BIPOLAR JUNCTION

TRANSISTOR
(BJT)
PREPARED BY:
CATHERINE C. GLORIOSO
Bipolar junction transistor (bjt)
• Is a three layer, two junction and three terminal semiconductor
device.
• A type of transistor that uses both electron and hole charge carriers.
• It is used in:
-amplification of weak signals
-switching operations
Physical structure of a bjt
2 Types
• NPN and PNP
• A BJT consists of three differently doped semiconductor regions:
the emitter region, the base region and the collector region.
These regions are, respectively, p type, n type and p type in a PNP
transistor, and n type, p type and n type in an NPN transistor.
• Each semiconductor region is connected to a terminal,
appropriately labeled: emitter (E), base (B) and collector (C).
 Emitter

(E) (C) E C
n p n p n p

(B) Collector B
Base

WIDTH: C > E > B

CROSS SECTION VIEW OF BJT
E B C

n
p
n
Bipolar Junction Transistor
• Bipolar transistors are called bipolar because the main flow of
electrons through them takes place in two types of semiconductor
material: P and N, as the main current goes from emitter to collector
(or vice versa). In other words, two types of charge carriers—
electrons and holes—comprise this main current through the
transistor.
SYMBOL
E E

B B

C C
npn pnp
 E NPN
• A small current entering the base is amplified to produce a
large collector and emitter current.
• To allow for greater current and faster operation, most
bipolar transistors used today are NPN because electron
mobility is higher than hole mobility.
B • A mnemonic device for the NPN transistor symbol is
"not pointing in", based on the arrows in the symbol and the
letters in the name.

C
 E PNp
• A small current leaving the base is amplified in the
collector output. That is, a PNP transistor is "on" when its
base is pulled low relative to the emitter. In a PNP
transistor, the emitter–base region is forward biased, so
holes are injected into the base as minority carriers. The
base is very thin, and most of the holes cross the reverse-
B biased base–collector junction to the collector.
• A mnemonic device for the PNP transistor symbol is
"pointing in (proudly/permanently)", based on the arrows
in the symbol and the letters in the name.

C
Difference between npn & pnp
Npn
• Receives positive voltage to the
collector terminal and positive to
the base terminal for proper
operation
• Output current flows from the
collector to the emitter
Pnp
• Receives positive voltage to the
emitter terminal and a negative
voltage at the base terminal
• Output current flows from the
emitter to the collector
 VOLTAGE AND CURRENT
BIASING
+V
NPN TRANSISTOR
• In an NPN transistor, positive voltage
load is given to the collector terminal and
current flows from the collector to
IB C the emitter, given there is sufficient
base current
B
IC

E
PNP TRANSISTOR
+Vcc
IB E • In a PNP transistor positive voltage is
B IE given to the emitter terminal and
R current flows from the emitter to the
C
collector, given there is sufficient
load negative current flow from the base
How they operate (Turn on and off)
NPN
• As you increase current to the base of a NPN transistor, the transistor is
turned on more and more until it conducts fully from collector to
emitter.
• And as you decrease current to the base of a NPN transistor, the
transistor turns on less and less, until the current is so low, the
transistor no longer conducts across collector to emitter, and shuts off.
PNP
• As current is sinked from the base (flows out from the base to ground),
the transistor is on and conducts across to power on the output load.
applications
Amplification
• A small base-current is amplified to a high collector-current

Switch
• Depending on the applied voltage the transistor can be on or off,
and therefore can act as a switch.
2nd power source
- +

n p n

- +

1st power source

references
• https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/semiconductors/chpt-4/b
ipolar-junction-transistors-bjt
/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_junction_transistor
• http://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/transistor/tran_1.html
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFCgeI4j-Ig
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ukDKVHnac4