Analogue Electronics

EDB 2034

Jan 2016

Biasing of BJT

1
Topics To Cover
• Operating Point
• Fixed-Bias Circuit
• Emitter Bias Configuration
• Voltage-Divider Bias
• Miscellaneous Bias Configurations
• Design of Operations
• Application - Transistor Switching Circuit

2
 DC BIASING - BJTs
Introduction
• The analysis of electronic amplifier requires two types of
response – dc and ac response

• First, perform dc analysis to the device, in this case, BJT then,

conduct ac analysis

• Keep in mind that the choice of parameters for the required dc

levels may affect the ac response (and vice versa)

• The dc level of operation is controlled by several factors such as

range of possible operating points on the device characteristics

3
 DC BIASING - BJTs
OPERATING POINT
BIASING IC(mA)

Application of dc 70uA

voltages to establish ICmax

60uA

a fixed level of 50 50uA

current and voltage 40 40uA

(Q-point).
Saturation

PCmax
Region

30 30uA

B 20uA
20
D
10uA
C
10
IB=0uA
0A VCE(V)
5 10 15 20
VCEsat Cutoff Region VCE max

4
 OPERATING POINT
• Must NOT exceed the Maximum Ratings of the transistor:
I C max PC max VCE max
At point A:
Transistor “OFF”, zero current and voltage (not applicable)
At point B:
Center Point Biasing (applicable). Signal will swing in both
positive and negative excursions without entering into Cutoff or
Saturation regions
At point C:
Applicable but not a good region since this will raise
nonlinearities to the output signal. Limitation of peak-to- peak
values by VCE=0 V and IC=0 A.

5
 OPERATING POINT
At point D:
Applicable but not a good region also since this will set the
device operating region near the maximum permissible power

Summary of Biasing Operation

Mode BE J BC J
Cutoff Reverse Reverse

Active Forward Reverse

(Forward)
Saturation Forward Forward

6
 STANDARD NOTATION FOR
CURRENT AND VOLTAGE
• For Linear (active) operation
BE junction FB,
BC junction RB. NPN PNP
C C

IC
IC
VCB V BC
IB IB

B VCE B VEC

VBE VEB
IE
IE

E E

7
 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
VCC VCC

RC C2 IC
RB RC
RB
IB
VCB ac output
C1 VCB
VCE
ac input VCE
VBE
VBE

DC Equivalent
Fixed-Bias Circuit of Fixed-Bias

8
 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
Base-Emitter Loop: VCC VCC

VCC  I B RB  VBE  0
VCC  VBE
IB  IC
RC
RB BE loop RB
IB
VCB
Collector-Emitter Loop:
VCE

IC   I B VE  0V
VBE

VCE  IC RC  VC C  0 VCE  VC CE
VCE  VC C  IC RC VBE  VB  VE loop

VCE  VC  VE VBE  VB

9
 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT 12V
Example 4.1

Find
(a) IBQ and ICQ (c) VB and VC RB RC
2.2k
(b) VCEQ (d) VBC
240k VCB
  50
VCC  VBE 12  0.7 VCE

I BQ    47.08 A VBE
RB 240k
ICQ   I BQ   50 47.08   2.35mA

VCEQ  VC C  I CQ RC VB  VBE  0.7V

VC  VCE  6.83V
 12   2.35m  2.2k  V  V  V
BC B C
 6.83V
 0.7V  6.83V  6.13V
10
 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
Transistor Saturation:
• Not suitable for amplifier design, output distorted.
• ICsat designed should be less than the maximum collector
current provided by the data sheet.
• Resistor, RCE between collector and emitter,
VCE VCEsa t I C sa t
RCE  
IC ICsat
• Assume VCEsat = 0 V then, assume short-circuit.
VCE VCEsa t 0
RCE     0
IC I Csat I Csat

11
 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
Transistor Saturation
Actual saturation region Approx. saturation region
IC IC

ICsat ICsat

V CE V CE
VCEsat VCEsat = 0 V

12
 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
Transistor Saturation
VCC

Saturation current for fixed-bias

IC
VCC RB RC

I Csat 
RC
ICsa
t
Icsat = maximum possible IC RCE= 0
VCE= 0
IC= ICsat

13
 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
Load-Line Analysis for Fixed-Bias Circuit:

• To investigate the possible range of the Q-points.

