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Having looked at the construction and operation of NPN and PNP bipolar junctions
transistors (BJT’s) as well as field effect transistors (FET’s), both junction and insulated gate,
we can summarise the main points of these transistor tutorials as outlined below:
• The Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) is a three layer device constructed form two
semiconductor diode junctions joined together, one forward biased and one reverse
biased.
• There are two main types of bipolar junction transistors, (BJT) the NPN and the PNP
transistor.
• Bipolar junction transistors are “Current Operated Devices” where a much smaller
Base current causes a larger Emitter to Collector current, which themselves are
nearly equal, to flow.
• The arrow in a transistor symbol represents conventional current flow.
• The most common transistor connection is the Common Emitter (CE) configuration
but Common Base (CB) and Common Collector (CC) are also available.
• Requires a Biasing voltage for AC amplifier operation.
• The Base-Emitter junction is always forward biased whereas the Collector-Base
junction is always reverse biased.
• The standard equation for currents flowing in a transistor is given as: IE = IB + IC
• The Collector or output characteristics curves can be used to find either Ib, Ic or β to
which a load line can be constructed to determine a suitable operating point, Q with
variations in base current determining the operating range.
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• A transistor can also be used as an electronic switch between its saturation and cut-
off regions to control devices such as lamps, motors and solenoids etc.
• Inductive loads such as DC motors, relays and solenoids require a reverse biased
“Flywheel” diode placed across the load. This helps prevent any induced back emf’s
generated when the load is switched “OFF” from damaging the transistor.
• The NPN transistor requires the Base to be more positive than the Emitter while the
PNP type requires that the Emitter is more positive than the Base.
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The Field Effect Transistor Chart
Biasing of the Gate for both the junction field effect transistor, (JFET) and the metal oxide
semiconductor field effect transistor, (MOSFET) configurations are given as:
Le due immagini qui sopra riprendono i concetti espressi dalle due tabelle precedenti [N.d.R.]
(da Horowitz Hill – The Art of Electronics, Third Edition, Cambridge University Press 2015)
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Differences between a FET and a Bipolar Transistor
Field Effect Transistors can be used to replace normal Bipolar Junction Transistors in
electronic circuits and a simple comparison between FET’s and Transistors stating both their
advantages and their disadvantages is given below.
Below is a list of complementary bipolar transistors which can be used for the general–
purpose switching of low-current relays, driving LED’s and lamps, and for amplifier and
oscillator applications.