Lecture 1: Introduction to

Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

 The Invention
The First Transistor: On Dec 23, 1947, three scientists led by Dr. William Shockley at
the Bell Telephone Laboratories demonstrated the amplifying action of the first transistor .
(Courtesy Bell Telephone Laboratories.)

Co-inventors:
Dr. William Shockley
(seated);
Dr. John Bardeen (left);
Dr. Walter H. Brattain.
Honored with
Nobel Prize in
Physics in 1956
 Important Features (compared to Vacuum tubes):
- three terminal solid-state device - requires less power
- smaller and lightweight - lower operating voltage
- has rugged construction - more efficient
- no heater requirement

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 The Structure
The Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

 Bipolar: both electrons and holes are involved in current flow.

 Junction: has two p-n junctions.
 Transistor: Transfer + Resistor.
 It can be either n-p-n type or p-n-p type.
 Has three regions with three terminals labeled as
i. Emitter (E)
ii. Base (B) and
iii. Collector (C) 3
 The Structure: npn & pnp
 Base is made much narrow.
 Emitter is heavily doped (p+, n+).
 Base is lightly doped (p-, n-).
 Collector is lightly doped (p, n).

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 The Structure: npn & pnp
 Transistors can be constructed as two diodes that are
connected together.

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 Circuit Symbol
Layout and Circuit Symbol: n-p-n Transistor

 The arrow indicates the direction

of current flow.
 The current flows from collector
to emitter in an n-p-n transistor.
 The arrow is drawn on the
emitter.
 The arrow always points towards
the n-type. So the emitter is n-type
and the transistor is n-p-n type.

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 Circuit Symbol
Layout and Circuit Symbol: p-n-p Transistor

 The arrow indicates the direction

of current flow.
 The current flows from emitter to
collector in an p-n-p transistor.
 The arrow points towards the n-
type.
 So the base is n-type and
transistor is p-n-p type.

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 Modes of Operation
 Based on the bias voltages applied at the two p-n
junctions, transistors can operate in three modes:
1. Cut-off (both EB and CB junctions are reversed
biased)
2. Saturation (both EB and CB junctions are
forward biased)
3. Active mode (EBJ is forward biased and CBJ is
reversed biased)
 Cut-off and Saturation modes are used in switching
operation.
 Active mode is used in amplification purposes.

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Modes of Operation

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 Modes of Operation
Cut-off
-
 Both the junctions are VBC
reversed biased.
 No current can flow through +
either of the junctions. +
 So the circuit is open.
VBE
-

Ideal model of BJT

in cut-off.

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 Modes of Operation
Saturation: Ideal Model

 Both the junctions are

-
forward biased. VBC
 So the equivalent circuit can
be represented by short-circuit
+
between the base, emitter and +
collector. VBE
-

Ideal model of BJT

in saturation.

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 Modes of Operation
Saturation: Practical Model

VCE (sat)  VCB  VBE  VBC  VBE

VCE(sat) is in the range of 0.1 to 0.2 V, as VBC and VBE are both approximately
equal to the diode forward drop.
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 Terminal Currents
Reference Positive Current Directions

IC Collector current

IB Base current

IE Emitter current

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 Active Mode Operation
EBJ: CBJ:
Forward Biased Reverse Biased

◦ Forward bias of EBJ injects electrons from emitter into base (Emitter
current).
◦ Most electrons shoot through the base into the collector (Collector
current).
◦ Some emitted electrons recombine with holes in p-type base (Base
Current)
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 Hole
N electron P N

+ - - +

+ - - +
C
E + - - +

+ - - +

+ - - +

B
 Electron diffusion

Hole diffusion

E-Field
N P N

- +

- +
E C
- +
+ -
- +

- +

VBE VCB

B
 E-Field
N P N

- +

- +
E C
- +
+ -
- +

- +

Electron hole recombination

VBE VCB

B
 Collector current

Electrons that diffuse across the base to the CBJ junction are swept
across the CBJ depletion to the collector because of the higher potential
applied to the collector
vBE
iC  I s e VT

 Theequation above shows that the BJT is indeed

a voltage-dependent current source; thus it
can be used as an amplifier.
 Active Mode Operation
Biasing for Active Mode

EBJ: Forward Biased

CBJ: Reverse Biased

Carriers injected from forward bias junction (from the emitter labeled E)
travel through the intermediate layer (BASE, labeled B) and swept into the
COLLECTOR, labeled C by the reverse biased voltage.
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 Active Mode: Terminal Currents
Current Relationships and Amplification

I 
I C   .I E I B  C  IC IC  I B  I B
 1
I E  IC  I B  I
1  and C  
I B  I E  IC  IC
 1 IB

 As  is close to unity,  is very large, typically around 100.

  represents the current amplification factor from base to
collector.
 The base current is amplified by a factor of  in the collector
circuit in the Active mode.
  is called the Forward Current Gain, often written as F.

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 Amplification Action
Voltage Amplification: Active Mode
 As the base-emitter junction is
forward biased, the source at the
input between EBJ sees a low
resistance.
 However, as the CBJ is reverse
biased, the output resistance is
Basic voltage amplification action of
very high, typically in the range of
the common-base configuration.
hundreds of kΩ to MΩ.

 Therefore, it is unlikely that the value of collector current IC will be affected by

a load resistance usually in the range of a few kΩ.
 As such, a large load resistance will result in a large output voltage.
 Therefore, the transistor is capable of both voltage and current amplification.
 Voltage amplification is achieved by transferring the current from low
resistance to high resistance circuit and, thereby, the name TRANSISTOR.

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 Conceptual Biasing Circuits
npn Transistor

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 Conceptual Biasing Circuits
pnp Transistor

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 DC Output Characteristics
IC vs VCE Characteristics of an npn Transistor

Active Breakdown

Saturation 

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 DC Output Characteristics
IC vs VCE Characteristics of an npn Transistor

Active

Breakdown

Saturation 

Cutoff

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