Bipolar junction Transistor

Chapter-3
Ref. Book: Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory 7th Edition by Robert
Boylestad and Louis Nashelsky
The three terminals of the BJT are called the Base (B), the Collector (C) and the
Emitter (E).
Three different types of voltages are involved in the
description of transistors and transistor circuits. They are:
Figure. 5
Common-Base Configuration
Figure 6
Characteristics of a silicon transistor in the common-Base
configuration:
(a) collector characteristics In the active region the
collector-base junction is
reverse-biased, while the
base-emitter junction is
forward-biased.

In the cutoff region the

collector-base and base-
emitter junctions of a
transistor are both reverse-
biased.

In the saturation region the

collector-base and base-
emitter junctions are
forward-biased.

Figure 8
(b) Base Characteristics

Figure 9
Applying Kirchhoff’s current law to the transistor of Fig.6 as if it were a single node,
we obtain
…….(1)

The collector current, however, is comprised of two components—the majority and

minority carriers. The minority-current component is called the leakage current
and is given the symbol ICO (IC current with emitter terminal Open). The collector
current,

…….(2)

In Fig. 8, The curves clearly indicate that a first approximation to the relationship
between IE and IC in the active region is given by

…….(3)
EX: 1. (a) Using the characteristics of Fig. (ii), determine the resulting collector
current if IE 3 mA and VCB 10 V.
(b) Using the characteristics of Fig. (ii), determine the resulting collector current if IE
remains at 3 mA but VCB is reduced to 2 V.
(c) Using the characteristics of Figs. (i) and (ii) determine VBE if IC 4 mA and VCB 20 V.
(d) Repeat part (c) using the characteristics of Figs. (ii) and (iii).

(i) (ii) (iii)