EE130 Lecture 13

Bipolar Junction Transistor

- Carrier and Current Analyses (cont.)
- Ebers-Moll Model
- Base Modulation Effect
- Breakdown
Reading Assignment
1) Pierret : Chap 11.1, 11.2
2) Visualization http://jas.eng.buffalo.edu/
PNP or NPN Bipolar Junction Transistor
Narrow-Base vs. Wide-Base BJT.
Charge Flow into/out-of the Base region
Professor Nathan Cheung, U.C. Berkeley 1
 Current Formulas for NPN BJT

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 Superposition Principle of excess minority
carriers and currents in BJT
Excess minority carrier : p and n [exp(qVA/kT)-1]
Diffusion current density : Jp ( dp/dx ) and Jn ( dn/dx) [exp (qVA/kT)-1]
p(x ) n(x )
Recombination current density J R-G = q
dx or q
dx [exp (qVA/kT)-1]
With VA= 0 , [exp (qVA/kT) -1] =0.

The excess minority carrier (or diffusion current

density) distribution due to VBE and VBC is equal to
the algebraic sum of the two individual situations:
(1) VBE, VBC=0 ; and (2) VBE=0,VBC

Professor Nathan Cheung, U.C. Berkeley 3

 Example: Excess Minority Carrier
(no G-R in quasi-neutral regions)
VEB ; VCB=0
VEB=0; VCB

0 0
x xB xC
E
Saturation x xC
E xB
Forward Active
Suggested exercise: Go over the other operation modes, with and without G-R,
to verify the Superposition Principle is indeed valid. Try the principle with minority current
densities to get a better grasp of all the individual current components in a BJT.
Professor Nathan Cheung, U.C. Berkeley 4
 Ebers-Moll Model of BJT
A large-signal current model which is applicable
for all operation modes *
D
D
I E = qA E n Eo + B p Bo (
cosh( W / L B ) qVEB / kT
e ) D
1 qA B p Bo
1
(
qVCB / kT
e )
1
LE LB sinh( W / L B ) LB sinh( W / L B )

IFo PNP RIRo

FIFo IRo
D
I C = qA B p Bo
1
(
qVEB / kT
e ) D D
1 qA C nCo + B p Bo (
cosh( W / L B ) qVCB / kT
e )
1
LB sinh( W / L B ) LC LB sinh( W / L B )

*Valid only if current components follow [Exp (qVA/kT)-1] dependence. E.g. low
level injection. Counter example : G-R current from depletion region ~ Exp qVA/2kT.
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 Ebers-Moll Model Circuit Diagram
I F = I Fo ( e qVEB / kT
1) I R = I Ro ( e qVCB / kT
1)

IE IC
PNP

R IR FIF
IB
Reciprocity Relationship Note: Although the Ebers-Moll model
uses 4 parameters : IFo, IRo, F and R,
FI Fo = R I Ro only three of them are independent
Professor Nathan Cheung, U.C. Berkeley because F IFo= R IRo 6
 Ebers-Moll Model Circuit Diagram
I F = I Fo ( e qVBE / kT
1) I R = I Ro ( e qVBC / kT
1)

NPN

IE IC

R IR FIF
IB

Professor Nathan Cheung, U.C. Berkeley 7

 Example Calculation
PNP BJT in the active mode (VEB>0,VCB<0) has :
IC = dc I E + I CBo
Using the Ebers-Moll model:
I E = I Fo ( e qVEB / kT 1) R I Ro ( e qVCB / kT 1)
= I Fo ( e qVEB / kT 1) + R I Ro
IC = FI Fo ( e qVEB / kT 1) I Ro ( e qVCB / kT 1)
= F I Fo ( e qVEB / kT 1) + I Ro
Eliminating ( ) term: IC = FI E + (1 F R )I Ro
Therefore dc = F ICBo = (1 F R )I Ro
Professor Nathan Cheung, U.C. Berkeley 8
 Example: Open Emitter Calculation (npn)
E B C I E = 0 and VBC = 5 V
I IF = R IR
I = IC = FIF IR
- + = F R I R I R
5V = (1 F R )I R
I F = I Fo ( e qVBE / kT 1) I R = I Ro ( e qVBC / kT 1) I R = I Ro ( becauseVBC = 5 V )
I = (1 F R )I Ro
NPN

IE IC

R IR FI F
IB
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 BJT Breakdown Mechanisms

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 Punch Through

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