An-Najah National University

Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Introduction

 Transistors must be properly biased to work as amplifiers.

 DC biasing is used to establish a steady level of transistor current and voltage.
 That point of operation is called the dc point or quiescent point (Q-point).
 We have three possible states in a transistor:
 Cutoff: Emitter and collector diodes are OFF.
 Active: Emitter diode is ON, collector diode is OFF.
 Saturation: Emitter and collector diodes are OFF.
 When we want to amplify a signal, we should operate in the active region.
 In general we want to amplify voltage rather than current.
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Introduction

For example, the heads on a tape player (or VCR) pick up the magnetic traces on a tape and
provide a small voltage output.
Speakers used to convert the electrical signal to an ac acoustic (sound) signal need large
voltages!
The stereo amplifier, with tape head input and speaker output, provides the voltage
amplification necessary
That is, the output voltage from amplifier is greater than the input voltage to amplifier.
 Amplification is an example of linear applications.
Amplifiers are the most common linear devices.
In general, we need to amplify AC signals (time varying signals).
 However, proper operation depends on its DC bias voltages and currents.
We will not deal with cutoff and saturation.
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 DC Operating Point

A dc operating point must be set so that signal variations at the input terminal are amplified
and accurately reproduced at the output terminal.
The operating point is given by IC and VCE.
It is referred to as Q-point (quiescent point).
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Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 DC Bias

If an amplifier is not properly biased, it will go either into cutoff or saturation.
For example, the inverting amplifier:
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Transistor Bias Circuits

 DC Bias

Adjusting VBB- to get a IB = 200 μA we get:

IC = βDCIB = (100)(200 μA) = 20 mA
VCE = VCC - ICRC = 10 – (20 mA)(220 Ω) = 5.6 V

If we adjust VBB so that IB = 300 μA we get:

IC = βDCIB = (100)(300 μA) = 30 mA
VCE = VCC - ICRC = 10 – (30 mA)(220 Ω) = 3.4 V

If we adjust VBB so that IB = 400 μA we get:

IC = βDCIB = (100)(400 μA) = 40 mA
VCE = VCC - ICRC = 10 – (40 mA)(220 Ω) = 1.2 V
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 DC Bias

We get three different Q points, one for each case:

Note that when IB- -increases, IC increases and VCE decreases.
When IB decreases, IC decreases and VCE decreases.
Thus, adjusting VBB shifts the operating point of the transistor along a sloping line.
This line is called the dc load line.
The dc load line intersects the VCE axis at 10 V. At this point VCE = VCC.
At this point we are entering cutoff (since IB = IC = 0 in the ideal case).
The dc load line intersects the I-C axis at 45.5 mA ideally.
At this point we are entering the saturation state (IC is maximum, VCE = 0 and IC = VCC/RC).
Applying KVL around the collector loop we get:
VCC – ICRC – VCE = 0
IC = -(1/RC) VCE + VCC/RC
Which indicates that the slope is -(1/RC) and the VCC/RC is the ordinate intercept.
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Linear Operation

•All points along the dc load line, between saturation and cutoff form the linear region of
operation.
•This means that as long as we operate in this region, the output voltage is a linear reproduction
of the input.
•Look at the following example.
•A sinusoidal wave, Vin, is superimposed to the base voltage.
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Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Linear Operation

Vin causes a ±100 μA variation in the base current (IB) with respect to the Q-point value of 300
μA.
This causes the collector current to vary 10 mA above and below its Q-point value of 30 mA.
In result, the collector-to-emitter voltage varies 2.2 V above and below its Q-point value of 3.4
V.
Note that VCEQ , ICQ , and IBQ are the dc Q-point values with no input sinusoidal voltage applied.
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Waveform distortion
If we operate to close to cutoff or too close to saturation, waveform distortion may occur.
The top or the bottom of the output wave will appear clipped.
When the positive peak is clipped,
transistor is being driven into saturation.
If the negative peak is clipped,
transistor is going into cutoff.
If the negative and positive peaks are
clipped, the input is too large.
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Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Example:

Determine the Q-point in the following circuit. Assume βDC = 200. Find the maximum peak
value of the base current for linear operation.
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Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Example:

The Q-point is defined by IC and VCE. We find these values as follows:

IB = (VBB – VBE)/RB = (10 V – 0.7 V)/47 kΩ = 198 μA
IC = βDCIB = (200)(198 μA)= 39.6 mA
VCE = VCC – ICRC = 20 V – 13.07V = 6.93 V
Thus the Q-point is at IC = 39.6 mA and VCE = 6.93 V. Since IC(cutoff) = 0, we need to know IC(sat) to
determine how much variation in collector current can occur and still maintain linear operation.
IC(sat)=VCC/RC = 20 V/330 Ω = 60.6 mA
The dc load line looks as follows:
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Transistor Bias Circuits

 Example:

Thus, before saturation is reached, IC can increase, ideally, by

IC(sat) – ICQ = 60.6 mA – 39.6 mA = 21 mA

And it can decrease by 39.6 mA before cutoff (IC = 0) is reached. The limiting value is, then, 21
mA. Thus we can see that we are closer to saturation than to cutoff.

The maximum peak variation of the base current is:

Ib(peak) = Ic(peak)/βDC = 21 mA/200 = 105 μA
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Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Voltage-divider Bias

 This is the most widely used method for biasing a transistor for linear operation.
It uses a single voltage source and a voltage divider circuit.
Unlike other methods, this method results in a β (almost) independent circuit.
 That is, βDC and VBE do not affect the stability of the Q-point.
Considering the following circuit, we can see that the there are two paths between point A
and ground: through R2 and through the BE junction.
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Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Voltage-divider Bias

 If IB is much smaller than current through R2, we can view the circuit just
as a voltage divider consisting of R1 and R2.
If IB is NOT small enough to neglect, compared to I2, then the dc input
resistance, RIN(base) must be considered.
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Voltage-divider Bias
Input resistance at the transistor base

 Consider the following circuit.

The resistance looking into the base of the transistor is
RIN(base) = VIN/IIN
 Applying KVL and assuming VBE << IERE we get
VIN = VBE + IERE
VIN ≈ IERE
 And since IE ≈ IC = βDCIB VIN becomes
VIN ≈ βDCIBRE
 The input current is the base current, IIN = IB. Substituting we get
RIN(base) = VIN/IIN = βDCIBRE/IB = βDCRE
 Thus, the resistance seen by looking into the base of the transistor is the
gain, βDC, times the emitter resistance, RE.
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Voltage-divider Bias
Analysis of a Voltage-Divider Bias Circuit( approximate method)

 Consider the following circuit.

As shown before, RIN(base) = βDCRE. The resistance from base to ground is R2||RIN(base) = R2||
βDCRE.
The voltage at the base is, then, VB = (R2||βDCRE)/(R1 + (R2||βDCRE))VCC
 Assuming βDCRE >> R2 (at least ten times): VB ≈ R2(R1 + R2) VCC
 Knowing the base voltage, we can find the emitter voltage: VE = VB – VBE.
Ohm’s law gives us the emitter current: IE = VE/RE and the
rest of the values:
IC ≈ I E
VC = VCC - ICRC
VCE = VC - VE
We can also express VCE in terms of IC by using KVL:
VCC – ICRC – IERE – VCE = 0
VCE ≈ VCC – ICRC – ICRE
VCE ≈ VCC – IC(RC + RE)
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Voltage-divider Bias
Analysis of a Voltage-Divider Bias Circuit (exact method)
V-TH = R2/(R1 + R2)VCC
RTH = R1R2/(R1 + R2)
Apply KVL around the equivalent base-emitter loop:
V-TH – V-R(th) – VBE – V R(E) = 0

V-TH = IB-RTH + VBE + IERE

But IB=IE/βDC,
V-TH = IE(RE + RTH/βDC) + VBE
Solve for IE:
IE = (VTH – VBE)/(RE + RTH/βDC)

As usual, assume RE>> RTH/βDC, then

IE = (VTH- – VBE)RE
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Voltage-divider Bias
Analysis of a Voltage-Divider Bias Circuit