• Can obtain the load-line from the output characteristics.

VCE  VC C  IC RC ---- (1)

From eqn.1, we can obtain two possible points. When IC = 0A,
VCE  VC C   0  RC VCE  VCC IC  0 A

When VCE = 0V,

VCC
IC 
RC VCE  0V
Insert this two points into the output characteristic curve.

14
FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
I C(mA)
Load line

VCC
RC

Q point I BQ
ICQ

0 VCE (V)
VCEQ VCC 20

15
 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
IC(mA)

• If we vary IB by
varying RB, Q-point will
VCC move up and down.
RC IB 3
Q point3

Q point2 IB 2
ICQ
Q point1 IB 1

0 VCE(V)
VCEQ VCC 20

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 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
IC (mA)

VCC • VCC and RB fixed,

RC 1 RC varies
VCC
RC 2 IBQ
• RC3>RC2>RC1
Q2 Q1
VCC
RC 3 Q3

0 VCE (V)
VCC 20

17
 FIXED-BIAS CIRCUIT
IC(mA)

VCC 1 • RB and RC fixed,

RC
VCC varies
VCC 2
RC Q1
IB Q • VCC1>VCC2>VCC3
Q2
VCC 3
RC Q3

0 VCE(V)
VCC3 VCC2 VCC1 20

18
 EMITTER-BIAS CIRCUIT
• An emitter resistor is used to improve the stability level of the
fixed-bias circuit V CC

RC C2
RB

VCB ac output
C1

VCE
ac input
VBE

RE

19
 EMITTER-BIAS CIRCUIT
VCC VCC
Base-Emitter Loop:
VCC  I B RB  VBE  I E RE  0
I E  (  1) I B IC
VCC  VBE RB RC

IB  BE loop IB
RB  (   1) RE VCB

Collector-Emitter Loop: VCE

VCE  VCC  I C RC  RE  and I E  I C VBE

VE  I E RE VB  VCC  I B RB IE
CE
loop
RE
VC  VCE  VE
VB  VE  VBE
VC  VCC  I C RC
20
 IMPROVED BIAS STABILITY
Comparison between Fixed-Bias and Emitter-Bias Stability

PARAMETER
Circuit  IB(µA) IC(mA) VCE(V Remarks
)

Fixed-Bias 50 47.08 2.35 6.83 IC changes by 100%

VCE changes by 76%
100 47.08 4.71 1.64

Emitter- 50 40.1 2.01 13.97 IC changes by 81%

Bias VCE changes by 35%
100 36.3 3.63 9.11
(MORE STABLE!!)

21
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
• A bias circuit that provide less
dependent or totally independent VCC

of transistor .
(less affected by the temperature
variation). R1 RC

• Two analysis methods:

C1 ac output
Exact C2

Approximation ac input

R2 RE

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 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
Exact Analysis:
R1

1. Redraw the input side of

the voltage-divider circuit. VCC
R2 RE

2. Obtain Rth and Vth. R1

Rth,VCC short Circuit.

R1 R2
Rth  R1 || R2 
Rt h
R2

R1  R2

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 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
R1

Vth?  R2 
Vth  VR 2  VCC
 R1  R2  VCC
Vt h
R2
3. Combine Rth and Vth,
 Vth  I B Rth  VBE  I E RE  0
Vth  VBE Rt h
IB 
Rth  (   1) RE IB
VBE

I E  (  1) I B
Vt h
RE

Vth  VBE
I E    1
Rth  (   1) RE

24
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
Vth  VBE
IE 
R
RE  th
   1
If RE >> Rth/(+1), then

Vth  VBE
IE  Independent of ……
RE
The output equation can be found using the same method as
the emitter-bias circuit.

