Bipolar Junction Transistors Characteristics

The three parts of a BJT are collector, emitter and base. Before
knowing about the bipolar junction transistor characteristics,
we have to know about the modes of operation for this type of
transistors. The modes are
1.
2.

Common Base (CB) mode

Common Emitter (CE) mode

3. Common Collector (CC) mode

All three types of modes are shown below

Now coming to the characteristics of BJT there are different

characteristics for different modes of operation. Characteristics is
nothing but the graphical forms of relationships among different
current and voltage variables of the transistor. The
characteristics for p-n-p transistors are given for different
modes and different parameters.
Common Base Characteristics
Input Characteristics

For p-n-p transistor, the input current is the emitter current (I E)

and the input voltage is the collector base voltage (VCB).

As the emitter - base junction is forward biased, therefore the

graph of IE Vs VEB is similar to the forward characteristics of a p n diode. IE increases for fixed VEB when VCB increases.
Output Characteristics

The output characteristics shows the relation between output

voltage and output current IC is the output current and collectorbase voltage and the emitter current IE is the input current and
works as the parameters. The figure below shows the output
characteristics for a p-n-p transistor in CB mode.

As we know for p-n-p transistors I E and VEB are positive and IC, IB,
VCB are negative. These are three regions in the curve, active
region saturation region and the cut off region. The active region
is the region where the transistor operates normally. Here the
emitter junction is reverse biased. Now the saturation region is
the region where both the emitter collector junctions are forward
biased. And finally the cut off region is the region where both
emitter and the collector junctions are reverse biased.
Common Emitter Characteristics
Input characteristics IB (Base Current) is the input current, VBE
(Base - Emitter Voltage) is the input voltage for CE (Common
Emitter) mode. So, the input characteristics for CE mode will be
the relation between IB and VBE with VCE as parameter. The
characteristics are shown below

The typical CE input characteristics are similar to that of a

forward biased of p - n diode. But as V CB increases the base width
decreases. Output Characteristics Output characteristics for CE
mode is the curve or graph between collector current (I C) and
collector - emitter voltage (VCE) when the base current IB is the
parameter. The characteristics is shown below in the figure.

Like the output characteristics of common - base transistor CE

mode has also three regions named (i) Active region, (ii) cut-off

regions, (iii) saturation region. The active region has collector

region reverse biased and the emitter junction forward biased.
For cut-off region the emitter junction is slightly reverse biased
and the collector current is not totally cut-off. And finally for
saturation region both the collector and the emitter junction are
forward biased.