TRANSISTOR

The name is transistor derived from ‘transfer resistors’

indicating a solid state Semiconductor device. In addition to
conductor and insulators, there is a third class of material
that exhibits proportion of both. Under some conditions, it
acts as an insulator, and under other conditions it’s a
conductor. This phenomenon is called Semi-conducting and
allows a variable control over electron flow. So, the transistor
is semi conductor device used in electronics for amplitude.
Transistor has three terminals, one is the collector, one is the
base and other is the emitter, (each lead must be connected
in the circuit correctly and only then the transistor will
function). Electrons are emitted via one terminal and
collected on another terminal, while the third terminal acts
as a control element. Each transistor has a number marked
on its body. Every number has its own specifications.

There are mainly two types of transistor (i) NPN & (ii)
PNP

NPN Transistors:

When a positive voltage is applied to the base, the

transistor begins to conduct by allowing current to flow
through the collector to emitter circuit. The relatively small
current flowing through the base circuit causes a much
greater current to pass through the emitter / collector circuit.
The phenomenon is called current gain and it is measure in
beta.
PNP Transistor:

It also does exactly same thing as above except that it

has a negative voltage on its collector and a positive voltage
on its emitter.
 Transistor is a combination of semi-conductor elements
allowing a controlled current flow. Germanium and Silicon is
the two semi-conductor elements used for making it. There
are two types of transistors such as POINT CONTACT and
JUNCTION TRANSISTORS. Point contact construction is
defective so is now out of use. Junction triode transistors are
in many respects analogous to triode electron tube.

A junction transistor can function as an amplifier or

oscillator as can a triode tube, but has the additional
advantage of long life, small size, ruggedness and absence
of cathode heating power.

Junction transistors are of two types which can be

obtained while manufacturing.

The two types are: -

1) PNP TYPE: This is formed by joining a layer of P

type of germanium to an N-P Junction

P N P
2) NPN
TYPE: This is formed by joining a
layer of N type germanium to a P-
N Junction.
 N P N
Both
types are shown in figure, with their
symbols for representation. The centre
section is called the base, one of the
outside sections-the emitter and the other outside section-
the collector. The direction of the arrowhead gives the
direction of the conventional current with the forward bias on
the emitter. The conventional flow is opposite in direction to
the electron flow.

OPERATION OF PNP TRANSISTOR:-

A PNP transistor is made by sand witching two PN
germanium or silicon diodes, placed back to back. The centre
of N-type portion is extremely thin in comparison to P region.
The P region of the left is connected to the positive terminal
and N-region to the negative terminal i.e. PN is biased in the
forward direction while P region of right is biased negatively
i.e. in the reverse direction as shown in Fig. The P region in
the forward biased circuit is called the emitter and P region
on the right, biased negatively is called collector. The centre
is called base.
 The majority carriers (holes) of P region (known as
emitter) move to N region as they are repelled by the
positive terminal of battery while the electrons of N region
are attracted by the positive terminal. The holes overcome
the barrier and cross the emitter junction into N region. As
the width of base region is extremely thin, two to five
percent of holes recombine with the free electrons of N-
region which result in a small base current while the remaining
holes (95% to 98%) reach the collector junction. The collector
is biased negatively and the negative collector voltage aids in
sweeping the hole into collector region.

As the P region at the right is biased negatively, a very

small current should flow but the following facts are observed:-
1) A substantial current flows through it when the emitter
junction is biased in a forward direction.
2) The current flowing across the collector is slightly less
than that of the emitter, and
3) The collector current is a function of emitter current i.e.
with the decrease or increase in the emitter current a
corresponding change in the collector current is
observed.

The facts can be explained as follows:-

1. As already discussed that 2 to 5% of the holes are lost in
recombination with the electron n base region, which
result in a small base current and hence the collector
current is slightly less than the emitter current.
2. The collector current increases as the holes reaching the
collector junction are attracted by negative potential
applied to the collector.
3. When the emitter current increases, most holes are
injected into the base region, which is attracted by the
negative potential of the collector and hence results in
increasing the collector current. In this way emitter is
analogous to the control of plate current by small grid
voltage in a vacuum triode.
 Hence we can say that when the emitter is forward biased
and collector is negatively biased, a substantial current flows in
both the circuits. Since a small emitter voltage of about 0.1 to
0.5 volts permits the flow of an appreciable emitter current the
input power is very small. The collector voltage can be as high
as 45 volts.