VCE  VCC  IC  RC  RE 

25
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
RE  10 R2
Approximate Analysis:
The input section can be approximated as,
I1 R1

 Reflected resistance
Ri     1 RE
IB
VC C
I2 R2 VB Ri

Assume that IB is small compare to I1 and I2,

I1  I 2 VB 
R2VCC
R1  R2

26
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
Ri     1 RE  RE
VB equation as shown previously can only be used if, RE  10 R2
VE can be calculated as VE  VB  VBE VE
IE 
ICQ  I E RE

The output equation is

VCE  VCC  IC RC  I E RE or VCEQ  VCC  IC  RC  RE 
Independent of  ……

27
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
Transistor Saturation:

From the output collector-emitter circuit,

VCEQ  VCC  IC  RC  RE 
For saturation, let VCE=0, therefore
VCC
I Csat 
RC  RE

28
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
Load-Line Analysis
IC(mA)

VCE  VCC IC  0 mA
VCC
RC  RE VCC
IC 
IB Q
RC  RE VCE  0V
Q point
ICQ

0 VCE(V)
VCEQ VCC 20

29
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
VCC
Example 4.2 18V

Determine the levels of ICQ and VCEQ for

the circuit, using the exact &
approximation techniques. 82k R1 5.6k RC

Exact Analysis:
Rth  R1 || R2  82k  || 22k 
  50
 17.35k 
R2VCC 22k (18V )
Vth   22k R2 1.2k RE

R1  R2 82k  22k
 3.81V

30
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
Vth  VBE VCEQ  VCC  I C  RC  RE 
IB 
Rth     1 RE  18  (1.98m )(5.6k  1.2k )
3.81  0.7  4.54V
  39.6A
17.35k  (51)(1.2k )
ICQ  I B  (50)(39.6)  1.98mA

Approximate Analysis:

RE  10 R2 (50)(1.2k )  10(22k ) 60k  220k

31
 VOLTAGE-DIVIDER BIAS
R2VCC
Cannot use this formula VB 
R1  R2

VB  Vth  3.81V

X
VE  VB  VBE  3.81  0.7  3.11V
VE 3.11
ICQ  I E    2.59mA
RE 1.2k
VCEQ  VCC  I C ( RC  RE )
 18  (2.59m )(5.6k  1.2k )
 3.88V

3
 EMITTER-FOLLOWER BIAS
Example 4.3 (from Ex. 4.16, Boylestad 10th ed.)

Determine VCEQ and ICQ for the network below.

  90
  90
C1

Vi RB
C2 240k
RB 240k Vo RE
2k
2k RE

20V
-20V VEE
VEE

33
 EMITTER-FOLLOWER BIAS
Analyze the input circuit first:

I B RB  VBE  I E RE  VEE  0
  90
I E     1 I B
VEE  VBE VBE
IB  RB

RB     1 RE
RE
240k
2k
I B  45.73A
20V
IC  I B VEE

IC  4.12mA

34
 EMITTER-FOLLOWER BIAS
Analyze the output circuit :

VCE  I E RE  VEE  0   90
VCE  VEE  I E RE
I E     1 I B VBE
RB

VCEQ  VEE  (  1) I B RE
RE
240k
2k
VCEQ  11.68V 20V
VEE
I E  4.16mA

35
 DESIGN OPERATIONS
• Currents and/or voltages maybe specified but the
elements of the network are unknown.
• Design process requires:
 understanding of transistor characteristics
 basic network equations
 basic circuit analysis laws
 basic assumptions
• Upon determination of resistors, use the nearest
standard commercial resistance values - not the exact
resistance values.

36
 DESIGN OPERATIONS
Example 4.4 (from Ex. 4.21, Boylestad 10th ed.)

Referring to the device characteristic below, determine

VCC, RB, and RC for the fixed-bias circuit.
VCC

IC(mA)

8 RB RC
IBQ=40uA
Q

VCE
20 V

37
 DESIGN OPERATIONS
From the load line,
VCC  VBE
VCE  VCC  20V RB 
IB
VCC 20  0.7
IC  RB   482.5k 
RC 40A
VCE  0V
Standard resistor values:
VCC 20V
RC    2.5k  RC  2.4k 
IC 8mA
RB  470k 
VCC  VBE
IB  This will produce,
RB
I B  41.1A

38
 DESIGN OPERATIONS
Example 4.5 (from Ex. 4.22, Boylestad 10th ed.)
18 V
Given that ICQ = 2mA and VCEQ = 10V,
determine R1 and RC for the bias circuit.

