Session 2

Session Name: Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors Author Name: A. Chitra Department: ECE Subject/Course: Electron Devices

Session Objectives
At the end of this session, the learner will be able to: Explain working principle of transistors. Clearly understand how the transistor acts as a switch and amplifier. Explain why it is current controlled device. List the characteristics of transistor circuit.

Teaching Learning Material

Board Presentation

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Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors A. Chitra IFET, Villupuram

Session Plan
Time (in min) Content Learning Aid and Methodology Faculty Approach Typical Student Activity Skill and Competency Developed Intrapersonal Linguistic Visual Knowledge Comprehension

05

Recap

Picture Visualization

Conducts, Narrates Shows

Participates, Listens Identifies

10

Basic operating principle of transistor

Analogy demonstration, PPT, Interaction

Explains by Questioning and correlates

Listens, answers

Intrapersonal Interpersonal Linguistic spatial Knowledge Comprehension

05

Operations performed by transistor

Brainstorming

Facilitates

Participates

Intrapersonal Interpersonal Knowledge

20

Configurations of Transistor

PPT, Board and chalk

Explains

Listens

Intrapersonal Linguistic Logical Knowledge Comprehension

10

Observations from the input and output characteristics

I challenge you

Facilitates, Monitors

Participates, presents

Interpersonal Intrapersonal verbal Knowledge Comprehension Application

05

Conclusion

Board and chalk, ppt

Explains

Listens

Intrapersonal Linguistic Knowledge Comprehension

Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors A. Chitra IFET, Villupuram

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Session Inputs
Recap
We can start the session with an activity to recap the previous session by conducting innovative quiz.

Suggested Activity: Picture Visualization Refer to the pictures given below and identify the keyword used during the session 1. 1.

2.

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Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors A. Chitra IFET, Villupuram

3.

N+

P a

B
N+ denotes --------------------------4.

5.

Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors A. Chitra IFET, Villupuram

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Basic Operating Principle of Transistor

Having recapped the previous session we can now give an analogy to explain the basic operating principle of transistor. Swamiji was preaching one day that, it is not that I am going to preach you what I learnt, but it is that what you want. Tank is filled with full of water. If a person is coming with a small glass, he will get only a glass of water. If a person is coming with a big container, he will be getting that full. Similarly the transfer of knowledge also happens. Now let us see a water system: tank tap Valve

Container

Here the water system is taken as analogy and it is demonstrated. A water filter with a tap can be taken to class and the working can be demonstrated. Suggested Activity: Analogy demonstration To demonstrate the above given analogy, a water filter with a tap can be taken to the class. We can involve 3 learners to give demonstration. Learners1 is asked to come and open the tap fully and then learner1 will say; Learner1: Water is flowing. Next, Learner2 will be asked to come and close the tap and then he will say; Learner2: No water is flowing. Finally, learner3 will be asked to come and

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open the tap partially and then learner3 will say; Learner3: Water is flowing slowly. Now let us see how this analogy is related to our transistor.

Relating the analogy and transistor: Water system B pipe line C pipe line E pipe line Water reservoir at C Tap Small water poured into B Black plunger movement Water flow from C to E Transistor Base Collector Emitter Supply voltage at Collector end base Supply voltage at base end Base current Flow of collector Current and emitter current

What we have learnt from this analogy? A tiny amount of current flowing into "B" allows a large amount to flow from "C" to "E" so we have an "amplification effect". We can control a BIG flow of current with a SMALL flow of current. If we continually change the small amount of water flowing into "B" then we cause corresponding changes in the LARGE amount of water flowing from "C" to "E". For example, if we measure the current flow in gallons/minute: Suppose 1 gallon/minute flowing into "B" allows 100 gallons/minute to flow from "C" to "E" then we can say that the transistor has a "gain" or "amplification" factor of 100 times. In a real transistor we measure current in thousandths of an Ampere or "milliamps". So 1mA flowing into "B" would allow 100mA to flow from "C" to "E". The amount of current that can flow from "C" to "E" is limited by the "pipe diameter". So, no matter how much current we push

Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors A. Chitra IFET, Villupuram

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into "B", there will be a point beyond which we can't get any more current flow from "C" to "E". The only way to solve this problem is to use a larger transistor. A "power transistor". The transistor can be used to switch the current flow on and off. If we put sufficient current into "B" the transistor will allow the maximum amount of current to flow from "C" to "E". The transistor is switched fully "on". If the current into "B" is reduced to the point where it can no longer lift the black plunger thing, the transistor will be "off". Only the small "leakage" current from "B" will be flowing. To turn it fully off, we must stop all current flowing into "B". You can control the current flowing from the emitter to the collector, with a small change in the base current. Thus it is called as a current controlled device. Now let us visualize the transistor amplification function.

