Chapter 3

BJT (DC analysis)

Bipolar Junction Transistor
There are two types of
transistors:
• pnp
• npn

The terminals are labeled:

• E - Emitter
• B - Base
• C - Collector
Principle of Operation
• 1) Transistors are used to control the flow of
current.
• 2) When a small current and voltage is applied
at the base (B), the transistor is turned on, and
allows a much larger current to flow from the
collector (C) to emitter (E).
• 3) We will concern ourselves primarily with
NPN transistors.
• 4) A transistor requires a small voltage and
current to turn on.
• 5) If no voltage/current is applied at B, no
current will flow from C to E. If a current is
applied at B, the transistor will allow a large
current flow from C to E.
• 6) Therefore, a transistor allows a small
current to control a much larger current flow.
• 7) This property can be used to create
switches and amplifiers.
NPN transistor –Initial Condition
• 1) In an NPN transistor, the p-
type material is sandwiched
between two n-type materials.
• 2) The p-type material is very
thin compared to the n-type
materials 3) Typical thickness is
1:150 (p-type : n-type).
Transistor Operation
Zero Bias
1) Happens when 0 to 0.6 V is applied to B.
2) The voltage is too low and can’t turn on the
transistor.
3) Similar to diodes, if the applied voltage is too low,
the charge carriers (electrons and holes) cannot
break free from the covalent bonds holding them to
their atoms.
4) Since no free charge carriers exist, no current will
flow.
Reverse Bias (Negative Voltage)
1) Happens when a negative voltage is applied to B.
2) Holes will be attracted to cathode, while electrons
will be attracted to anode.
3) Since both charge carriers are pulled towards
opposite directions, a depletion region is formed.
4) Since the depletion region doesn’t have any free
charge carriers, no current flow will happen.
Forward Bias (Positive Voltage)
1) Happens when positive voltage is applied to B.
2) The voltage will turn on the transistor.
3) Holes will move towards E (cathode), electrons will
move towards B (anode).
4) Electrons will flow from E to B. Current will flow
from B to E.
5) Since the p-type layer is very thin, some electrons
will also flow to C (anode).
6) This causes current to flow from both C and B to E.
Transistor Analysis
DC Analysis AC Analysis
• In DC analysis, the effects of AC signals are removed, and In AC analysis, the effects of DC signals are
only the DC currents and voltages are analyzed. removed.
• To determine the values of base current, IB, collector In AC analysis, the analysis is concerned with
current, IC, and voltage between collector and emitter, determining the input and output impedances, as
VCE well as the gain of the transistor circuit.
• These values establish an operating point (also known as
quiescent point, abbreviated Q-point) of the circuit
• The Q-point must be in the active region of the
characteristics graph
• The Q-point (IBQ, ICQ, VCEQ) is very important to ensure
that the transistor operates in the active region and the
dc limits of operation, as given in the data sheet, are not
being exceeded
• Other related values: base voltage, VB collector voltage,
VC and emitter voltage, VE
DC Analysis
Current and Voltage Relationships

IC =  I E
Characteristic Curve
Biasing Method
• Definition: method of establishing predetermined voltages and/or currents at various
points of a circuit to set and appropriate operating point for a circuit.
• Transistors typically require specific DC voltages and currents to operate correctly.
• Based on the previous section, the transistor only allows current flow if the base-
emitter junction is forward biased.
• There are several ways to design the circuit so that the baseemitter junction is
forward biased.
• These methods are called biasing.
• Two common biasing methods are:
1.Fixed Bias Method.
2.Voltage Divider Bias Method.
Fixed Bias Method Voltage Divider Method
Fix Biased Method
Fix Biased Method
Fix Biased
Method Fixed-bias circuit
DC analysis
Base-Emitter Loop Collector-Emitter Loop

From Kirchhoff’s voltage law: The collector current is given by:

+VCC – IBRB – VBE = 0

I C  I B

Solving for the base current:

From Kirchhoff’s voltage law:
VCC  VBE
IB  VCE  VCC  I C R C
RB
 Load Line for Fixed-bias circuit

The end points of the load line

are:
VCC
IC 
ICsat RC
ICQ
VCE  0V

VCEQ
VCE  VCC
VCEcutoff
I C  0 mA
The Q-point is the particular operating point:
• where the value of RB sets the value of IB
• where IB and the load line intersect
• that sets the values of V CEQ and ICQ
 Circuit Values Affect the Q-Point

Increasing level of IB
Increasing level of RC

Decreasing
value of VCC
Example 1
Solution 1
Fix Biased Method
Emitter-Stabilized Bias Circuit

Adding a resistor (RE)

to the emitter circuit
stabilizes the bias
circuit.
DC analysis
Base-Emitter Loop Collector-Emitter Loop

From Kirchhoff’s voltage law :

From Kirchhoff’s voltage law :
 VCC - I E R E - VBE - I E R E  0
 I E R E  VCE  I C R C  VCC  0

Since IE = (b + 1)IB: Since IE  IC:

VCC - I B R B - (  1)I B R E  0 VCE  VCC – I C (R C  R E )

Solving for IB: Also: VE  I E R E

VC  VCE  VE  VCC - I C R C
VCC - VBE
IB  VB  VCC – I R R B  VBE  VE
R B  (  1)R E
 Improved Biased Stability

Adding RE to the emitter improves the

stability of a transistor.

Stability refers to a bias circuit in

which the currents and voltages will
remain fairly constant for a wide
range of temperatures and
transistor Beta () values.
 Load Line for Emitter-bias circuit

The end points of the load line

are:
VCC
IC 
ICsat RC  RE
VCE  0V

VCE  VCC
VCEcutoff
I C  0 mA
 Circuit Values Affect the Q-Point

Increasing level of IB
Increasing level of RC

Decreasing
value of VCC
Example 2
Solution 2
Voltage Divider Method
Voltage Divider Method
Voltage Divider Bias
 This is a very stable bias
circuit.

 The currents and

voltages are almost
independent of
variations in .

 There are two ways of

analyzing the voltage
divider bias circuit :-
1. Exact analysis
2. Approximate analysis
Exact Analysis

R2VCC
RTh  R1 R2 ETh  VR2 
R1  R2

ETh  VBE
IB 
RTh     1 RE

VCE  VCC  I C  RC  RE 
Approximate analysis
Where IB << I1 and I2 and I1  I2 :

R 2 VCC
VB 
R1  R 2

Where RE > 10R2:

VE
IE 
RE
VE  VB  VBE

From Kirchhoff’s voltage law:

VCE  VCC - I C R C - I E R E
IE  IC
VCE  V CC -I C (R C  R E )
Example 3
Solution 3 –Exact Analysis
Solution 3 –Approximate Analysis
DC Bias with Voltage
Feedback
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, .
Base-Emitter loop

From Kirchhoff’s voltage law:

VCC – I C R C – I B R B – VBE – I E R E  0

Where IB << IC:

I C  I C  I B  I C

Knowing IC = IB and IE  IC, the

loop equation becomes:

VCC –  I B R C  I B R B  VBE   I B R E  0

Solving for IB:

VCC  VBE
IB 
R B  (R C  R E )
Collector-emitter loop

Applying Kirchoff’s voltage law:

IERE + VCE + ICRC – VCC = 0

Since IC  IC and IC = IB:

IC(RC + RE) + VCE – VCC =0

Solving for VCE:

VCE = VCC – IC(RC + RE)
Example 4
Solution 4