55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

Homework Assignment 04 Solutions

Question 1
Unless stated otherwise, each question below is 1 point.

1.

Consider the current mirror below, and neglect base currents. What is

Answer:

2.

In the current mirrors below, neglect base currents and

?

, What is

Answer:

3.

In the current mirrors below, neglect base currents and

, What is

Answer:

4.

Below are two schematics of current sources implemented with BJTs. Which
current source has the best compliance voltage?

55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

(a)

(b)

Answer: (b)
5.

Provide a range for the CE saturation voltage of a BJT.

Answer:
6.

Tue of false: For both the amplifiers below, the voltage gain increases when the
drain/collector bias current is increased.

Answer: True
7.

The small-signal output resistance (ro) of a BJT biased at IC = 1 mA is 100 k .

What is ro when the transistor is biased at IC = 10 mA? (2 points)

Answer:
First, determine Early voltage
:

. Next determine output resistance at

55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

8.

Explain briefly (12 sentences) what is meant by the term matched transistors.

Answer: These are transistor made using the same geometry, same doping, same process
and on the same substrate. They are in the same thermal environment.
9.

True or false: the Early voltage for a small-signal BJT is in the order of 100 V.
Answer: True

10.

True or false: one can use an ordinary glass Si diode as a photodetector.

Answer: True

11.

True or false: when transforming a circuits diagram to a diagram of its small-signal

model, we replace constant current sources with open circuits.
Answer: True

12.

Tue or false: when transforming a circuits diagram to a diagram of its small-signal

model, we replace voltage sources with shorts to ground.
Answer: True

13.

True or false: the of a transistor is a function of temperature, but essentially

independent of collector current.
Answer: False

14.

True or false: the voltage gain of the following amplifier is about -5.

Answer: False

55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

15.

The abbreviation/term ESR is often encountered in data sheets of capacitors.

What does ESR stand for?
Answer: Equivalent Series Resistance

16.

When researching part numbers for three-terminal regulators, an engineer

encounters the term LDO. What does LDO stand for?
Answer: Low Drop Out

17.

Define load regulation of a voltage regulator.

Answer:

NL means No Load, and FL means Full Load

18.

The output voltage of a three-terminal voltage regulator is 5 V @ 5 mA load, and

4.96 V @ 1.5 A load. What is the regulators load regulation? (2 points)

19.

True or false: the turn-on voltages of Schottky diodes are less than that of Si diodes.
However, their reverse leakage/saturation currents are also higher.
Answer: True

20.

True or false: The turn-on voltage of red LEDs is larger than the turn-on voltage of
blue LEDs. (1 point)
Answer: False

21.

Which of the following depicts the correct current direction? Circle one. (1 point)

Answer: (a)

55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

22.

Write down dc load line equation for the BJT in the circuit below, incorporating
That is, do not assume that
. (3 points)

Answer:

23.

55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

Question 2 For the circuit below, determine the dc load line equation for the BJT, incorporating
. That is, do not assume that
. (5 points)

Solution
The load line equation is an equation that expresses
one would start with, for example:

as a function of

. If

were absent,

and note that

, substitute that into the equation above an express as a
function of
. With
present, one has to take a different approach. The simplest is to
replace
, and
with a Thevenin equivalent circuit as shown below.

Now

Combining these equations, substituting values, and rearranging, gives

55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

Question 3 Using the fact that
the BJT (see below). (5 points)

, derive an expression for transconductance

Solution
By definition, the slope of the

transfer curve at the Q-point is the transconductance

The first component of this expression is equal to

At the operating point of

. Thus

the value of the transconductance is

of

55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

Question 4 (N 5.48) For the BJT amplifier below, determine
. For the Si transistor,
, and assume the transistor is operating in the forward active mode. (10 points)

Solution
Replace the base bias network with its Thevenin equivalent network as shown below. For a Si
transistor,
.

Now

However,

Solving yields

so that

. From this follows

55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

Question 5 The transistor in the following circuit has
and
Draw the smallsignal model (common-emitter current gain version) for the circuit. Be sure to add important
details such as the polarity , expression for , etc. (10 points)

Solution

In the model,

because

. Further

A analysis with will reveal the value of

55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

Question 6 Determine the output resistance

for the amplifier below. Start by drawing a
small-signal model for the following circuit. Be sure to supply all necessary details , polarities
of
, labeling the gate, source, and drain, an expression for
and so on.
is a
coupling capacitor and
for the FET. (10 points)

Solution

To determine
set the independent source
to 0, and add a test voltage and determine
the test current that flows. This is shown in (a) below. Note that
, so that the voltagecontroller current source is off, and the equivalent circuit is shown in (b).

(a)

(b)

10

55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

Question 7. For the small-signal model below, determine an expression for

(10 points)

Answer
While not required, it may help to redraw the small-signal model:

Next, set independent sources to zero, add a test voltage

shown below.

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The resulting small-signal model is

55:041 Electronic Circuits. The University of Iowa. Fall 2010.

The KCL equation for the emitter (E) node, using the convention that currents flowing into the
node are positive and currents flowing out of the node are negative is:

Note that

Thus

Solving for

yields

Thus

12