• Only two resistors are known.

R1 RC
VE  I E RE  IC RE  (2mA)(1.2k)  2.4V
VB  VBE  VE  0.7V  2.4V  3.1V
R2VCC
VB   3.1V
R1  R2 18k 1.2k
18k 18V 
 3.1V R1  86.52k
R1  18k 

39
 DESIGN OPERATIONS
VRC VCC  VC
RC  
IC IC
VC  VCE  VE  10V  2.4V  12.4V
18V  12.4V
RC   2.8k 
2mA
R1  86.52k 
• Calculated values:
RC  2.8k 

R1  82k  / 91k 
• Commercial values:
RC  2.8k 

40
DESIGN OPERATIONS
Example 4.6: (using design approximation)

1
Determine the values of R1, R2,
20 V
VE  VCC
RC and RE for the 10
voltage-divider bias circuit below.
R1 RC
If we do not have ICQ = 10mA C2
enough information to ac
solve the problem (too ac
C1 output
many unknowns) but input V CEQ = 8V

if there is RE, we can   80

approximate by R2 RE
using… CE
1
VE  VCC
10

41
 DESIGN OPERATIONS
Note: Capacitors will be open circuit during DC biasing

1 1
VE  VCC   20V   2V
10 10
VE VE 2V
RE     200
I E IC 10mA

VRC VCC  VCE  VE 20  8  2

RC     1k
IC IC 10mA

VB  VBE  VE  0.7V  2V  2.7V

42
 DESIGN OPERATIONS
1
 RE  10 R2 and R2   RE
10
R2
VB  VCC
R1  R2
1
R2   80  0.2k    1.6k 
10

1.6k  20V 
VB  2.7V 
. R1  1.6k 
.
R1  10.25k (use 10k)

43
 TRANSISTOR SWITCHING CCT.
• Besides amplifiers, transistors are also used as switches.
• Useful for computer and control applications.
• Example: the inverter circuit (shows the switching process).

VCC = 5 V
vi vc

5V RC 0.82k
5V
vc
RB
  125
0V 68k 0V t
t

44
 TRANSISTOR SWITCHING CCT.
IC(mA)

I B=60uA • For proper design, the

7
operating point should
IB=50uA
switch from cutoff to
I Csat=6.1mA
I B=40uA
saturation along the load
5 line.
I B=30uA
4 Assume:
IC=ICEO=0mA
3 I B=20uA when IB=0uA
2
IB=10uA VCE=VCEsat=0V
1

0 IB=0uA VCE (V)

1 2 3 4 VCC=5V
ICEO=0mA
VCEsat=0V

45
 TRANSISTOR SWITCHING CCT.
For the transistor to be “on”,
VCC
the network must be heavily I Csat 
saturated: RC
I Csat
Just before saturation, I B max 
 dc
I Csat
To ensure saturation, IB 
 dc
For the transistor switching circuit above,
Vi  0.7V 5V  0.7V ICsat 6.1mA
IB    63 A   48.8 A
RB 68k   dc 125

ICsat 
VCC

5
 6.1mA
63 A  48.8 A
RC 0.82k 
• Well-saturated transistor.

46
 TRANSISTOR SWITCHING CCT.
Example 4.7
Design an inverter circuit. Given Icsat = 10mA.
VCC = 10 V
vi vc

10V RC
10V
vc
RB
  250
0V 0V t
t

VCC 10V
I Csat  10mA  RC=1k
RC RC

47
 TRANSISTOR SWITCHING CCT.
ICsat 10mA
IB    40 A
 dc 250
Choose IB=60uA to ensure saturation Vi  0.7V
IB 
RB
Vi  0.7V 10  0.7
RB    155k 
IB 60 A

Choose RB=150k for a commercial resistor value.

Vi  0.7V 10i  0.7V

IB    62 A
RB 150k 

48
Question & Answer

49