, so IC = 40mA and

VCE = VCC – ICRC = 10 – (40mA)(220Ω) = 1.2V

VCC – ICRC – VCE = 0

IC = – (1 /RC)VCE + VCC /RC

DC Operating Point
•Recall that the collector characteristic
curves graphically show the relationship of IC
and VCE for different IB.
•With the DC load line superimposed across
the collector curves for this particular
transistor, we see that 30 mA of collector
current is best for maximum amplification,
giving equal amount above and below the
Q-point.
•Note that this is three different scenarios of
IC being viewed simultaneously.
DC Operating Point
•Region along load-line between saturation
and cutoff known as linear region. With a
good Q-point established, IC swings do not
exceed the limits of operation (saturation
and cutoff).

•However, applying too much ac voltage to

the base would result in driving the collector
current into saturation or cutoff resulting in
a distorted or clipped waveform.
DC Operating
Point
Transistor being driven into
saturation and/or cutoff
Example 1
Determine the Q-point and find
the maximum peak value of the
base current for linear operation.
Assume βDC = 200.
Voltage Divider Bias
•Voltage-divider bias is the most widely used
type of bias circuit. Only one power supply is
needed, and voltage-divider bias is more stable
(β independent) than other bias types.
•Two current path to ground, I2 and IE. R1 and R2
are used to provide the needed voltage to point
A (base).
•A voltage divider in which the base current is
small compared to the current in R2 is said to
be a stiff voltage divider because the base
voltage is relatively independent of the
different transistor and temperature effects.
Voltage Divider Bias
RIN(base) =>10R2

VB = (R2 /(R1 + R2))VCC

VE = VB – VBE

IC = IE = VE / R E

VC = VCC – ICRC
 Voltage Divider Bias
• In some cases, you need to analyze the circuit with
more accuracy.
• If the circuit designer wanted to raise the input
resistance, the divider string may not be stiff.
• If IB is not small enough, resistance to ground from
the base, RIN(base) is significant enough to consider in
most cases.
• In the case where base to ground resistance (input
resistance) RIN(base) is low enough to consider, so
RIN(base) = βDCRE
• We can view the voltage at point A of the circuit in
two ways, with or without the input resistance (point
A to ground) considered.
 Voltage Divider Bias
• The original circuit of voltage-divider bias circuit
shown in (a) with the Thevenin equivalent circuit
shown in (b).

• Apply Thevenin’s theorem to the circuit left of point

A, with VCC replaced by a short to ground and the
transistor disconnected from the circuit. The voltage
at point A with respect to ground is

V TH = (R2 /(R1+R2))VCC

• and the resistance is

RTH = R1||R2

RTH = R1R2 /(R1 + R2)

 Voltage Divider Bias
• Apply KVL,

V TH – VRTH – VBE – VRE = 0

• Substituting, using Ohm’s law, and solving for VTH,

V TH = IBRTH + VBE + IERE

= IBRTH + VBE + (βDC + 1) IBRE

IB = (V TH – VBE)/(RTH + (βDC + 1)RE)

ICQ = βDC (V TH – VBE)/(RTH + (βDC + 1)RE)

VCEQ = VCC – ICRC – IERE

≈ VCC – (Rc + RE ) ICQ ; βDC >> 1

Example 2
Determine VCE and IC in the
voltage-divider biased transistor
circuit. Assume βDC = 100 and
IE ≈ IC.
 Other Bias Methods
(Emitter Bias)
• The circuit is independent of βDC making it as stable as
the voltage-divider type, but it requires two power
supplies (VCC and VEE).

IC = IE = (–VEE – VBE) /(RE + RB / βDC)

VE = VEE + IERE

VB = VE + VBE

VC = VCC – ICRC

• IE depend to VBE and βDC , both change with temperature

and IB. This can be improved by,

RE >> RB / β, IE = –(VEE – VBE)/RE

VEE >> VBE , IE = VEE /RE

 Other Bias Methods
(Base Bias)
VCC – VRB – VBE = 0

VCC – IBRB – VBE = 0

IB = (VCC – VBE)/RB

VCC – ICRC – VCE = 0

VCE = VCC – ICRC

• Substituting the expression for IB into the formula

IC = βDC yields

IC = βDC ((VCC – VBE)/RB)

• This type of circuit is very unstable since it’s βDC

changes with temperature and IC also from one
transistor to another due to manufacturing variations.
Example 3
Determine the Q-point values of IC
and VCE for the circuit in the figure.
Assume βDC = 100, VCC = 8 V, RB =
360 kΩ and RC = 2 kΩ. Construct
the dc load line and plot the Q-
point.
Other Bias Methods
(Emitter-Feedback Bias)
•An emitter resistor changes base bias into
emitter-feedback bias, which is more
predictable. The emitter resistor is a form of
negative feedback.

•The equation for emitter current is found by

writing KVL around the base circuit. The
result is

IE = (VCC – VBE)/(RE + RB /βDC)

 Other Bias Methods
(Collector-Feedback Bias)
• It kept stable with negative feedback, but not as stable
as voltage-divider or emitter. If IC, try to increase, VRC
increase, VC decrease, VRB decrease, IB decrease.

IB = (VC – VBE)/RB

VC = VCC – ICRC

IC = (VCC – VBE)/(RC + RB /βDC)

• Since emitter is ground, VCE = VC

VCE = VCC – ICRC

• IC depend on βDC and VBE, and can minimize by,

RC >> RB and VCC >> VBE

Selected Key
Terms
 1. A signal that swings outside the active area will be

a. clamped

b. clipped

Test yourself… c. unstable

d. all of the above

 2. A stiff voltage divider is one in which

a. there is no load current

b. divider current is small compared to load current

Test yourself… c. the load is connected directly to the source voltage

d. loading effects can be ignored

 3. Emitter bias

a. is not good for linear circuits

b. uses a voltage-divider on the input

Test yourself… c. requires dual power supplies

d. all of the above

 4. The circuit shown is an example of

a. base bias

b. collector-feedback bias

Test yourself… c. emitter bias

d. voltage-divider bias
 5. The circuit shown is an example of

a. base bias

b. collector-feedback bias

Test yourself… c. emitter bias

d. voltage-divider bias
The End