Example:
Determine VCE and I-C in the voltage-divider biased transistor circuit shown below. Assume βDC =
100.
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Voltage-divider Bias
Analysis of a Voltage-Divider Bias Circuit(approximate method)
Example:
Determine the dc input resistance at the base:
RIN(base) = βDCRE = (100)(560 Ω) = 56 kΩ
Since RIN(base) = 10R2, we may neglect RIN(base). Thus,
VB ≈ R2(R1 + R2) VCC = (5.6 kΩ)(15.6 kΩ) 10 V = 3.59 V
So,
VE = VB – VBE = 3.59 V – 0.7 V = 2.89 V
and
IE = VE/RE = 2.89 V/ 560 Ω = 5.16 mA
Thus,
IC ≈ 5.16 mA
and
VCE ≈ VCC – IC(RC + RE) = 10V–5.16mA(1.56kΩ) = 1.95 V
Since VCE>0, the transistor is NOT in saturation.
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Voltage-divider Bias
Analysis of a Voltage-Divider Bias Circuit(exact method)

Example:
V-TH = R2/(R1 + R2)VCC=3.69 volt
RTH = R1R2/(R1 + R2)=3.59 KΩ
Apply KVL around the equivalent base-emitter loop:
V-TH – V-R(th) – VBE – V R(E) = 0
IE = (VTH – VBE)/(RE + RTH/βDC)
IE = (3.59 – 0.7)/(560 + 3.59/100)=4.85 mA
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Transistor Bias Circuits

 Voltage-divider Bias
Stability of Voltage-Divider Bias

Solve for IE:

IE = (VTH – VBE)/(RE + RTH/βDC)

As usual, assume RE>> RTH/βDC, then

IE = (VTH- – VBE)RE

Note that the expression for IE is independent of βDC. Thus, varying βDC’s will not affect I-E.
Thus, IC will also be unaffected by βDC.
Remember that for this type of biasing (voltage-divider) we must make sure RE is at least ten
times RTH/βDC.
This is not an unreasonable assumption, since βDC is generally large.
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Base Bias
Analysis of a Base Bias Bias Circuit

 Looking at the figure below, we can see that

VCC – VR(B) – VBE = 0 Or VCC – IBRB – VBE = 0

Which results in:

IB = (VCC – VBE)/RB
IC = βDC(VCC – VBE)/RB

Apply KCL at collector to get:

VCC – ICRC - VCE = 0
VCE = VCC – ICRC

Note that IC is dependent on βDC.

Any variation in βDC will result in a variation in IC.
This makes this bias method very unstable!!
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Base Bias
Analysis of a Base Bias Bias Circuit

Example:
Determine how much the Q-point (IC , VCE) in the circuit below will change over a temperature
range where βDC increases from 85 to 100 and VBE decreases from 0.7 V to 0.6 V (both changes
happen at the same time).
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Base Bias
Analysis of a Base Bias Bias Circuit

Example:
Solution:
Before the temperature rises, we have βDC = 85 and VBE = 0.7 V. Thus
IC(1) = βDC(VCC – VBE)/RB = 85(12 V – 0.7 V)/100 kΩ = 9.61 mA
VCE(1) = VCC – ICRC = 12 V – (9.61mA)(560 Ω) = 6.62 V
After the temperature rise, we have βDC = 100 and VBE = 0.6 V. Thus
IC(2) = βDC(VCC – VBE)/RB = 100(12 V – 0.6 V)/100 kΩ
= 11.4 mA
VCE(2) = VCC – ICRC = 12 V – (11.4 mA)(560 Ω) = 5.62 V
The percent change in IC and VCE after the temperature change is:
%Δ IC = (IC(2) – IC(1))/IC(1) 100% = 18.6%
%Δ VCE = (VCE(2) – VCE(1))/VCE(1) 100% = -5.1%
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Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Base Bias
Analysis of a Base Bias Bias Circuit

 The percent change in IC and VCE after the temperature change is:
%Δ IC = (IC(2) – IC(1))/IC(1) 100% = 18.6%
%Δ VCE = (VCE(2) – VCE(1))/VCE(1) 100% = -5.1%

This shows that the Q-point is very dependent on βDC. Thus, the bias arrangement becomes
very unstable.

Base bias is very rarely used if linear operation is required (amplification). However, it may be
used in switching applications.
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Base Bias
Analysis of a Base Bias Bias Circuit

 The percent change in IC and VCE after the temperature change is:
%Δ IC = (IC(2) – IC(1))/IC(1) 100% = 18.6%
%Δ VCE = (VCE(2) – VCE(1))/VCE(1) 100% = -5.1%

This shows that the Q-point is very dependent on βDC. Thus, the bias arrangement becomes
very unstable.

