Goals of Lectures 3-5

EE 332

DEVICES AND CIRCUITS II

Lecture 3 Bipolar Junction Transistors (1)

Explore physical structure of bipolar transistor Understand bipolar transistor action and importance of carrier transport across base region Study terminal characteristics of BJT. Explore differences between npn and pnp transistors. Develop Transport and Ebers-Moll models for bipolar device. Define four operation regions of BJT. Explore model simplifications for each operation region. Understand origin and modeling of Early effect. Present SPICE model for bipolar transistor.Provide examples of worstcase and Monte Carlo analysis of bias circuits. Discuss bipolar current sources and current mirror.

Physical Structure
Consists of 3 alternating layers of n- and p-type semiconductor called emitter (E), base (B) and collector (C). Majority of current enters collector, crosses base region and exits through emitter. A small current also enters base terminal, crosses base-emitter junction and exits through emitter. Carrier transport in the active base region directly beneath the heavily doped (n+) emitter dominates i-v characteristics of BJT.

Transport Model for npn Transistor

Base-emitter voltage vBE and base-collector voltage vBC determine currents in transistor and are said to be positive when they forward-bias their respective pn junctions. The terminal currents are collector current(iC ), base current (iB) and emitter current (iE). Primary difference between BJT and FET is that iB is significant while iG = 0.

Narrow width of the base region causes coupling between the two back to back pn junctions. Emitter injects electrons into base region, almost all of them travel across narrow base and are removed by collector

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npn Transistor: Forward Characteristics

Base current is given by
v I BE i = F = S 1 exp B V T F F 20 500 is forward common-emitter F

npn Transistor: Reverse Characteristics

0

current gain Emitter current is given by

i E

current gain Base currents in forward and reverse modes are different due to asymmetric doping levels in emitter and collector regions. Emitter current is given by Reverse transport current is
i R = i E =I S
v BC 1 V T

20 is reverse common-emitter

Forward transport current is

v i =i = I exp BE 1 C F S V T

v I =i +i = S exp BE 1 C B V T F F 1 . 0 is forward common0 . 95 = F +1 base current gain F

exp

IS is saturation current
10 18 A I S

10 9 A

In this forward active operation region,

i C = F i B i C = F i E
i

Base current is given by

B

v I BC i = S 1 exp C V T R R 0 . 95 is reverse common0 = R +1 base current gain R

VT = kT/q =0.025 V at room temperature

v I i BC = R = S 1 exp V T R R

npn Transistor: Complete Transport Model Equations for Any Bias

i = I exp C S

Transport Model Calculations: Example

Evaluating the expressions for terminal currents,
I C = 1 . 07 mA

v BE V T

exp

v BC V T

v exp BC 1 V R T

= I I

S S

exp

v BE V T

exp

v BC V T I S

v exp BE 1 V F T

E
B

= 1 . 09 mA
= 21 . 04 A

v i = exp BE B V T F

v 1 + exp BC 1 V R T

First term in both emitter and collector current expressions give current transported completely across base region. Symmetry exists between base-emitter and base-collector voltages in establishing dominant current in bipolar transistor.

Problem: Find terminal voltages and currents. Given data: VBB = 0.75 V, VCC = 5.0 V, IS =10-16 A, F =50, R =1 Assumptions: Room temperature operation, VT =25.0 mV. Analysis: VBE =0.75 V, VBC = VBB- VCC =0.75 V-5.00V=-4.25 V

I 1 . 07 mA = C = = 50 I 0 . 0214 mA B I = C = 1 . 07 mA = 0 . 982 F I 1 . 09 mA E

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pnp Transistor: Structure

pnp Transistor: Forward Characteristics

Base current is given by
v I i EB i = F = S 1 exp B V T F F

Voltages vEB and vCB are positive when they forward bias their respective pn junctions. Collector current and base current exit transistor terminals and emitter current enters the device.

Emitter current is given by Forward transport current is

v exp EB 1 i =i = I C F S V T

1 =i +i = I 1+ E C B S F

v exp EB 1 V T

pnp Transistor: Reverse Characteristics

Base current is given by
v I i CB i = F = S 1 exp B V T R R

pnp Transistor: Complete Transport Model Equations for Any Bias

v v EB i =I exp CB exp C S V V T T

v I CB S exp V R T
v I EB + S exp V F T

Emitter current is given by Reverse transport current is

v i = i = I exp CB 1 R E S V T
v 1 CB i = I 1 1 + exp C S V T R

v v EB i =I exp CB exp E S V V T T

v v I I CB S EB i = S 1 + exp exp B V V T F R T

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Circuit Representation for Transport Models

i E = I

Ebers-Moll Model
Forward characteristics (npn transistor)
v v S BE BE 1 = I 1 exp exp where ES V V T T F v v i =I I exp BE 1 exp BE 1 = F ES C S V V T T

ES

S F

In npn transistor (expressions analogous for pnp transistors), total current traversing base is modeled by current source given by:
v i = i i = I exp BE T F R S V T
i = I S exp F

Reverse characteristics (npn transistor)

v v I I BC BC i = S 1 = I 1 exp exp where I CS = S C CS V V T T R R

v exp BC V T

Diode currents correspond directly to 2 components of base current.

B

v BE V T

1 +

S exp R

v BC V T

= I

exp

v v BC I exp BC 1 1 = R CS V V T T

Ebers-Moll Model (contd.)

Complete Ebers-Moll equations (npn transistor) are given by combining forward and reverse characteristics:
i E =I
v v exp BE 1 I exp BC R CS ES V V T T 1

Ebers-Moll Model (contd.)

Complete Ebers-Moll equations (pnp transistor) are given by:
i =I
v v exp EB 1 I exp CB R CS ES V V T T 1 1

v v BC BE i = I 1 I exp exp F ES CS C V V T T

v v CB EB exp 1 I i = I exp F ES CS C V V T T

I = I F ES R CS
1

v v BC I i = i i = 1 I exp BE 1 1 + exp B E C V F ES R CS V T T

v v CB EB 1 I i = exp 1 + 1 I exp ES B V F R CS V T T

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Operation Regions of Bipolar Transistor

Base-emitter junction
Forward Bias

i-v Characteristics of Bipolar Transistor: Common-Emitter Output Characteristics

Reverse Bias

Base-collector junction Reverse Bias Forward Bias Saturation region Forward active region (Not sam e as FET (Norm al active region) saturation region) (Good Am plifier) (Closed switch) Cutoff region Reverse-active region (Open switch) (Inverse active region) (Poor amplifier)

For iB=0, transistor is cutoff. If iB >0, iC also increases. For vCE > vBE, npn transistor is in forward active region, iC = F iB is independent of and vCE. For vCE< vBE, transistor is in saturation. For vCE< 0, roles of collector and emitter reverse.

i-v Characteristics of Bipolar Transistor: Common-Base Output Characteristics

End of Lecture 3
For vCB > 0, npn transistor is in forward active region, iC = iE is independent of and vCE. For vCB< 0, base-collector diode becomes forward-biased and iC grows exponentially (in negative direction) as base-collector diode begins to conduct.

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