FB diode

Operations Performed by Transistor

Now the session can be made more interacting. The learners may be able to define the functions of BJT like amplification and switching. This can be done by questioning the learners.

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Suggested Activity: Brainstorming Possible questions can be: A. What is the function of a switch? B. What is meant by modulation?

Possible answers may be: A. 1. Switch has two states on and off 2. it has two positions B. 1. Variation 2. Increasing or decreasing 3.Change etc Yes. You are right. Switch is capable of providing two states on and off. Modulation or amplification is state between off and on where the signal strength/amplitude is modulated/varied or amplified or increased. Depending on the biasing as we saw in the last session. If both the juns are FB it is fully ON. If both the juns are RB it is fully OFF. If EB is FB and CB is RB it provides Modulation.

Various Configurations of Transistor

We can now explain the various configurations of transistor.

Various configurations of transistor: 1. Common Base mode 2. Common emitter mode 3. Common collector mode

Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors A. Chitra IFET, Villupuram

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Common-base configuration (CB) Fig below shows the common-base configuration for pnp and npn transistor. CB is derived from the fact that the: 1. Base is common to both i/p and o/p of the configuration. 2. Base is usually the terminal closest to or at ground potential

C IC B IB pnp B E IE IB E IE C IC

npn Fig. 4.3: Symbols used with the CB configuration

Analysis of Common-base configuration for pnp. Step 1: B-E junction must be forward bias

p n p

B IB VEB E pnp IE

B V EB
Step 2: 1. B-C junction must be reverse bias

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Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors A. Chitra IFET, Villupuram

2. ICBO=ICO=0 A is a reverse saturation current and normally leakage urrent

known as

C E p n p B VB C C B IB pp n ICBO

Now with EB junction FB and CB junction RB, we can relate the currents in the circuit by applying simple KCL. Now two cts are are coming out of the tr and one ct is entering into the tr.

Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors A. Chitra IFET, Villupuram

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Current relations in CB mode Current base, IB (A) is small compare to current emitter, IE (mA) and current collector,IC (mA). The relationship among these current can be analyse with KCL : IE = IB + IC. Now with EB junction FB and CB junction RB, we know that the output current is greater than the input current. The factor by which the input current is magnified is called gain factor. Current gain: The ratio of output current to input current is called current gain and is represented by .

IC Ideally = 1, butE reality it is between 0.9 and 0.998 I in

Expression for output current: Ic = Ic (majority) + Ic (minority) Ic = IE + IcBo Ic = IE (ignore IcBo due to small value)

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Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors A. Chitra IFET, Villupuram

These curves are the input and the output characteristics for common base mode.

Observations from the Input and Output Characteristics

Having understood the Various Configurations of Transistor, we can now conduct a group activity namely I challenge you by dividing the learners into 4 groups. We can facilitate and guide the entire process. Suggested Activity: I challenge you 1. All the groups are given 05 minutes for observing and listing the observations on the input and output characteristics. 2. Then in the next 10 minutes they can discuss their observations with a team leader from each group or all in the group. The hints given to Group A & B: You can relate the input characteristics to a device which we learnt in the previous sessions and you list out the observations from these input curves.

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The hints given to Group C & D: Can you list out status of person with money and without money? You should relate the output characteristics to that status. Now let us consolidate the observations made by all the groups. Observations from input curves Variation of VBE and IE: 1. For VBE < VA (VA is the voltage at the point A= 0.5V), IE ~ 0 2. For VBE > VA, IE increases with increase in VBE. But IE at a faster rate compared to VBE. Effect of output voltage VcB on input curve: 1. As VcB is increased the curve shifts upwards. 2. This is because of high RB increases thr DLW and hence the base width decreases and this is called BWM or EE Hence we can observe that the input characteristics are similar to FB diode characteristics. Observations from output curves. There are three regions in output curve:

1. 2.

Saturation region (Both CB and EB juns are FB) ON Cut Off region (Both CB and EB juns are RB) OFF Active region (EB jun FB and CB jun RB) Amplifier

3.

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Conclusion
We can conclude the session by stating the following line.

We can observe that Transistor can be employed as a switch or as an amplifier depending on the biasing. In the next class we will see the FETs.

Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors A. Chitra IFET, Villupuram

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Summary
In this session, we learnt to: Clearly understand the functioning of transistor Explain the various configurations of transistor Sketch and analyze the input and output characteristics of transistor.

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Assignment
1. 2. 3. 4. Generate any example for transistor operating principle. Carry out the analysis for CE configuration characteristics. Carry out the analysis for CC configuration characteristics. Tabulate the comparison between the three configurations.

Operating Principle and Characteristics of Bipolar Junction Transistors A. Chitra IFET, Villupuram

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References
Electronic Devices and Circuits G.K. Mithal Websites from Google search

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