Base bias is very rarely used if linear operation is required (amplification). However, it may be
used in switching applications.
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Transistor Bias Circuits

 Emitter bias
Analysis of Emitter bias Circuit

 Uses both a positive and a negative power supply voltage.

KVL yields:
-VEE + VR(B) + VBE + VR(E) = 0
-VEE + IBRB + VBE + IERE = 0
+VEE = IBRB + VBE + IERE

But IC ≈ IE and IC = βDCIB, thus IB = IE/βDC. This results in

IE(RB/βDC + RE) + VBE = +VEE

Solving for IE
IE = (VEE – VBE)/(RE+RB/βDC)
or
IC ≈ (VEE – VBE)/(RE + RB/βDC)
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Faculty of Engineering
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Transistor Bias Circuits

 Emitter bias
Analysis of a Emitter bias Circuit

Example:
Determine the variation in Q-points in the following circuit if βDC changes from 85 to 100 and VBE
from 0.7 V to 0.6 V.
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Transistor Bias Circuits

 Base Bias
Analysis of a Emitter bias Circuit

Example:
Solution:
For the lower temperature (βDC = 85 and VBE = 0.7 V):
IC(1) ≈ IE = (VEE – VBE)/(RE + RB/βDC) = 1.73 mA
Thus VCE(1) = Vcc + VEE-(RC+RE)*IC = 14.6 V
For the higher temperature case (βDC = 100 and VBE = 0.6 V):
IC(2) ≈ IE = (VEE – VBE)/(RE + RB/βDC) = 1.76 mA
VCE(2) = Vcc + VEE-(RC+RE)*IC = 14.1 V
The percent change in IC and VCE is:
%Δ IC = (IC(2) – IC(1))/IC(1) 100% = 1.73%
%Δ VCE = (VCE(2) – VCE(1))/VCE(1) 100% = -3.42%
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Transistor Bias Circuits

 Collector-feedback bias.
 Analysis of Collector-feedback Circuit

 The base resistor is connected to the collector rather than to VCC (as in the base bias
arrangement).
Collector voltage provides the bias for the base-emitter junction.
The negative feedback creates an offsetting effect that tends to keep the Q-point stable.
If IC increases, it drops more voltage across RC, thus causing VC to decrease.
When VC decreases, there is a decrease in voltage across RB, which decreases IB.
The decrease in IB produces less IC which, in turn, drops less voltage across RC
and thus offsets the decrease in VC
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Transistor Bias Circuits

 Collector-feedback bias.
 Analysis of Collector-feedback Circuit
 We can find IB by: IB = (VC – VBE)/RB

Assume IC>>IB. Thus VC ≈ VCC - ICRC

IC/βDC = (VCC - ICRC – VBE)/RB

Solving for I-C-

IC = (VCC – VBE)/(RC +RB/βDC)
VCE = VCC - ICRC

By making VCC >> VBE and RC >> RB/βDC, we are eliminating the VBE and the
βDC dependency.
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Faculty of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Transistor Bias Circuits

 Collector-feedback bias.
 Analysis of Collector-feedback Circuit
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Transistor Bias Circuits

Biasing Circuit Emitter bias Voltage-Divider Collector-feedback Base Bias
Bias bias
Schematic Diagram

Circuit A split(dual The voltage The base resistor is Base resistor

Recognition polarity) power divider in the connected between the connected to
supply and the base base circuit. base and collector power, emitter
resistor connected terminals of the to ground.
to ground. transistor.

Advantages β-independent β-independent A simple circuit that Simple.

output values. (like-emitter is relatively β
bias), but does independent.
not require a
dual-polarity
power supply.
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Transistor Bias Circuits

Biasing Circuit Emitter bias Voltage-Divider Collector-feedback Base Bias
Bias bias
Schematic Diagram

Disadvantages Requires the use of None (as compared Poor ac dependent.

a dual-polarity to other biasing characteristics.
power supply. circuits) in
terms of dc
operation.

Applications Used primarily to Used primarily to Linear amplifiers Switching

set the dc biasing bias linear applications.
for linear amplifiers.
amplifiers.
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Transistor application
 Logic Gates
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Transistor application
 Voltage indicator
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Transistor problems
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Transistor problems
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Transistor problems