Module 3

Transistors
Click to add text
 Module 3
Transistors
• Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)
 Device structure
 Physical operation
• Concept of CB, CEClickand CC
to add textConfiguration
• Transistor as a Switch
• Metal-Oxide Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET)
 Device Structure
 Mode of operation
 Characteristics
 MOSFET configurations (CS, CD, CG)
 Introduction

• This chapter examines a three-terminal device.

– bipolar junction transistor
• BJT was invented in 1948 at Bell Telephone
Laboratories.
– Ushered in a new era of solid-state circuits.
– It was replaced by MOSFET as predominant
transistor used in modern electronics.
 Introduction
• Three-terminal devices are more useful than two-
terminal ones, such as the diodes, because they can be
used in a multitude of applications:
1. Signal amplification
2. Design of digital logic and memory circuits.
• The basic principle is the use of the voltage between
two terminals to control the current flowing in the
third terminal.
• In this way, a three-terminal device can be used to
realize a controlled source.
Introduction
 Recall p-n junction

P N N P

W W + -
+ -
Vappl > 0 Vappl < 0

Forward bias, + on P, - on N Reverse bias, + on N, - on P

(Shrink W, Vbi) (Expand W, Vbi)

Allow holes to jump over barrier Remove holes and electrons away
into N region as minority carriers from depletion region

I I

V V
So if we combine these by fusing their terminals…

P N N P

W W +
+ - -
Vappl > 0 Vappl < 0

Holes from P region (“Emitter”) of 1st PN junction

driven by FB of 1st PN junction into central N region (“Base”)

Driven by RB of 2nd PN junction from Base into P region of

2nd junction (“Collector”)

• 1st region FB, 2nd RB

• Current in the transistor is due to both electrons and holes,
hence the name bi-polar
 Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)
(Device structure )
Unbiased transistor
Transistor regions before Transistor regions after
diffusion has occurred diffusion has occurred

(a) Depletion layers (b) diode equivalent

 Device Structure and Physical Operation

 Charge carriers of both polarities—that is, electrons and holes— participate in the
current-conduction process in a bipolar transistor, which is the reason for the name
bipolar.

 Also IE  IC as IB is very small

 Device Structure and Physical Operation

Simplified structure of the npn transistor npn transistor

 Consists of three semiconductor regions:

emitter region (n-type)- Heavily doped
base region (p-type)-Thin & lightly doped
collector region (n-type)- Thickest & Intermediate doping
 Type described above is referred to as npn.
 Like two back-to-back diodes (Emitter-base diode and Collector-base diode)
Biased transistor

Transistor Currents

Conventional flow Electron flow

  𝑰 𝑬 =𝑰 𝑩 + 𝑰 𝑪
 Biased Transistor
Emitter injects free electrons into base Free electrons from base flow into collector

The left source VBB forward-biases the emitter diode, and the right source VCC reverse-
biases the collector diode.
If VBB is greater than the emitter-base barrier potential, emitter electrons will enter the
base region, as shown above. Theoretically, these free electrons can flow in either of
two directions.
First, they can flow to the left and out of the base, passing through RB on the way to
the positive source terminal. Second, the free electrons can flow into the collector.
 Simplified Structure and Modes of Operation

 Transistor consists of two pn-junctions:

– emitter-base junction (EBJ)
– collector-base junction (CBJ)

 Operating mode depends on biasing.

– active mode – used for amplification
– cutoff and saturation modes – used for switching.
 Operation of the npn-Transistor in the Active Mode
• Active mode is the “most important.”
• Two external voltage sources are required for biasing to achieve it.
• Refer to Figure 6.3.

Figure 6.3: Current flow in an npn transistor biased to operate in the active mode.
(Reverse current components due to drift of thermally generated minority carriers are not shown.)
 Device Structure and Physical Operation
Simplified structure of the pnp transistor

pnp Currents
DC Alpha   𝑰𝒄
𝛂 𝐝𝐜 =
𝑰𝑬

As IE  IC the dc alpha is slightly less than 1.

 For e.g.:
 In a low-power transistor, the dc alpha is typically >> 0.99.
 Even in a high-power transistor, the dc alpha is typically greater than 0.95.

Current Gain
DC Beta   𝑰𝒄
𝛃 𝐝𝐜 =
𝑰𝑩

 The current gain is a major advantage of a transistor and has led to all
kinds of applications.
 For low-power transistors (under 1 W), the current gain is typically 100 to 300.
 High-power transistors (over 1 W) usually have current gains of 20 to 100.
 Common Emitter Configuration
There are three useful ways to connect a transistor with:
(i) a CE (common emitter)
(ii) a CC (common collector)
(iii) a CB (common base)

In the case of CE connection

Base Curve

  𝑽 𝑩𝑩 −𝑽 𝑩 𝑬 VBE = 0.7 V
𝐈 𝐁=
𝑹𝑩
Miscellaneous slides
 Concept of CB, CE and CC Configuration
COMMON-BASE CONFIGURATION

(a) pnp transistor (b) npn transistor

COMMON-EMITTER CONFIGURATION

(a) npn transistor (b) pnp transistor.

Characteristics of a silicon transistor in the common-emitter configuration:
(a) collector characteristics (b) base characteristics.
COMMON-COLLECTOR CONFIGURATION

Click to add text

Click to add text