IMPORTANT: Besides your calculator and the sheets you use for calculations you are only allowed to

have an A4 sized copy sheet during this exam. Notes, problems and alike are not permitted. Please
submit your copy sheet along with your solutions. You may get your copy sheet back after your
solutions have been graded. Do not forget to write down units and convert units carefully!

ELE222E INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS (21727)

Midterm Exam #1  20 March 2005 10.00-12.00
nci LESZ, PhD, zgr ATE, MSE

1. Assume you have a diode made of n- and p-typed doped silicon with the following specific resistances:
n = 0.1 cm, p = 1 cm. You know ni = 1.5 1010 /cm3, q = 1.602 10-19 C, r = 12, o = 8.85 10-12 F/m,
VT = 25.2 mV. Also Dn = 36 cm2/s, Dp = 16 cm2/s, n= p = 1 sec.
a. Find the barrier potential. (15 points)
b. For a junction area of 1 mm2, calculate the current through your diode when it is forward
biased at 0.6 V. (10 points)
c. Calculate the junction capacitance when your diode is reverse
biased at 10V. (10 points)
2. The two Zener diodes on the right are identical with VZ = 6.8 V.
Remember: VD = 0.7 V when the Zener diodes are forward biased.
Study and sketch the output voltage Vo as a function of the input
voltage Vi in the range from -10V to +10V. (15 points)
What happens when one of the Zener diodes is taken out? Sketch the
output voltage as a function of the input voltage with only (a) Z1 (b) Z2
present. (15 points)

R
+

+
Z1

Vo

Vi
Z2
-

+VCC = +10 V
3. Study the 3-stage amplifier circuit on the
left at DC. For |VBE| = 0.6 V

R3

R1

R5

V4

V7

V5
Q2

Q1

Q3

V3
V2

V6
R2

R4

R6

- VEE = - 10 V

GOOD LUCK!

a. Calculate the resistor values for

hFE = = ,IC1 = IC2 = 2 mA, and
IC3 = 4 mA, such that,
V3 = 0 V, V5 = -4 V and V7 = 2 V
(15 points).
b. With the resistor values you
found above, calculate V3, V4, V5,
V6, and V7 for hFE = = 100. (20
points)

SOLUTIONS
1. Using Einstein relationship VT =

p =
a.

n =

P
1

Dn

Dp

n = 1430cm 2 / Vs; p = 634cm 2 / Vs

= q p N A N A = 9,85 1015 / cm 3
= q n N D N D = 4,36 1016 / cm 3

N N
V B = VT ln A 2 D
ni
b. Using

= 714mV

Ln = n Dn ; L p = p D p Ln = 60m; L p = 40m

Dp
Dn V VT

I o (V = 0,6V ) = A q ni2
1 = 0,533mA = 533A
+
e

L p N D Ln N A

c. Using

C (Vreverse

2. As long as

2 o r
(VB + V ) 1 + 1 = 1,24m , thus
q
NA ND
A
= 10V ) = o r = 8,58 pF
w

wdep (V = 10V ) =

Vi VD + VZ = 7.5V both Zeners will be conducting (one az a Zener diode the other as an

ordinary diode) and will limit the output at 7.5 V. However, for Vi < 7.5V , Z1 cannot work as a Zener
diode and Z2 cannot work as a regular diode. Likewise, for Vi > 7.5V , Z2 cannot work as a Zener
diode and Z1 cannot work as a regular diode. Thus for

Vi < 7.5V , one of the diodes is not conducting.

As a result the output will follow the input. This is visualized in the following graph:
Vo
+7.5 V
Vi
-7.5 V

+7.5 V

-7.5 V

On the other hand, when one of the diodes are taken out, the limiter circuit functions differently. The
remaining Zener diode functions either as a Zener diode or as an ordinary diode as shown below:

Vo

Z1 taken out

+6.8 V
-6.8 V

0.7 V

+6.8V

Vi

-0.7 V

Z2 taken out

-6.8 V

3. The 3-stage amplifier circuit has two npn and one pnp type BJT. Thus VBE1 = VBE2 = 0.6 V and VBE2 = -0.6
V. Taking hFE = = we can neglect base currents. All ICi = IEi
a. IC1 = 2 mA and V3 = 0 V
R1 =

+ 10V V3 10V
=
= 5k .
I C1
2mA

Furthermore the base of Q1 is grounded

V2 = 0V - VBE1= -0,6 V and R2 =
IC2 = 2 mA and V3 = 0 V
V4 = V3 -VBE2 = 0,6 V and R3 =

V2 (10V ) 0,6V + 10V

=
= 4k 7 .
I E1
2mA

+ 10V V4 9,4V
=
= 4k 7 .
I E2
2mA

IC2 = 2 mA and V5 = -4 V
R4 =

V5 (10V )
6V
=
= 3k .
IC2
2mA

V7 = 2 V and IC3 = 4 mA
R5 =

+ 10V V7
8V
=
= 2k
I C3
4mA

V5 = -4 V and IC3 = 4 mA, V6 = V5 0,6 V = -4,6 V

R6 =

V6 (10V ) 5,4V
=
= 1k 35 .
I E3
4mA

b. For hFE = = 100 IC1 = IC2 = 2 mA, IC3 = 4 mA, IB1 = IB2 = 0,02 mA and IB3 = 0,04 mA.

V3 = 10V R1 [I C1 I B 2 ] = 10V 5 10 3 2,02 10 3 V = 0,1V

V4 = V3 V BE 2 = 0,1V (0,6V )= 0,7V

V5 = (10V ) + R4 [I C 2 I B 3 ] = 10 + 3 10 3 1,96 10 3 = 4,12V

V6 = V5 VBE 3 = 4,12 0,6= 4,72V

V7 = 10V R5 I C 3 = 10V 2 10 3 4 10 3 V = 2V
We see hereby that voltages are very close to voltages given in (a). We could also have
solved this part by finding all currents from scratch.